No Grease is Good Grease: How to Keep Fats, Oils and Grease Out of Your Sewers

Introduction
 
For many homeowners, the kitchen sink is the most used drain in the house. It’s also where greases, food scraps, and fats can build up to clog pipes and cause sewer backups. Preventing grease accumulation starts with being mindful of what goes down the sink. Read on for tips to keep grease out of your sewers. Professional sewer and drain cleaning services for a thorough and effective solution, ensuring the optimal performance of your plumbing system.
 
Use Strainers and Catchers
 
Installing sink strainers or screens is a first line of defense to keep food particles from washing down. Regularly empty strainers into the trash to remove bits of food waste before they reach pipes. For extra protection, consider a sink catcher device that sits in the drain to block oils and debris from entering the line while allowing water flow. Just remember to diligently empty the catcher cup as needed.
 
No Grease Down the Drain
 
Educate household members that grease should never be poured down the sink. Cool oils and fats will eventually congeal and coat pipes. Even small grease amounts over time can build up. Make sure all cooking oils, meat fats, lard, bacon drippings, salad dressings, and butter washings get disposed in the garbage, not rinsed down. Drippings can be collected in jars or cans for the trash.
 
Dry Wipe Pans and Dishes 
 
Pre-wash all cooking surfaces, utensils, and dishes by hand drying them first. Use paper towels to wipe away as much fat, oil and food residue as possible before rinsing. The dry wipe method will significantly cut down the amount of grease that ultimately goes down the drain. Avoid letting fats liquefy into hot rinse water.
 
Use Cold Water 
 
When pre-cleaning oily dishes and pans, use cold instead of hot water from the tap. Hot water will melt grease residues and allow them to slide down drains more easily. Rinsing with cold water helps solidify oils so they can be wiped up. Save the hot sudsy wash for after you’ve dry wiped away the grease buildup from surfaces.
 
Space Out Greasy Work 
 
Try not wash multiple greasy items all at once. Spacing out cleaning pans and oily dishes over time prevents overwhelm sewer lines with large grease loads all at once. The staggered approach allows pipes time to clear small grease amounts between dishwashing tasks. Just be sure to inspect and remove any lingering food debris before washing. 
 
Don’t Use Detergents
 
Many assume detergents help wash away grease, but they can actually make the problem worse. Detergents emulsify and liquefy grease residues which allows more to slip down drains. Stick to mechanical removal by dry wiping and using cold water only. If using soaps, limit them to biodegradable varieties free of phosphates and non-soluble particles.
 
Pour Grease into a Jar 
 
For greasy pans with coating too thick to wipe up, pour extra grease into a used jar or can rather than letting it wash down the drain. The grease can be spooned into the container while solid and then thrown away once full. This keeps thick gobs of fat from entering pipes. Just be sure to seal and toss grease jars regularly to prevent odor issues.
 
Regular Drain Maintenance 
 
To keep drains free of any built up grease, perform regular maintenance. Monthly, flush pipes by running very hot water for several minutes to melt fat deposits and push them downline. Annually use an enzyme drain cleaner or flusher product that digests and breaks down accumulated organic oils. Consider professional hydro jetting services for extremely greasy kitchen lines.
 
Conclusion
 
Preventing grease problems takes commitment by everyone in a household to dispose of fats and oils properly – never down the drain. With vigilant sink straining, dry wiping, cold water rinsing and waste grease collection, those slippery fats can be removed the equation before they reach pipes. Keep drains flowing and eliminate rancid sewer odors by going grease-free. It’s a kitchen sink best practice that saves major plumbing headaches