Stop! Don’t Pour That Grease Down The Kitchen Drain!

You heard someone say it. You know you shouldn’t do it. Yet, it’s so convenient!

There’s probably a list floating around the internet somewhere of substances you shouldn’t pour down the drain. Pasta and rice come to mind as foods that shouldn’t go down the drain. They expand and can contribute to clogged pipes! Speaking of pasta, you should never put flour in the drain. Flour and water combine to make a glue-like substance that can easily get clogs started.

Prescription medications are more substances that should never ever be poured down the drain. Throw them in the garbage bin! There’s one more food item not yet mentioned but is wildly popular for being poured down drains everywhere. The sizzling mess we’re discussing in this month’s blog entry is hot, oily, and fatty (and gunky when cooled) GREASE! So, the next time you’re holding a pan of hot bacon drippings, consider what that grease will do to your kitchen pipes, and maybe you will agree that there is a better alternative to get rid of the grease.

GREASE AND DRAIN PIPES DON’T PLAY WELL

It may not seem like hot liquid grease can cause problems for your pipes. After all, why should it? It’s a liquid that will be washed away with other liquid waste. The problem with pouring grease down the kitchen sink is that as soon as the grease contacts cooler surfaces, such as the sink basin and the pipes, the grease cools and begins to solidify.

You may think that pouring grease down the drain every once in a while doesn’t hurt anything. In reality, even a little grease can start problems in the pipes. The solidified grease traps other food and debris that is washed down the sink. Over time, a clog can form in the pipes that can be difficult to break loose. Further, greasy pipes cause foul odors!

BETTER WAYS TO DISPOSE OF LEFTOVER GREASE

There are better ways to dispose of grease rather than pouring it down the drain. Some grease you may want to reuse to save money and add flavor to your cooking. If this is the case, get two metal containers with lids, such as coffee containers. One container will be grease you’re going to save and reuse. The other metal container is for grease you are going to throw away in the garbage bin when the container is full.

If you’re really getting into reusing grease, get more than one container. You could have a container for different types of foods the grease was used for. For example, one container for grease leftover from frying chicken, another from French fries, and another from bacon.

What about the grease film left in the pan? Good question. After you have poured the grease into its proper container, use a paper towel to wipe the pan clean. Don’t wash a greasy pan in the sink.

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE FACT

Suppose that grease has been poured down your kitchen sink on a somewhat regular basis. If the kitchen sink is slow draining, a blockage has probably already started to accumulate in the pipe. You can try pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain quickly with two tablespoons of dish soap. The boiling water might liquify the grease so that it might drain away down the pipe. The dish soap will make the pipe and clog a little more slippery, perhaps, to help the grease drain away easier.

The problem with this scenario is that it contains too many “mights” and “perhaps’s”. If you are experiencing a totally clogged sink with water backed up, the smart choice is to call your trusted plumber.

If you have a slow draining sink or a clogged pipe, call the best plumbing team in Minnesota! We are MN Roto-Rooter Plumbing and Water Cleanup! We provide 24/7 customer service, and we never charge overtime. Contact us online or by simply calling (320) 207-1079. It will be our pleasure to assist you!