Never Pour Oil or Fat Down Your Sink

Looking at my Facebook and Instagram feeds, it seems many are doing a lot more cooking (and eating!) while we are “safe at home.” I love seeing all the culinary masterpieces and I encourage you all to keep up the good work! But while you are at it, it’s important to take steps to keep your drains free and clear.

When you’re in the middle of cooking bacon, sautéing vegetables, or grilling pork chops, the idea of dumping the excess grease down the drain can be very tempting. After all, it’s liquid and can easily flow down the drain. So, what’s the big deal, right?                             

Pouring hot oil down the drain might seem completely innocent in the moment, but it is, in fact, a big deal. That liquid oil, grease, and fat will eventually cool down, and when it does, the liquid will solidify.

What happens when oils and fats solidify.

When you pour oils and fats down the sink, they’re still in liquid form. But they start to cool as they travel through your pipes. Once that happens, they begin to harden and stick to the walls of your pipes. The oil and fat, plus any food waste that inadvertently makes its way down the drain, can cause a clog, a total blockage, and, in some cases, a major block in the city sewer line, creating a problem for an entire community.

Which oils and fats to avoid pouring down the drain.

These fats, oils, and greases should never be poured down the kitchen sink:

• Butter
• Bacon grease
• Oils of any kind
• Drippings from chicken, pork, beef, etc.
• Dairy products, because of their fat content
• Gravy and other fat-based sauces
• Mayonnaise
• Peanut butter
• Salad dressing

How to properly dispose of fat, oil, and grease.

Instead of pouring excess cooking liquids down the sink, let your pots and pans cool and the liquid to harden. Then, you can simply scrape or wipe the solid fat into the trash. Another option is to collect the used oil, fat, and grease in a resealable container and deliver it to a recycling center to be converted into sustainable biofuels. Whichever method you choose to dispose of your cooking oil, do not dump it in the trash when it’s still hot! It can melt the trash bag, and even create a fire.

If you already have a clog, or are reading this and thinking about all the times you poured grease down the drain under quarantine, call the skilled plumbing team at Raider Rooter. We’ve been providing South Florida with reliable, affordable, and high-quality plumbing services for over 40 years.