What is Grease Trap Cleaning?

Grease trap cleaning is the process of removing grease waste and other food particles from the unit. It is possible to clean grease traps on your own, but it can be a very difficult and messy job. Hiring a professional grease trap cleaning service to clean your grease trap is the best course of action. They have the experience and necessary grease trap cleaning tools to get the job done.

Why Do you Need Regular Grease Trap Service?

Grease can build up quickly in your pipes and cause a backup – something you absolutely do not want, especially during a busy mealtime. Not having preventive grease trap service could cost you a lot in lost income if you are unable to serve customers due to a plumbing backup. Restaurants are especially at a risk for backups if they run food down the garbage disposal, as food particles can fill up the grease trap and create a sewer line clog.

How Often Should a Grease Trap Be Cleaned?

It's suggested that your staff do a cursory cleaning of the grease trap every week to reduce maintenance costs and lower the risk of a backup. However, some city or state regulations require that restaurants do a full cleaning at least once a month. Most often, grease traps should be cleaned every 4 - 6 weeks as an underperforming grease trap can cause large issues for your business and create blockages.

What Best Practices are There for Grease Trap Cleaning?

Here are three basic tips for using your grease trap properly:

• Don't pour grease down your sinks or toilets. It will harden and stick to your pipes. In addition, food particles will stick to the grease and together they'll create clogs.
• Recycle waste cooking oil. If you're wondering what to do with the grease you'd normally pour down the sink, simply recycle it. It can be turned into biofuel and used to heat and generate power for your business – saving you money and being kind to the environment at the same time.
• Avoid or limit garbage disposal usage. Food particles can fill up your grease trap, so the less you put down your sink, the slower it fills up – and the less often you need maintenance.

What Grease Trap Cleaning Tools are Used in The Cleaning Process?

To properly and safely conduct grease trap cleaning you will need the following tools:

• Gas Mask
• Coveralls or Protective Clothing
• Rubber Gloves
• Scraper
• Wrench
• Shop Vacuum
• Bucket
• Crowbar

Where to Dump Grease Trap Waste

Knowing where to dump grease trap waste is critical before even starting the grease trap cleaning process. You do not want to start cleaning if you don't know where to dispose of the grease and food particles. Grease trap waste should be collected and disposed of in proper waste oil or grease bins which can then be collected for recycling. Alternatively, you can take the grease to a local processing facility.