Imagine you’ve finished frying up some bacon for breakfast, and the whole house smells great. (Unless you’re vegan – in which case imagine you were frying some potatoes in cooking oil.) Now you’re left with a pan full of grease before you can get that pan washed and put away. So… what is the right way to clean that mess up?
The resounding answer is to NEVER pour that grease down the drain! Grease, fats, and oils have a tendency to coat what they are in contact with. This is great for your cookware so that foods do not stick, but turn into a mess in your drains. And even if that grease makes it through your drains, it can wreak havoc on your local community sewer system or your septic tank.
Can You Use Hot Water?
Hot water seems to melt grease off of your pans when you rinse them, so it would seem like hot water would also rinse that grease right down your drain. However, instead it just sends the grease further down to coat your drains. That build up over time can lead to some very inconvenient drain and sewer stoppages.
What About Cold Water?
Given the option, cold water is actually the better option to rinse a very small amount of grease residue down. Cold water causes the grease to stiffen into a more solid form to hopefully let it pass through your pipes. Keep in mind that solid form grease has a tendency to collect into bigger problems and potentially turn into a major sewer backup in the community.
What About Oils That Are Liquid At Room Temperature?
Oils like olive oil, canola oil, etc. are still a hard no when it comes to your drains. While fats that stiffen at room temperature can cause damage quicker, oils are still hydrophobic and will coat what they come into contact with. Over time that build up can still be found slowly clogging up your drains.
What Is The Right Way To Dispose Of Grease, Fats, and Oils?
For fats that stiffen at room temperature, pour them into a container once they have cooled and let them really set up. Then, you can scoop them right into your trash can. For oils that are liquid at room temperature, find a sealable container like a coffee can, milk carton, or even the bottle the oil came in. Pour that oil into the container, seal it, and throw it in the trash.
Here at Trident Plumbing we want all of your plumbing throughout your home to keep running smoothly. If you have any concerns about drain or sewer stoppages in your home, give us a call today at 540-642-0023!
