Keeping Grease Out of Kitchen Drains

Topic

kitchen grease clog

For

Newmarket homeowners

Need a hand?

(365) 990-3021

The reason it counts

Bacon fat, pan drippings, butter and even salad dressing travel down a sink drain as liquid. As they cool in the pipe they cling to the walls, collect food particles and coffee grounds, and narrow the passage a little more each week. Detergent only moves the problem further along; it does not dissolve fat for good.

The result is a kitchen sink that drains slowly, then backs up into the second basin, and sometimes into a basement laundry tub where the lines join. In the wider sewer system, grease forms large deposits that municipalities spend considerable sums removing, which is why York Region and its towns ask residents to keep it out of drains. Old cast iron kitchen lines, with their rougher inner surface, tend to catch fat sooner than newer plastic pipe.

Steps, in order

1. Let it cool and scrape it. Let fat set, scrape it into an old tin for the bin, and wipe greasy pans with paper towel before they are washed.
2. Dispose of it properly. Small amounts of solidified fat can usually go in the green bin in York Region; check the current waste guide for your town.
3. Use a sink strainer. A simple basket catches scraps that would otherwise feed the buildup.
4. Go easy on the disposer. A garbage disposal grinds food but does not remove fat. Run plenty of cold water while it operates and afterward.
5. Keep grounds and eggshells out. Both settle into grease and form a heavy sludge.
6. Flush with hot water. After washing up, a minute of hot tap water helps carry residue along, though it is no cure on its own.

Signs grease is building up

• The sink takes longer to empty than it used to.
• A sour smell rises from the drain.
• Water rises in the second basin while the first one empties.
• A puddle stays in the bottom of the dishwasher after the cycle.

For a general approach to any slow fixture, see our circular on clogged drain first steps. Grease is a nuisance; a hidden supply leak behind the cabinet is worse, so read about leak signs in walls as well.

Ringing for help

If plunging and cleaning the trap give only a day or two of relief, the buildup is probably deeper in the line. We provide kitchen drain cleaning and, for heavy deposits, hydro jetting that scours the pipe wall. Homeowners in Sharon and nearby areas sometimes ask us to look at the line while we are on site to service a water heater or descale a tankless unit; one visit can cover both.