Cooking Grease: Trash It, Never Drain It

8/27/2022 (Permalink)

Cooking Grease

Bacon is a breakfast staple in many households across the country. When cooking bacon in a skillet, a lot of grease can form. While pouring this grease down the drain may seem like a good idea, it can result in a drain clog and issues in the sewer system. The best practice is to throw it away. However, there are some steps you must take to toss your cooking oil out safely.

1. Cool Grease to Prevent a Fire
If you try to pour your grease into a container or the garbage while it is still hot, it can cause burns to your skin or cause a fire in your trash can. It is very important to allow the grease to cool slightly. You want it to be warm enough to flow easily, but not so hot that it is a danger to yourself or your house.

2. Pour Grease to Prevent a Mess
If you pour your grease down the sink and get a drain clog, then it will be a much bigger mess than you were expecting. The trash is the best place to pour the cooking oil, but make sure that you empty it into a plastic or metal container with a lid before placing it into your garbage bin. Since you have allowed the grease to cool, it won't melt your container. Be sure to allow it to finish cooling once you have transferred it into the chosen receptacle.

3. Throw Grease to Prevent a Sink Clog
Once your grease is done completely cooling, make sure to throw it into the garbage. Dumping oily items down your sink can cause build-up. Oftentimes when a clog gets cleared, homeowners have found grease in drain pipes. It's important to not allow cooking oils to enter your drain systems at all.
Dealing with damage caused by a drain clog in Sunbury, PA, can be a frustrating experience. The best option is to never allow grease to go into your drains. If you do ever find yourself with water damage from clogs, contact a professional cleanup and restoration specialist.