After a delicious – and messy – meal, the last thing anyone wants to do is start the lengthy cleanup to restore your kitchen to its original state. While it may seem harmless enough to pour a pot full of grease down the drain to avoid a leaky mess in your garbage can, pouring grease down your kitchen drain can have dreadful consequences. These harmful liquids can damage your kitchen drain and pipes, creating an expensive disaster waiting to happen. Here are 4 reasons why you should never pour grease down the drain, and what should do if you’ve already done so!
Grease Hardens to The Pipes
Even though hot oil is in a liquid state when you would normally pour it down the drain, after it cools, it will begin to solidify, causing it to look like brown or white grime that sticks to the inside of your drain pipes.
So now, you have a thick, sticky substance that clings to the walls of the drain and continuously catches and holds onto any other food or substance that you pour down your drain/garbage disposal. Over time, the buildup will become so thick that eventually your sink will not be able to drain and your pipes will begin to deteriorate.
Dish Soap Will Not Help
Many people that know about the dangers of grease believe that if you pour a powerful dish soap with hot water down the drain, then it will wash away any of the grime that is stuck to the pipes. This is a myth that is not effective and, in all honesty, wastes your dish soap.
The only way to truly clean your pipes that are coating years’ worth of grease, oils, and food is by contacting a licensed plumber to properly restore your kitchen drain pipes.
It Can Affect the Entire Sewer System
Have you ever heard of a “fatberg”? It happens to be a large, rock-like object that is formed by oil and grease collecting thousands of small materials and substances in the sewer line. Fatbergs can grow into the size of a toddler and eventually get stuck, backing up the pipes of many homeowners in the area.
The only way to get rid of fatbergs is to hire a professional who uses heavy water pressure to break the mass up. The only way to avoid the creation of fatbergs is to not pour grease down your drain!
What Should You Do?
So now that the fatbergs have horrified you, you are thinking, “So how do I dispose of grease and oils properly?” Great question! Choose a container for the grease and pour it into the container when it is hot or after it has solidified.
You can use a plastic Ziplock bag, a plastic bottle, a coffee bin, or old Tupperware® you have been wanting to get rid of. This will ensure it does not harm your drain or leak in your garbage bag.
