What are the Grease Traps and Grease Trap Cleaning?

Grease traps are the plumbing fixtures that have been used in America since the 19th century. But still, there are many new hotel and restaurant owners who do not have much knowledge about these plumbing fixtures and often have questions related to grease trap cleaning in their mind. So today in this post we will discuss a few basic things you should know about grease trap cleaning.

What is a grease trap and how to clean it?

Grease traps are the plumbing fixtures which are used to remove the FOG from wastewater coming from restaurants kitchen or commercial kitchen. FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease.

Grease traps work similar to septic tanks. Wastewater containing FOG and solid food particles from kitchen enters into the grease trap through inlet drain and pass slowly through grease traps. FOG and solid food particles are separated from wastewater due to the magic of gravity. FOG is lighter in density than water and rises to the top to form scum, and solid food particles settled down to the bottom to form sludge. Separated wastewater disposed of to the main sewage system through outlet drains.

Cleaning of the sludge and scum accumulated in grease traps is called grease trap cleaning. It is very important to clean the grease traps on time. Experts suggest grease traps should be cleaned every three months to avoid any issues. You can hire grease trap cleaning companies to clean your grease traps. However, some restaurant owners also consider it as a DIY task and clean grease traps by them.

Benefits of Grease Trap Cleaning

Cleaning grease traps offer numerous benefits. Let’s have a look at them.

Prevent breakdown

FOG accumulated over time in grease traps hampers the functionality of traps and ultimately leads to the complete breakdown of the system. If your grease traps are not cleaned on time, it can result in clogged drain pipes, overflowing sinks, grease leakage, and foul smell. Regular cleaning of grease traps prevent clogs and backups and prevent wastewater disposal system from breakdown.

Avoid penalties

The last thing you would want while running your restaurant is getting penalized by local authorities for not cleaning your grease traps. Your kitchen wastewater is disposed of to the main sewage system. If you do not clean you grease traps on time, it will lose its ability to capture grease, and untreated wastewater could lead to the blockage of the main sewage system. And you are highly likely to face a penalty or fine from local authorities.

Good for the environment

Cleaning a grease trap on time allows it to function at its best. Hence, it avoids harmful bacteria and gases to grow up in the grease trap. Also, overflowing sinks create an unhygienic environment for employees working in the restaurant. Cleaning grease traps periodically promote the hygienic and safe working environment for restaurant staff.

So these are the few basic things you should know about grease trap cleaning.

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