Don’t Cut Corners When Cleaning and Pour Grease Down the Drain

If you are like me you start cleaning with all the right intentions and you are ready to see the job through to its end. But ten minutes into the job you start to think

Sink

about better things you could be doing with your time. This is when the urge to cut corners and hire a maid service reveals itself. You might (literally) sweep things under the rugs or shove them in a closet or drawer where they will be safely out of sight. Those techniques are relatively harmless but one thing you should never do to cut corners is pour grease down the drain of your kitchen sink.

You should never do this because grease will collect over time and clog up your pipes which may back up your plumbing with disastrous results. This happens because when the fat contained in the grease comes into contact with other chemicals (particularly calcium) it creates a semi-hard, soap-like substance that then adheres to the walls of your pipes. Eventually this will block the pipe and your waste water will back up.

Even if the grease makes it through your pipes and out of your house it will eventually make its way to the sewer where it will come in contact with grease from other people’s houses and create the same problem but now on a much larger scale. According to the Journal of Oleo Science grease is to blame for 47% of sewer overflows in the United States per year.

Instead of pouring grease down the drain, pour it in a container (I use a coffee can) and put it in the refrigerator. The next time you have grease to dispose of put it on top of the old congealed layer. When the container is full, throw it away in the garbage.

If you are feeling particularly eco-friendly you may want to check with your local recycling plant to see if they will take your grease.

If you are one to cut corners when cleaning, maybe it is time to look into hiring a cleaning service.