Grease Trap Cleaning

Grease trap are the efficient equipments working off-screen to protect the environment. These are the plumbing devices that capture the greases and solids from the kitchen of either houses or restaurants, before they are disposed into the sewage. They help in minimizing the flow of fats, oils and greases into the main sewer system. It is highly essential to keep the trap clean, in order to ensure its proper functioning. There are chances that grease accumulates in the trap, leading to blockage of wastewater and foul smell. Though it may not sound encouraging for you to clean the trap, it is necessary to ensure a clean surrounding. Besides, what can be more comforting than living in a fresh environment, breathing pure air? It is not at all difficult to clean the trap and you can do it with little patience and time to spare. In the following lines, we bring you some simple steps to clean the grease trap conveniently.

Grease Trap Cleaning Procedure

Materials Required

Trash Can
Garbage Bags
Wooden Spoon
Flexible Probe
Strainer

Instructions

Start the cleaning by tidying up the work area. Keep only those materials or equipments with you that are required for the cleaning of the grease trap.
Take a trash can and line it with garbage bags. At the bottom of these garbage bags, place floor/ oil dry or kitty litter, so that any liquid that gets wasted is easily absorbed.
Carefully note the exact location of each parts of the grease trap, as you will need to re-install them in the same manner once the cleaning is done.
Hold the grease trap and remove its cover completely, taking utmost care that you do not damage the gasket. Also be careful to keep your fingers safe from the pinch points.
Remove the layer of oil and grease that is floating on the top of the water in the trap, using a wooden spoon. Put them in the trash can.
Remove the baffle from the trap and thoroughly clean it with cold water.
Your next step would be to clean the bottom of the grease trap. Use a strainer for the purpose. The debris and wastes, which did not float on water, can be conveniently removed with this process.
Use a flexible probe to clean the bypass vent. With this step, the whole cleaning process of the grease trap will come to an end.
Now, you can reinstall the baffles at their proper position. Finally, put the trap cover on, in the same way as it was before cleaning.
After the cleaning, you need to think of disposing the grease in such a way that it does not harm the environment.
For a large in-ground grease trap, you will need to contact a contractor for the disposal. In other cases, you can do it yourself, by throwing it in the local dump.

Tips

Do not use a cleaning agent for cleaning the grease trap. It can harm the natural bacteria present in the trap, which eat away much of the grease.
You can prevent the accumulation of grease in the trap by using bacteria additives. These additives work by breaking down the waste and leaving behind only carbon dioxide and water.
Always clean the trap with cold running water. Never use hot water or degreasers for the purpose, as they will liquefy the grease and allow it to enter the sewage system. Also, do not use soaps to wash the internal parts of a grease trap.
Bad odors will be produced during the cleaning of the grease trap. So, it is advisable to take up the cleaning work during the non-business hours and wear a mask.
Ventilate the place properly before opening the grease trap, so that it does not become suffocated with the odor.
Frequently clean the trap, in order to minimize the grease content and also the odor.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Home & Living'