While the purpose of grease traps is to collect fats, oils, greases, and solids, it’s still important to manage these byproducts to reduce the risks of blockages, backups, and overflows. Fortunately, there are simple management practices you can teach your kitchen staff to avoid a costly error. Despite not being certified grease trap professionals, educating your staff to control fats, oils, greases, and solids will prevent accidents and extend the period grease collection services.
Cleaning Techniques to Reduce FOGS
When cleaning cook and eating ware, it’s important not to pour or rinse the fats, oils, grease, and solids (FOGS) directly down the drain. The FOGS will gradually collect on the walls of the drainage pipes and result in blockage. Instead, it’s best to apply a combination of dry and wet cleaning techniques.
Dry Cleaning
Dry cleaning your eating ware is not about washing them; it’s about ensuring your drains are exposed to as little FOGS as possible. Some dry cleaning practices include:
- Remove FOGS with rubber scrapers before rinsing the dishes and cookware in the sink.
- Use paper towels to clean up oil; cloth towels will soak up grease that ends up in your drains from rinsing and washing.
- Limit the use of garbage disposals, as larger food items will be ground up, resulting in frequent grease collection.
Teaching your staff these methods can go a long way toward minimizing issues caused by FOGS and clogging your pipes.
Wet Cleaning
When it comes to washing and sanitizing your eating and cooking ware, your staff can play an important role in minimizing FOGS. For instance, they should:
- Ensure the sink’s water temperature is under 140°F when rinsing dishware, as this will prevent grease from dissolving and re-congealing in the collection system when the water cools.
- Use strainers in your sinks to prevent food waste from going down the drain.
- Avoid the use of biological agents – such as gel treatments – to break down grease without first consulting your grease trap maintenance company.
Your staff needs to realize the dishwasher is not a cure-all for cleaning and removing FOGS, so it’s crucial they do their part.
Additional Practices for Controlling FOGS
Beyond cleaning techniques, you can prevent grease trap problems or costly violations to local ordinances by educating your staff on the following best practices:
- Don’t pour grease down sinks or into toilets, as it’ll clog pipes.
- Skim the solids from the surface of the deep fryer before emptying the oil.
- Regularly clean kitchen exhaust filters, as grease can escape the exhaust system and wind up in storm drains.
Educating your staff to control fats, oils, grease, and solids by using these examples will go a long way toward protecting your business from backups and overflows. Despite these actions, regular grease trap maintenance is still required. At Food Grease Trappers, we’ll handle your maintenance and grease collection needs while informing you or practices to keep your business safe. To inquire about our services or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.
