Kitchen Drain Cleaning
If you’ve let a pan of bacon grease sit after breakfast, you had to notice how it solidified as it cooled down, right? Well, it is going to do the same thing in the Kitchen drain, except it will cause a lot of headaches for you later.
Pouring that bacon grease down the kitchen drain may be convenient, but it isn’t good for the drain and could cause you expensive problems later. Do you know the old saying “what goes up must come down”? With bacon grease, what pours as a liquid is going to coagulate inside your plumbing and in just a few minutes, creating a solid mass.
That solid mass becomes a trap for other debris that gets washed down the pipes. Then the debris sticks to that coagulated bacon grease, and before long, you have a massive Kitchen sink clog. Sooner or later, you’ll notice the kitchen sink is draining slowly, or maybe not at all.
At Gallegos Plumbing, we are proud to offer a full spectrum of drain cleaning and plumbing solutions that are cost-effective for our neighbors in Ventura and surrounding communities in Southern California. Call our professional plumber to inspect your pipes and unclog your kitchen sink drain at (805) 243-2622 for help or request service online today.
Fatbergs Ahoy!
So, what are you supposed to do with leftover bacon grease? Can it be flushed down the toilet? Absolutely not! Bacon grease will coagulate and solidify in the toilet too, and a clogged sewer system is really bad news. Grease or oil in the toile can lead to expensive and extensive sewer repairs for your home, perhaps the entire neighborhood. How can your plumbing affect the whole neighborhood?
That solidified bacon grease in the sewer system will create fatbergs, think of an iceberg in the ocean, except it is fat in a sewer pipe. Fatbergs differ from icebergs in the way of their size and weight of the accumulated grease. The congealed mass that bacon grease in the sewer system that collects other debris can reach weights up to 300,000 pounds and have been known to stretch over 800 feet. A fatberg is exceptionally challenging to remove and can take weeks.
Oops – You’ve Already Done It – Now What?
If you forget NOT to pour your bacon grease down the drain, some preemptive measures of Kitchen Drain Cleaning you can do will minimize the chance of fatbergs forming and damaging your pipes. Start by letting hot water run in the drain, squirting dish soap simultaneously. The intention is for the hot water to liquefy the grease, and the dish soap wash it on through the pipes just as it washes off your dishes.
Also Read: DIY tips for clearing a clogged drain.
What Are You Supposed To With Bacon Grease?
The best thing you can do with that bacon grease, or any leftover grease or oil is to pour it in the trash can. However, it isn’t a good idea to pour it in there hot, so take these steps with your next batch of bacon grease:
- Wait for the grease or oil cool and solidify.
- Scrape it into a disposable container. An empty can or jar is ideal.
- You can keep the can or jar until it is full or place it in a plastic bag and place it in the trash can.
After you have poured up and disposed of the grease, wipe out any grease or oil in your pots, pans, and dishes before you wash them. The amount of grease in them isn’t as much as what is in the pan, and it will still coagulate and build up in the drain over time. Preventative maintenance is the best form of drain cleaning and maintenance.
How to Unclog a Kitchen Sink Drain
Other home remedies you can try if the hot water and dish soap didn’t get the Kitchen Drain Cleaning done, try baking soda and hot water, using the same steps as with hot water and dish soap. If neither of those things works and your kitchen sink drain is still clogged, pour one cup of vinegar in the drain and wait 30 minutes, then flush with boiling water.
Related Article: Natural drain cleaners to clean a sink drain
Kitchen Drain Cleaning Professionals
If none of this works give Gallegos Plumbing a call at (805) 243-2622 and let our professional team clear your clog. We are the trusted and well-known drain cleaning professionals in Ventura County with years of experience at combating kitchen drains. Contact us for a full spectrum plumbing repair and drain cleaning services, and we will check the rest of the plumbing to make sure everything is in proper working order. Contact us or Like us on Facebook!