.png)
Grease blockages are one of the most common and costly problems a commercial kitchen can face. The good news is they are almost entirely preventable. Blockages build up when fats, oils and grease (FOG) cool inside your pipes, harden, and trap food debris until the drain chokes. Prevent FOG from entering the system in the first place, and keep what does enter moving, and you avoid the emergency call-outs, the foul odours and the closures that follow a backed-up drain. This guide sets out the practical steps a commercial kitchen can take to keep its drains clear.
Why grease blockages happen in commercial kitchens
When warm, liquid grease is poured or washed down a sink it feels harmless. A few metres along the pipe it cools, congeals and clings to the pipe wall. Over days and weeks these deposits narrow the pipe, catch food particles and coffee grounds, and eventually form the solid masses known as fatbergs. In a busy kitchen this can happen surprisingly quickly.
The consequences go beyond a slow-draining sink. A blocked drain can cause waste water to back up into the kitchen, force a temporary closure, and even leave you liable for damage to the shared sewer. Water companies increasingly trace blockages back to the premises responsible, so prevention protects both your operation and your reputation.
Stop grease entering the drain in the first place
The single most effective way to prevent blockages is to keep FOG out of your drains altogether. Most grease that ends up in pipes could have been captured before it got there.
Scrape and bin before washing
- Scrape plates, pans and trays into the bin or a food-waste caddy before they reach the sink.
- Wipe greasy cookware with a paper towel before washing.
- Never pour cooking oil, fat or dripping down the sink, even when it is still liquid.
Collect used cooking oil separately
Store used cooking oil in a sealed container and arrange collection by a licensed waste oil contractor. Used cooking oil has real value and can be recycled into biodiesel, so keeping it out of the drain is good for compliance and can offset costs.
Fit sink strainers and drain baskets
Simple mesh strainers over every sink and floor gully catch food solids that would otherwise combine with grease to form blockages. Empty them into the bin throughout the day rather than rinsing them through.
Install and maintain the right grease equipment
No matter how careful your team is, some grease will always reach the drains. A properly sized grease trap or grease removal unit intercepts that grease before it enters the sewer. Standards such as BS EN 1825 set out how these devices should be sized and installed so they can cope with your kitchen's flow rate.
Equipment only works if it is maintained. A grease trap that is left to fill will simply pass grease straight through, giving you a false sense of security while blockages build downstream. To keep yours effective:
- Empty or service the trap at intervals suited to your kitchen's output, not just when problems appear.
- Keep a log of every clean and service as part of your due-diligence records.
- Check automated grease removal units are cycling correctly and skimming as intended.
- Book a professional service if performance drops or odours develop.
Build prevention into daily kitchen routines
Blockage prevention is most reliable when it becomes habit rather than an occasional task. A short, repeatable routine keeps everyone accountable.
A simple daily and weekly checklist
- Daily: scrape and bin food waste, empty sink strainers, wipe down greasy equipment, and pour cooled cooking oil into the waste-oil container.
- Weekly: flush drains with plenty of hot water, inspect grease trap levels, and check floor gullies for build-up.
- Monthly: review your grease trap service schedule and top up any biological drain treatment you use.
Train every member of the team
Blockages usually start with one person tipping a pan into the wrong sink. Make sure new starters understand the rules from day one, put clear signage above sinks, and include drain care in your standard opening and closing procedures.
What to avoid
Some common shortcuts make blockages worse rather than better:
- Hot water alone will not solve it. Rinsing grease with hot water simply moves the problem further down the pipe, where it cools and sets again.
- Caustic drain chemicals can damage pipes and are only a temporary fix; they do nothing to stop grease returning.
- Ignoring slow drains. A sink that empties slowly is an early warning. Acting quickly is far cheaper than clearing a full blockage.
Spotting the early warning signs
Catching a developing blockage early saves money and disruption. Watch for slow-draining sinks, gurgling noises from plugholes, unpleasant odours rising from drains, and waste water appearing in floor gullies. Any of these suggests grease is accumulating and it is time to inspect your traps and drains before a full blockage forms.
How Magneté helps
Magneté helps commercial kitchens across the UK stay clear of grease blockages with correctly sized grease management equipment, planned maintenance and servicing, and monitoring that flags problems before they become emergencies. If you want to protect your kitchen from costly blockages and stay on the right side of FOG compliance, book a free strategy call and we will tailor a solution to your site.
