Ways to Cut Grease in Plumbing
Unless you maintain a completely raw diet, some grease in your kitchen sink drain is inevitable thanks to oils from foods. The greasy oils cling to the pipes, snagging more oil and food bits. This buildup can eventually lead to a full clog in your plumbing. Your attack on grease in plumbing must be twofold: first, get rid of any buildup, then exercise preventative measures to thwart future greasy buildup. Does this Spark an idea?
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Boiling Water
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Grease builds up when cooked foods are thrown into the garbage disposal, and the oils in them don't fully flush down the drain. While oils are liquid when hot, they solidify when cold, allowing them to stick to your plumbing. Combat this naturally with a pot of boiling water. Boil a large pot of water and pour it slowly down the drain. As the water runs over the solidified grease, it will warm up, revert to liquid and flush from the drain. A steady, slow pour ensures the boiling water won't gush past the grease before liquifying it. Boil a second pot of water and repeat the process to ensure the boiling water has cut through all of the grease.
Salty Water
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Very stubborn grease in plumbing may require a two-pronged attack to cut through it. First, mix a water and salt in a 2:1 ratio, such as 1 cup water to 1/2 cup salt. Stir to combine, but stop before all of the salt dissolves. Pour this mixture down the drain and let it sit for 20 minutes. Salt is an alkaline, the best kind of substance to cut through grease. By mixing the salt with water, you allow the salt to have a longer reach, while still clinging to greasy buildup as it goes down through the pipes. After the 20-minute period, pour a large pot of boiling water down the drain to liquify the remaining grease and wash it away.
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Prevent Future Buildup
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Clearing the grease from your plumbing is only the first step. Some measure of greasy buildup is likely to return, but you can lessen the chance remnants will grow into a clog. Once a week, pour a quart of boiling water down your drain to clear away any growing greasy buildups. For an added preventative kick, mix 1/4 cup baking soda with the water. Like salt, baking soda is an alkaline that can cut through grease.
Change Your Kitchen Habits
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Food waste almost always causes grease in plumbing. Never pour grease or cooking oil down your drain. Instead, pour it in a metal can, such as a coffee can, and store it in the fridge until the container is full; then discard it. Or, allow the grease to harden and scrape it off cookware with a rubber spatula and throw it in the garbage. When getting rid of food scraps in the garbage disposal, run the water the entire time. Keep the water on for 10 seconds after the disposal is turned off to flush any remaining food bits down the pipes.
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References
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