Why do I need to clean it?
Cleaning and maintaining your grease trap is vital to the effectiveness of the unit. Without regular cleaning it will cause issues such as a severe build up of fats, oils and grease, more commonly referred to as ‘fat bergs’. These could form within the grease trap, or even worse in the pipework exiting the grease trap and ultimately in the sewer. The grease that your unit collects will have a noticeable odour, and if under-maintained the odour will become stronger and much more noticeable. This is easy to overcome by regular cleaning.
How often should I clean it?
Unfortunately there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to frequency of cleaning. It will depend on how busy your kitchen is and how much fluid has passed through the unit. We recommend it is monitored daily initially so you can see what the ‘norm’ is for your unit. Some busier places will require daily maintenance, while others will go for a bit longer. It is important that the overall capacity within the unit doesn’t go above 75% to avoid the risk of it overflowing.
What can I do to slow the build up of grease?
The fact you are cleaning your grease trap means it is doing its job and removing the fats, oils and grease (FOG) from your waste water and you are avoiding the possibility of a fine. Not only that, but you are also avoiding blocking your own pipes saving you from costly call out charges from drainage companies/plumbers as well as reducing downtime or having to close as you cannot operate your business safely, so well done! There are a few things you can do though to help slow down the build up of grease within the unit. Firstly, we recommend that dishwashers are not connected to the unit. This significantly increases the flow rate of the grease trap and it means it is not dealing with the separation stage properly, as mentioned in the installation guide. You can also do the following to reduce the build up:
- Dry wipe plates before placing them in the sink
- Ensure waste food is thrown in the bin
- Reduce oil usage where possible
- Regularly monitor your pipes
How do I clean my grease trap?
Firstly, you will need to ensure that the equipment that is connected to your grease trap will not be used during cleaning. We also recommend that this task is done out of business hours due to the natural unpleasant smell of the grease.
For a quick daily clean you should empty the food basket, this will be the best way to reduce any odour coming from the Fat Trap. You can also skim the surface of the water in the Fat Trap with a scoop to remove the majority of the FOG from the trap. Alternatively you can use the tap on the side of the Fat Trap to drain the FOG into a small container which can either be recycled or put into the food waste.
For a more thorough clean we recommend the following. As always, make sure you are prepared by having the correct protective and cleaning equipment. We recommend covering up what you are wearing as ultimately you are dealing with grease, and we all know what that can do to your clothes! Wearing a mask and goggles is also recommended to ensure you stay protected, along with disposable gloves. Ensure you protect the floor area surrounding grease trap to prevent any issues in the event of a spillage. You will need a bucket of room temperature water, a scoop, a scraper, a cleaning cloth/sponge, bin bags and a bin. It seems a bit backwards having room temperature water, but this is to ensure that the grease doesn’t become fluid and exit the grease trap. In order to help with cleaning, we recommend you use FatTrap Grease Remover Spray Cleaner.
If you have a Fat Trap Easy Clean Stand you can just pull the unit out to make it easy to access. If you don’t have one, you can get them in the Fat Trap shop. Next, open up the grease trap by lifting the lid off and wiping it clean. There will be an unpleasant smell at this point which is perfectly normal. Wipe the lid using the cloth/sponge and cleaner and place on the floor. Next, we recommend taking a note of how much grease is in the unit, which will have risen to the top and be sitting on top off the water. Make a note of it so you can show anyone who may ask to see it. Lift out the filter basket which is located next to the inlet and empty the contents into the bin. The filter basket can then be cleaned using the Fat Trap easy clean fluid. Place the filter basket to one side with the lid. Next, use the scoop and remove the layer of FOG from each compartment and place it in the bin. For the regular cleaning the removal of the fog will be sufficient, and you should plan to empty the unit during deep cleaning to remove any silt from the bottom of the grease trap. This can be done with a small bucket. The sides of the grease trap can be scraped and any FOG removed can be put in the bin. It is also important to ensure your grease trap is clean externally, if not this will also release an unpleasant odour. Finally, inspect your grease trap and replace the lid and reposition in its original place and equipment use can resume.
If you need any advice on cleaning please contact us, and don’t forget to visit our shop where you will find the Easy Clean Stand and FatTrap Grease Remover Spray Cleaner!