Grease monkey

Keep your sink free of fat

Do you get rid of grease, fat or oil down your sink? 

Did you know that you could be causing yourself an expensive problem?

Read on to find out why…..

Grease, fats and oils are a real problem in drains and sewers.  Quite simply they harden and block pipes.  This can lead to sewers backing up and flooding homes, businesses, gardens or streets.

Grease, fats and oil usually get into the drainage system via the kitchen sink.  When grease comes into contact with detergents like washing up liquid and hot water it dissolves.  The liquid goes down the drain and as the pipes are deep underground they are very cold, this cools the grease, which sticks to the side of the pipe and hardens.  Some detergents claim to dissolve grease and it may pass through your pipe but it will settle elsewhere in the sewer network.

If the blockage occurs in your drain you will have to pay to have it cleared which could be expensive.  If the blockage occurs in the sewer it could cause sewer flooding which can be very unpleasant for those affected and expensive to clear.  Northumbrian Water has to spend large amounts of customers’ money removing grease from sewers that shouldn’t be there in the first place.

Fat Busters

To dispose of fats and grease:

• Allow the grease to cool and harden.
• Scrape it into kitchen paper, old newspaper, or packaging.
• Put it in your bin or mix with seeds to feed the birds in your garden.

To dispose of used cooking oil:

• Let it cool down.
• Pour it into a used container.
• Put it in your bin or mix it with bread to feed the birds in your garden.

Chips the grease monkey says “Oil and water don’t mix help us to keep them apart.”