It’s Time To Clean Your Grease Trap!

grease trap
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Restaurants that have built in grease traps or interceptors need to make sure they are maintained properly on a recurring schedule to prevent back-up and overflow into their restaurants. As the weather gets colder, the grease in the lines becomes more solid due to the lower temperatures and promotes clogging of the lines.

Depending on the types of foods your restaurant prepares and the volume of business and the type of trap you have, the optimal frequency for cleaning your grease trap can be anywhere from daily to once a year.

It’s recommended that if you have not had your grease trap cleaned recently and are not on a regular schedule then you have this service performed before your system becomes clogged with grease and overflows into your restaurant.

dirty grease trap
An absolutely filthy grease trap. Don’t let this happen to you!

We have recently seen at least two restaurants that had to close their doors due to a flooded basement from a sewer backup due to a grease trap that needed service. The grease needed to be removed from the premises and properly disposed of and their sewer lines had to be power jetted to unclog the lines. This costly service and lost sales could have been prevented had their equipment been properly maintained on a regular basis.

Here’s how a grease trap (pictured at top) works: Dirty water goes into the trap from the top pipe and exits through the low pipe. The grease on the top needs to be removed before the entire trap is clogged causing the grease to block one or both of the pipes or baffles in the trap.

Some restaurants may have small grease interceptors under a sink that can be cleaned by your staff and do not require professional service. For these types of grease traps simply remove the top of the interceptor and clean out the grease basket and dispose of properly from the restaurant.

  • SFA Winter Fancy Food Show 2025
  • T&S Brass Eversteel Pre-Rinse Units
  • BelGioioso Burrata
  • Food Export Northeast USA
  • Baldor
  • The NRF Show 2025
  • Imperial Dade
  • ISSA Show 2024
  • Red Gold BBQ
  • Day & Nite
  • The Scientific Group
  • RATIONAL USA
  • AyrKing Mixstir
  • Easy Ice
  • DAVO by Avalara
  • Inline Plastics
  • RAK Porcelain
  • ERA Group
  • Florida Restaurant Show 2024
  • Simplot Maple City

It’s important to note that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) routinely sends inspectors to verify that businesses have appropriate and well-maintained grease interceptor systems. Restaurants not in compliance with DEP regulations run the risk of being fined. The good news is that, now that you’ve been reminded, restaurants should schedule maintenance services with your local service provider. 

  • Inline Plastics
  • Red Gold BBQ
  • T&S Brass Eversteel Pre-Rinse Units
  • Simplot Maple City
  • Florida Restaurant Show 2024
  • RAK Porcelain
  • AyrKing Mixstir
  • SFA Winter Fancy Food Show 2025
  • BelGioioso Burrata
  • The NRF Show 2025
  • ERA Group
  • Easy Ice
  • ISSA Show 2024
  • The Scientific Group
  • RATIONAL USA
  • Imperial Dade
  • DAVO by Avalara
  • Day & Nite
  • Baldor
  • Food Export Northeast USA