How to Clean Grease Out of Sink Drains

But the truth is, grease should never go down sink drains because it can cause sink clogs and slow draining sinks.

While grease in liquid form may not appear to be harmful, it will eventually cool and solidify in your drain lines and combine with food waste, soap scum, and other non-flushable items to form sink clogs.

Cooking grease can not only cause a total blockage in your pipes, but it can also cause septic tank problems if the hardened grease ends up in your septic tank.

Lets look at some of the ways to clean grease out of sink drains.

Flush Your Sink with Hot Water

Pour a kettle of boiling water down the sink drain in order to melt and dissolve hardened grease in the drain pipes, allowing it to flow all the way through. Hot water can help to get rid of minor clogs caused by hardened grease.

However, this method should only be used for metal pipes and not plastic pipes. Hot water could soften and melt the joints of plastic pipes.

Pour Vinegar and Baking Soda Down the Sink Drain

A mixture of vinegar and baking soda can be effective at removing mild clogs caused by grease.

Simply pour half a cup of regular household baking soda down the drain, then add half a cup of white vinegar and cover the drain for about 30 minutes to allow the mixture to work its magic. Then, flush the drain with a kettle of hot water. This mixtures fizzing power can help break up hardened grease.

Use A Plunger

If the methods highlighted above do not get rid of grease buildup in your sink drain, try using a plunger.

Follow these steps to plunge away the blockage.

• Step 1: Run water into the sink until it's halfway full.
• Step 2: Place the plunger over the drain hole and steadily plunge up and down. The push and pull action should loosen the clog.
• Step 3: Repeat the process a few times and see if the water flows down freely.

If a plunger doesnt clear the clog after multiple plunging attempts, try the plumbers snake.

Use The Drain Snake

Push the end of the snake into the drain opening and crank the handle to turn the drum until you feel some resistance. Once you feel resistance, youve likely hit the clog.

Twist the snake against the blockage to either break it up or have it attached to the snake. If it attaches itself to the snake, pull it out. But if it breaks up, remove the drain snake and run water down the drain.

Call A Near Plumber

If the methods mentioned above fail to work, its best to call an experienced plumber to help you clean grease out of your sink drains. A plumber will come in with advanced drain cleaning tools such as a plumber's snake and clear any grease buildup in your sink drains.

Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing for drain cleaning and all of your plumbing needs.