How to dispose of cooking oil properly, there are many ways. A lot of people toggle back and forth on how they should get rid of leftover grease and oil. There are some right ways to dispose of it, but also some that you should avoid.

How many ways are you aware of when disposing of grease correctly?

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The simplest way to dispose of grease is to throw it away in the trash. In order to do this, you have to let the grease or oil solidify. Once it has had time to cool and solidify, you can scrape it out of the pan and into the trash can.

If you want to ensure that there is less mess, it would be a good idea to put the solidified grease into a container that you don’t mind throwing away and then throw away the container into the trash.

Other Ways To Dispose of Cooking Oil/Grease

Disposing of oil or grease in the trash doesn’t always have to be the answer. Let’s go over some different ways you can get that grease out of your pan.

Reuse your cooking oil at home

As long as the cooking oil you have used is still pretty clean and has been cooked correctly, you can use it for things like deep frying, pan frying, sauteing, and baking until the oil has been used to its full potential before you have to toss it.

Recycle Your Cooking Oil at a Collection Site

You can dispose of your cooking oil and grease at your local collection site because they will be able to recycle it. All you have to do is look up where your local collection site is located and go and drop it off to them. Recycling your used oil and grease can keep it out of landfills and also be turned into an alternative form of energy, like biodiesel.

To recycle your oil properly, you will need to strain it and also store it in a sealable container before dropping it off to the collection site.

How Not To Dispose of Cooking Oil/Grease

Whatever you do, you should not be disposing of your cooking oil or grease in any of these ways. Make sure you are being mindful of how you dispose of it. Knowing how to dispose of oil the correct way can have many benefits, and save you from issues down the road.

Don’t Pour It Down the Drain

This can cause major clogs in your plumbing system. Bigger issues that cause thousands of dollars to fix are possible if the damage done is severe to other parts of the system. Whatever you do, don’t pour it down your drain because it will stick to the sides of your pipes, build up, and completely clog your pipes.

This is what extreme grease buildup looks like inside of a pipe. It can become so bad, the entire pipe will be completely clogged!

DIY way of disposing of your grease/oil:

Knowing how to dispose of cooking oil this way can save you so much time with a lot less hassle. Pull out a sheet of foil and cup it around your sink drain. Pour your oil or leftover grease into the foil. Let it sit there until it solidifies. Once it solidifies, you can pick up the foil by its sides and throw away the foil. It’s like a DIY disposable cup for leftover oil you don’t need!

Don’t Pour Cooking Oil or Grease Outside

This can eventually lead to clogging the sewer system because it is going to continuously seep down into the ground. If clogs do appear in the sewer system, this is an issue for the city. This is something they will have to figure out how to resolve.

Pouring grease or oil onto the ground outside can cause problems in the sewer system. Knowing how to dispose of cooking oil correctly will keep the sewer system clean.

Don’t Dispose of it In Your Compost Pile

Animal fats should be kept out of your compost pile. They can smell, attract vermin, and cause other issues that would make your compost unhealthy. Disposing of oils or grease in your compost pile can ruin your fertilizer because it causes airflow and moisture issues.

Final Thoughts

Make yourself aware of the do’s and don’ts of disposing cooking oil and grease. This way, the next time you cook with grease, you know the best way to handle it. Whether you want to throw it away in a sealable container, or take it to your local collection center – both are great options to consider.

Call 1-Tom-Plumber

Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need any plumbing or drain cleaning service. 1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem. We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.

How To Dispose Of Cooking Oil