Grease builds up quickly in commercial kitchens, especially in restaurants where frying, grilling, and using oils are routine. Effective filtration is key to keeping kitchens clean, avoiding drainage issues, and staying compliant with environmental regulations.

This post covers grease filtration, essential cleaning practices, and how to keep your restaurant efficient and compliant.

What Causes Grease Build-up in Restaurants?

Grease build-up is a major concern for restaurants, particularly those serving fast food or fried dishes. Here’s how grease accumulates in a commercial kitchen:

  • Fast Food: Foods such as burgers, chips, and other fried items are high in fat content. They produce significant amounts of grease, which can clog pipes and drains if not managed properly.
  • Fried Food: When food is fried, oil breaks down and produces grease that often ends up in sinks and drains. If the grease is not filtered, it can cause blockages and lead to unpleasant odours.
  • Cooking Oils: When exposed to high temperatures, they may flow into drainage systems and accumulate quickly, leading to potential drainage problems.
  • Meat Fats: The fat rendered from meats also contributes to grease build-up. When meats are cooked at high temperatures, the fat often melts and mixes with oils, creating a sticky residue that can cause issues if not filtered properly.

Preventing Grease Build-up in Your Kitchen

To keep kitchen drains clear and maintain a clean working environment, restaurants should adopt best practices for grease management. Here are some key steps:

  • Scraping and Disposal: Before washing, scrape food scraps and grease from plates, cookware, and utensils into a bin rather than rinsing them down the sink. This simple habit significantly reduces the amount of grease entering the drainage system.
  • Passive Grease Traps and Grease Recovery Units (GRUs): Installing a grease trap or GRU, like the Filta Cyclone, effectively captures fats, oils, and grease they cause blockages. The Filta Cyclone is equipped with two FOG (Fat, Oil, and Grease) separation chambers, ensuring efficient retention. This filtration solution is highly effective in minimising grease build-up and preventing pipe clogging.
  • Regular Maintenance: Grease traps and GRUs should be emptied every 1 to 3 months to ensure they function effectively. As part of the installation, we provide comprehensive training for a designated staff member, equipping them to perform simple daily maintenance and keep the unit running efficiently.

By implementing these best practices, restaurants can reduce the risk of drain blockages, maintain compliance with regulations, and promote a more sustainable kitchen operation.

Grease Traps for Restaurants

Kitchen grease traps are an essential part of any restaurant’s grease management system. These units trap grease and oil from wastewater before it can enter the drainage system, helping to prevent blockages and unpleasant odours. Here’s why restaurant grease traps are so important:

  • Odour and Contaminant Absorption: Grease traps absorb odours and contaminants, preventing foul smells from infiltrating your kitchen and dining area. This is crucial for maintaining a pleasant environment for your staff and customers.
  • Preventing Drainage Clogging: Grease traps are designed to capture grease before it can cause blockages in the pipes. Without a grease trap, grease can accumulate in the pipes, causing slow drainage and expensive repairs.
  • Easy Maintenance: Grease traps are relatively easy to maintain. Regular cleaning is necessary to ensure they function efficiently. Most grease traps require cleaning every 1 to 3 months, depending on the volume of grease in your kitchen.

For more information on how to maintain your restaurant grease trap, check out our grease trap cleaning FAQ.

What Grease Compliances Need to Be Met?

Restaurants must comply with regulations regarding kitchen grease trap maintenance and cleaning to ensure they are operating legally and safely. Failure to comply can result in fines, environmental damage, and even the closure of your restaurant.

For more information, check out our guide to FOG legislation.

Grease Collection from Filta Cyclone

The Filta Cyclone is a cutting-edge and highly efficient grease recovery unit that helps restaurants efficiently collect and dispose of grease. Here’s how it works:

  • Effective Grease Collection: Equipped with 8 independent hydrocyclones, the Filta Cyclone system is designed to separate and recover grease.
  • Grease Disposal Service: Filta offers a full-service solution, including grease collection and waste disposal. If you’d prefer to recycle or repurpose the grease collected, we can help with that too.
  • Meeting FOG Legislation: The Filta Cyclone helps businesses comply with FOG regulations by ensuring that grease is properly collected and disposed of. This reduces environmental risks and keeps your restaurant compliant with the Water Industry Act 1991. For more information on FOG legislation, visit Filta’s guide.

FOG Collection Tips, Advice & Guides

Regular cleaning and daily maintenance are crucial for ensuring that your grease management system remains efficient. For more tips on cleaning and maintaining grease traps, check out our grease trap cleaning FAQ.

For more information about grease management services, visit Filta’s grease management page.