Grease traps are common in the commercial food industry, and although they are present in every kitchen – per Ohio law – they are often overlooked while cleaning. But grease trap cleaning is essential to maintaining a healthy and efficient kitchen. There are also numerous safety and environmental aspects that must be taken into consideration.

Despite all of this, it’s not entirely easy to know exactly when your grease traps need to be cleaned – there isn’t exactly a meter that gauges this – instead it is up to restaurant owners and kitchen managers to follow a few easy-to-remember guidelines.

Set a Schedule and Stick to It

Since there is no definitive way to measure if your grease trap needs to be cleaned, it is best to set a routine cleaning schedule and simply stick to it. So how often should you clean your restaurant’s grease trap? The answer to this is actually written into the law of many Ohio counties.

It is required of restaurant owners to have their commercial grease traps cleaned at least quarterly – every three months. However, depending on how busy your kitchen is, or how well you maintain your grease trap, it may have to be cleaned more often than that.

Signs of Trouble

In between the three month periods, you should also look out for signs that your grease trap has become clogged or is not working properly. Grease trap clogs are not only messy and dangerous, they are also expensive to clean up and repair.

The best way to avoid them is to stick to your grease trap cleaning schedule, but there are a few maintenance tips that you can follow to keep the system in good working order:

• Train your employees to know how to avoid common grease trap mistakes.

• Prevent excess amounts of fats, oils and grease from flowing down the drain.

• Stop bits of food and other solid objects from entering the system.

• Recognize obscene odors and looks for signs of clogs (slow-flowing water, etc.).

Always Hire a Professional

When it comes time to get your grease trap cleaned, or if you are ever unsure about caring for the system, make sure you always contact a trusted company to help. At AAA Wastewater, we have been an integral part of the community for decades. Our workers are fast, polite and will be in and out of your kitchen without any interruption to your normal service. Contact us today schedule a cleaning time.