Are you running a restaurant or catering business? Do you want to ensure your profits go into your pocket and not down the drain? Then you'll need to avoid expenses such as blocked drain repairs. Fat, oil and grease (FOG) are one of the biggest causes of blocked drains in catering businesses. Year in and year out, plumbers are called to remove blockages that could be avoided by employing simple measures. Read on for top tips on keeping your commercial kitchen drains FOG free.

Educate Your Kitchen Staff 

When you employ new kitchen staff, you'll expect them to have completed courses in food health and safety and have the certificates to prove it. This education ensures that they know how to handle food safely. You also need to make sure they know how to look after your kitchen with the same level of care. Make sure your staff know how to dispose of FOGs correctly. Some may wrongly believe that hot oil can be disposed of by pouring it down the drain because while it's hot, it's free flowing. However, hot fat will not remain hot. As it cools, it can solidify causing a blocked drain that then needs a plumber.

Educate Your Kitchen Cleaners

When your cleaners clean, they may wash down worktops and send the dirty water into the sink and ultimately down the drain. You need to make sure they know to deal with FOG waste differently. Ask them to dispose of FOG residue by scraping it away and placing it in a bin. FOG on plates should be scraped into a bin in the same way. Any leftover residue can be soaked up and removed with paper towels.

Have Oils and Fats Collected

If your commercial kitchen creates a lot of FOG waste, consider joining a recycling group to make use of it. Look for a service that will provide you with a safe container that can be kept in the kitchen and collected when full.  If you can't find such a service in your area, contact your local environment agency. They will be able to advise you on what's available.

Get a Grease Trap Fitted

Ensure your commercial kitchen is equipped with a FOG trap. This will intercept the dreaded offenders before they settle in your drains. It works by separating water from FOG -- the water goes down the drain while the FOG remains in the trap. Some traps will need regular cleaning by your staff, while others come with a service provider who cleans and disposes of the collected FOG on a regular basis.