Grease Trap Cleaning Frequency

Running a restaurant involves many responsibilities, and the tasks can pile up quickly. One question that many owners have with experience in the business is how often the grease trap should be cleaned out. It’s easy to overlook, but cleaning out the grease trap is something that needs attention. Here’s the key points about the frequency of grease trap cleaning.

Things to Keep in Mind

When and how often you clean out the grease trap will depend on a few factors. Before you create a cleaning schedule (we’ll get to that in a moment), you should know the capacity of your trap, how often it operates, and seating capacity.

The most crucial thing to remember is that cleaning your grease trap is necessary for restaurant/kitchen upkeep. In fact, you could face expensive legal consequences if you fail to cleaning it regularly. In addition, a dirty grease trap will put your customers’ health at risk.

Setting Up a Cleaning Schedule

Most grease traps require cleaning every 1-3 months, depending on your kitchen's needs. To know exactly what your cleaning schedule should be the grease traps, consider the “1/4th rule.” In simple terms, the grease trap should be cleaned out when it is a quarter full. The fats, oils, grease, and solids (FOGS) inside the trap can begin to develop unpleasant odors if left to sit for too long, so draining it out at 1/4th full will keep the smells at bay. Additionally, the more FOGS there are in the trap, the less effective the trap becomes; you could see backups in the plumbing or drainage issues if left too long.

Legal Guidelines

Some cities have specific requirements on how often a restaurant must service grease traps. The local law will depend on your location, but a common rule is that traps must be cleaned out every three months. This means you must clean the grease trap at least once every three months, even if it hasn’t hit the ¼ rule.

Make sure to check with your local health and safety laws and restaurant guidelines, so you don’t unknowingly violate them. Bringing in a professional is a surefire way to keep up with your grease trap cleaning since they’ll know the requirements. Plus, they’ll have the tools to provide an even cleaner trap.

Cleaning out a grease trap is no fun task, and as a busy restaurant owner, you have enough on your plate. Leave the job to the specialists at our team. We’ll clean out your traps fast and effectively so you can keep your attention on your business.

Give us a call now at (888) 860-0649 to request a free in-home estimate.