Leftover grease is an inevitable part of cooking, but do you know how to dispose of it properly? You might assume the easiest solution is to pour excess grease down the drain or flush it down the toilet, but both of these options can wreak havoc on your plumbing system and cost you tons of money in repairs when the grease builds up and hardens, blocking your pipes. Learn three alternatives to pouring grease down the drain in your kitchen or bathrooms from the experts at ServiceMaster Restore.
TOP 3 COOKING OIL DISPOSAL TIPS
Store and Reuse
Most grease can be strained, stored and used to cook again later on, adding extra flavor to your meal. To save your grease, let it cool, but avoid letting it harden completely. Once the grease is cool enough to handle, cover a glass jar or coffee tin with a cheesecloth. Carefully pour the grease through the cheesecloth into the container. Refrigerate or freeze the grease until the next time you need it for cooking. Leftover cooking grease is great for seasoning, sauces, sautéing vegetables, frying food and other cooking techniques that benefit from a little extra flavor. You should use leftover cooking grease within 6 months of freezing or refrigerating.
Turn into Bird Feed
Upcycling beef fat into suet cakes for birds makes cooking oil disposal fun for the whole family. Once the oil is cool enough to handle, mix it with leftover flour, oats, cereals, seeds and other bird feed. You can either portion the liquid mixture into disposable baking cups and refrigerate them to harden the cakes or wait until the oil is cool enough that you can roll it into balls yourself. Once the grease cakes solidify, roll them in bird seed and hang them in a mesh produce bag or suet cage outside. Make sure the weather isn’t too warm to melt or spoil the cakes. The birds will love the extra energy and calories your leftover grease provides, and you’ll love hearing their happy songs in return!
Contain and Discard
If you still need a solution to dispose of excess grease when you’re finished cooking, never pour it down your drain. Instead, let the grease cool. If it solidifies, toss the chunks directly in your garbage. If not, pour the liquid grease into a disposable container, seal it and throw the entire container away. For extra protection against blockages, scrape your leftovers into the trash before washing dishes. Then, wipe down your plates and serving trays with paper towels to soak up any lingering oil. Knowing how to reduce, reuse and properly get rid of your cooking grease can save you tons of money and stress in the long run. Follow our tips to properly dispose of cooking grease and avoid costly damages later on. For more preventative plumbing and household maintenance tips, explore the ServiceMaster by Fuson blog today.
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