If you regularly have your grease trap cleaned and pumped you should have no problem but often times especially in restaurants the sewage system grease trap can cause a lot of trouble. If you are not taking care of your grease trap over time it can build up and cause a blockage that can jeopardize your business. So here are some tips on grease trap cleaning.
First thing you need to do is to locate the grease trap. For business establishments, this is usually located outside of the building beside or adjacent to the dishwashing area.
Check out the size of the grease trap. If it’s under a manhole lid, chances are it is about 500 to 2500 gal. This means you will need a professional who deals with septic tank treatments in Arizona. If it is smaller in size, you can DIY it, however, we strongly suggest you call someone to do the job. Cleaning grease traps is a nightmare for people who do this for a living.
Before you proceed to DIY, make sure you have all the tools you need to clean the grease trap. You will need a mask, a coverall, gloves, crowbar, vacuum to pump out the water, scraper, and wrench.
Make sure that the floor surrounding the grease trap is covered with plastic to make sure that no grease gets splattered on the floor. Grease from trap contains a lot of bacteria and is unsanitary. Also, make sure you have garbage bags for the grease disposal.
Before you open the lid make sure that the water is cool. Prior to scraping the grease, make sure to measure the grease and take notes for future reference.
Remove the excess water first and then proceed to scrape the grease in the trap.
Thoroughly clean the grease trap with soap and water. After that pour cold water and make sure that the water is running. If it doesn’t then it is a clear indication that there is a blockage down the pipe. At this point, you might want to call a professional to assess it for you.