Christmas dinner produces more fat than almost any other meal of the year: turkey and goose fat, roasting tin juices, gravy, butter and cream. Much of it ends up down the sink, and blocked kitchen drains are common over the festive period, just when the house is full and businesses are closed.
Why fat blocks drains
Hot fat looks harmless going down the sink as a liquid. As it cools, it sets on the inside of the waste pipe and in the gully outside. Food scraps stick to it, and the pipe narrows until it blocks. In the sewers, fat combines with wipes to form fatbergs.
How to get rid of cooking fat
- Let it cool in the roasting tin or pan.
- Pour or scrape it into a container, such as an old jar, yoghurt pot or tin.
- Let it set, then put it in the general waste bin.
- Wipe the tin and pans with kitchen roll before washing, and bin the kitchen roll.
If your council collects food waste, check its guidance on whether small amounts of cooled fat can go in the food waste caddy.
Keep useful fat
Goose and duck fat can be strained, kept in the fridge and used for roast potatoes. Dripping from beef can be used in cooking too.
Large amounts of oil
Used oil from deep fat fryers should not go down the sink or toilet. Let it cool, seal it in a container and check your local household waste recycling centre, many of which accept cooking oil.
Other festive drain problems
- Vegetable peelings in the sink: use a strainer and put peelings in food waste.
- More people using the bathroom: remind guests that wipes should go in the bin. See can you flush wet wipes?
- Heavy dishwasher use: scrape plates well before loading.
If the sink blocks over Christmas
- Stop using the sink and dishwasher.
- Check the gully outside for grease. See how to clean an outside drain gully.
- Avoid chemical products. See do chemical drain unblockers work?
We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including over the festive period. See blocked sinks or emergency drain unblocking.