Many industries, including but certainly not limited to the food industry, must handle large amounts of production waste, sometimes in the form of grease. Grease refers to semi-solid lubricants typically made of fats and oils. Because of its high viscosity, grease easily flows down drainage pipes but solidifies over time, which can create dangerous and unsanitary blockages. To mitigate this problem, people use grease traps. Grease traps help prevent obstruction and backup by separating grease and other solid materials from the liquid. But over time, the trapped solid residue still obstructs the flow of wastewater and causes sewage to back up. So, these traps must be cleaned and disposed of on a regular basis. Cleaning grease traps prevents solidified fats, oils, and grease from sticking to the insides of the drainage pipes. Grease trap cleaning is included in The Budd Group’s various cleaning services. Whether you require immediate help for a severe backup issue or simply need a reliable team for regular grease trap maintenance, we have you covered. Just about all grease traps operate in the same way. We begin the cleaning process by removing the trap’s lid and inspecting the interior for any damaged components. We then measure the amount of grease present in the grease trap. Any standing water must be removed so the grease and solids are all that remain in the container. These remains can then be scooped into a waste container. By this point, the grease trap will be mostly empty, with some remaining debris on the sides and bottom. We will vacuum up these remnants and scrub the interior and exterior of the trap so it’s fully cleaned and ready for further use. During and after cleaning, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that we fill out a FOG (fatty oils and grease) report to account for the amount of waste removed. Generally speaking, grease traps should be cleaned about 4-6 times a year, or every few months. Of course, the frequency with which one should clean a grease trap depends on a number of factors. Larger, more active facilities (especially kitchens) may need monthly or bi-weekly grease trap cleaning, for instance. The Budd Group is prepared to inspect and clean any facility’s grease traps to keep its pipes clean and safe, and to abide by EPA regulations.