Buffalo is home to so many amazing bars and restaurants. Outside of chicken wings, our city has some amazing places to eat (and drink!). We help commercial businesses with drain cleaning and plumbing issues, like a broken hot water tank. Kitchen and bar drain systems can get complicated, and if your staff isn’t taking precautions, things can get really expensive and really stinky, really quickly.
Today on the blog, we wanted to step outside of the household and into the world of commercial kitchens and bars to drop some helpful knowledge on how they can keep their drains and plumbing systems safe and stink-free.
Today on the blog, we’re talking about how to prevent clogged drains in kitchens here in Buffalo.
It’s important to have everyone in the back of house and front of house all on the same page when it comes to these prevention tips. A severe drain clog can put an immediate stoppage to your kitchen and prevent business from being done during a busy time, and not following these directions can result in an emergency drain cleaning to get things back in order. Preventing kitchen clogs is easy, so long as you and your staff followers these simple practices.
ANY Food Goes in the Garbage. NO Food goes in the sink.
Servers, bussers, and other staff may be in a hurry to clear dishes and get them out of customers’ sight as soon as possible. This is good. Not clearing the plates properly into the trash is not good. Nobody should EVER put a dish with food on it into the dish pit or sink.
As dishwashers try to do their job, any food left on the plates, pans, or other kitchen items will accumulate and get caught up in the drain pipes. This forms a sludgy mass that will slow proper water drainage and, eventually, cause a full blockage of the pipe.
Educate your entire staff on why it’s important to avoid any waste going down the drain.
Dirty Grease Traps are Drain Killers
Having a grease trap in your commercial kitchen can be a great investment, but ONLY if it’s properly maintained. Your staff must make it a consistent practice of cleaning grease traps properly, which can be a dirty job. Depending on the size of the restaurant’s grease trap, it should be cleaned roughly every 1-3 months. If you notice that the drains are draining slowly or foul odors, or fruit flies, it may be time for a cleaning.
A good rule of thumb is to clean the trap once it reaches ¼ of it’s capacity.
Invest in a Quality Commercial Sink Strainer
With all the hustle and bustle of a busy rush, there is bound to be a bit of food waste that sticks to plates. Some small pieces are going to eventually end up in the sink. Another precaution you can take to avoid pipes being blocked is to install a quality commercial sink strainer. These have long handles that function as a stopper and a strainer. You can simply twist to let the water out of the sink, but it has small holes to prevent solids from getting into the pipes..
There are models that can be installed right underneath the sink, above the pipe for added measure.
Keep All Fatty or Oily Substances In a Safe Place
This is kitchen 101, but it’s important to educate everyone in the restaurant on the importance of proper oil and fat disposal. When things are busy and people are trying to keep up, it’s easy to cut a corner and dump something down the drain or into the sink. This can be extremely problematic.
Staff should always be notified to place used fats and oils into disposable containers to be safely disposed of in the trash to avoid any chance of it entering anywhere near your sinks. Consider utilizing signage as a reminder for employees, especially employees who are newer, younger, or in training.
This helps to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Run Hot Water Down the Drain At Closing
It’s a good practice for your kitchen staff to make a point of running hot water down the drain at the end of every night. This helps to prevent any grease that comes off a dish or plate from accumulating in the drain pipes. Running hot water down the drain for a couple of minutes helps to wash away and liquefy any residue that has stuck on the inside of the drain throughout the shift.
This can also be attempted if you notice that the drain seems to be running a bit slow, but if you notice a problem, it’s best to contact a Buffalo drain cleaning expert ASAP to come take a look that nothing worse is forming.
Establish a Routine Drain Cleaning with an Expert Buffalo Drain Cleaning Expert
One of the best ways you can ensure your restaurant or bar is always safe is to partner with a quality, reputable drain cleaning company. Whether you own a 5-star restaurant or a small sandwich shop, having a partner that you can turn to routinely to inspect and clean your drains is a worthwhile investment. It can save you money in the long run and prevent any issues with business operations. If you’re a high-volume kitchen, you should look at maybe a yearly or twice-yearly drain cleaning appointment.
If you need help with your bar or restaurant, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at Advanced Sewer & Drain Cleaning! We can help you ensure your drains are always on the up and up, so you don’t need to call during an emergency. We will help you understand the best practices around your drains and help you prevent a sewer and drain emergency! If you do run into an emergency drain issue, we can help there too! Just give us a call!
