26 January

4 Tips for Unclogging Restaurant Drains

Nowadays, dining out beats staying in for dinner—which is exactly why your restaurant is so busy all the time. Aside from the hustle and bustle over the stovetop and in front of the oven, the kitchen drains are working just as hard. 

If there’s one thing that can cause culinary traffic during the dinner rush, it’s a clogged drain. While simply clearing the obstruction and getting right back into sync with the flow might solve minor issues, it isn’t always business as usual. There might be times when you need to resort to more intricate restaurant drain cleaning solutions.

We can already hear the sound of disgruntled chefs, horrified waiting staff, and hungry customers who will be directly impacted by this plumbing emergency. 

Don’t let clogged drain pipes mess with your operations. Let’s discover the top restaurant drain cleaning hacks right here! 

How Do You Unclog a Commercial Kitchen Drain?   

Clogged kitchen drains can usually be pinned on fat, oil, and grease that finds its way down the drain. In their liquid form, they may not seem to be very harmful. However, once these substances cool and solidify, they transform into blockages that hinder the flow of water. 

If not addressed immediately, commercial kitchen drain blockages could also clog the flow of your restaurant’s service and eventually cause more serious damage to the pipes. 

1. Plunger

The first method you can try is to remove the blockage with the help of a good old plunger. 

2. Drain Snake

If the obstruction is too mighty for the power of a plunger, you can resort to a drain snake, also commonly referred to as a plumbing snake. This small, flexible tool works by bending around the pipe’s twists and turns. Thanks to its flexibility, the plumbing snake can move forward until it reaches the clog.   

Once it finds the target, the twisting motion of the auger hooks onto the debris and seamlessly pulls it out of the drain. 

3. Hot Water

On other occasions, running hot water is enough to dissolve the hardened fat, oil, or grease. 

For stubborn clogs, bring four cups of water to a boil. Next, pour it directly into the drain at a slow pace. Remember to go about this cautiously to prevent burn accidents. 

After letting it sit for 15 minutes, open the tap and check if the water now flows freely down the drain.

4. Vinegar and Baking Soda

If hot water alone fell short of fixing the clogged drain, it could probably use a boost from the classic vinegar and baking soda trick. 

Vinegar is part water and acetic acid, whereas baking soda is a sodium bicarbonate. When combined, a reaction ensues wherein molecules are exchanged. The result is a combo of carbon dioxide and water that bubbles through the blockage to loosen the material. 

Here’s how it works: 

Step 1: Start by pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain. 

Step 2: Afterwards, pour in one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar.  

Step 3: Cover the drain with a plug and let sit for about five to 10 minutes. 

Step 4: Pour another batch of boiling water down the drain.

Step 5: Run the tap water to check if the clog was eliminated. 

How to Prevent Drain Clogs in the Kitchen

There are, of course, preventive measures that you can take in order to steer clear of this plumbing hassle in the future. Let’s take a look at the most basic yet essential ones: 

1. Use Drain Covers

If you don’t already have one, you should definitely go get one now. Drain covers prevent large pieces of food debris from washing down the drain, saving you tons of costs in the long run. 

2. Don’t Pour Debris Down the Drain

This pertains to food residue, oil, grease, and fat. All these could build up over time and gradually transform into a big clog. Never pour fat, oils, or grease down the drain.

3. Use Grease Traps

If you must pour slightly greasy water down the drain, consider utilizing a grease trap. This helpful tool is designed to cool greasy water before the oils solidify. The solids then detach and float to the surface while the water makes its way down the pipes and into the sewer.

4. Book Regular Restaurant Drain Cleaning Services

Regular restaurant drain cleaning performed by professionals is the best prevention for clogged commercial kitchen drains. 

As a restaurateur, you must already have a lot on your plate. So why struggle to maintain drains by yourself when you can call the professionals to handle it for you? 

Keep Your Restaurant Drains Clear With PlumbWize

Wise plumbing is what PlumbWize represents. With over 60 years of combined experience, we’ve earned our reputation as one of the most comprehensive, knowledgeable, and sought-after plumbing service providers in the Burlington, Oakville, Hamilton, Milton, Ancaster, and Stoney Creek areas. 

No drain obstruction is too large for our highly qualified plumbers to extract. Give us a call to learn more about our reliable restaurant drain cleaning solutions.

0