PREVRA Grease Trap Cleaning: Step-by-Step Guide for Commercial Kitchen Compliance
A practical poster detailing proper grease trap cleaning frequency, method, and disposal. Essential for FOG (fats, oils, grease) management and preventing the drain blockages that trigger environmental health interventions.
Why grease trap cleaning matters for legal compliance and kitchen safety
Under the Water Industry Act 1991 and Building Regulations, UK food businesses must prevent fats, oils, and grease (FOG) from entering the public sewer system. A blocked or overflowing grease trap is not just a maintenance issue — your water company can issue enforcement notices and recover cleanup costs, and your EHO will record it as a structural non-compliance on your food hygiene rating.
The counter-intuitive fact: a grease trap that is emptied too frequently can actually perform worse than one emptied on schedule. The bacterial colony that builds up in a mature grease trap actively breaks down FOG between cleanings. If you strip the trap completely clean every time, you remove this biological processing layer and the trap becomes a simple holding tank that fills faster. Clean thoroughly but on schedule — not obsessively.
Blocked drains also create a secondary pest risk. Standing water and organic matter in backed-up drains attract drain flies, cockroaches, and rats. What starts as a cleaning oversight becomes a pest infestation that can close your kitchen.
Using this grease trap poster in your kitchen cleaning routine
Position this poster directly above or beside your grease trap. The person responsible for cleaning needs to see the steps while working, not try to remember them from a manual stored in the office. Laminate the poster or place it in a waterproof sleeve — it will be in a wet area.
Integrate grease trap cleaning into your digital cleaning schedule. Set recurring tasks with automated reminders so the job never gets missed during busy weeks. Record each clean with a timestamp and initials. When the EHO or water company inspector asks for your FOG management records, you have a complete, uneditable digital trail.
Grease trap errors that cost kitchens money
Using hot water or degreasers to "flush" the trap between cleanings. This emulsifies trapped grease and pushes it past the baffles into the drain line, defeating the purpose of the trap entirely. Only scrape and empty — never flush.
Disposing of grease trap waste into general waste bins. Trap waste is classified as catering waste under ABPR (Animal By-Products Regulations) and must be collected by a licensed waste carrier. Keep your waste transfer notes — they are legal documents.
Ignoring the inlet and outlet baffles during cleaning. The baffles are what separate grease from water. If they are damaged, corroded, or misaligned, your trap is not functioning regardless of how recently it was emptied.
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