Your mother probably told you to clean your plate, and you probably did in hopes of leveraging some delicious dessert. As it turns out, Mom’s advice is still sound, but for a different reason. When fats, oils and grease (FOG) are rinsed down the drain, they cool, stick to the sides of pipes, and could create a blockage resulting in a messy backup or visit from the plumber. Practicing dry cleanup, which includes scraping food scraps into the trash and wiping greasy dishes with a paper towel before washing them, helps reduce fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in your plumbing.
Before learning about FOG I would’ve told you that I NEVER pour grease down the drain. I always put excess bacon or hamburger grease in an old soup can, put it in the freezer to harden, and throw it out with the trash. Here’s the ah-ha moment. I had serious doubts that a dinner for two could really generate enough FOG to warrant wiping dishes with paper towels. I decided to test our meal one night and take some paper towels to the dishes before washing. Just in spaghetti sauce and salad dressing alone, the amount of FOG on the paper towel was amazing and my husband and I were quick converts. Most people don’t think of FOG found in meat scraps, cheeses, icing, batter, soups and other foods. Use a little paper towel to wipe dishes off before washing and keep all sources of FOG at bay.
Have you made this kitchen clean-up change? What were your results?