UK households are being urged to stop pouring cooking oils, grease, and oily sauces into their dishwashers, as experts warn the seemingly harmless habit can lead to expensive plumbing repairs. According to Home Serve, a home emergency repairs business, fats, oils, and grease travel through pipes while warm but cool and solidify further down, sticking to drain walls and trapping food debris, eventually causing stubborn blockages.
Why Cooking Oil Is Harmful to Dishwashers
Loading greasy plates directly into the dishwasher is common, but experts say leftover cooking oil, salad dressings, and oil-based sauces should never be rinsed into the appliance. Although hot washes may make the residue seem to disappear, fatty buildup accumulates in pipework over time. Home Serve notes that the problem is not limited to used cooking oil; grease from roasting tins, frying pans, oily marinades, and salad dressings all contribute to the same buildup if regularly washed away.
How to Prevent Blockages
Experts recommend wiping greasy pots, pans, and plates with kitchen roll before loading them into the dishwasher. Leftover oil should be allowed to cool, then poured into a suitable container and disposed of in the household bin. Taking these few extra seconds can help homeowners avoid costly repairs.
The Fatberg Problem
Water UK states that fats, oils, and grease are among the biggest causes of blocked sewers across the country. They combine with other waste to form huge blockages known as fatbergs, which cost millions of pounds to remove annually. Thames Water research warns that pouring grease down the drain remains a leading cause of avoidable blockages. Hot water and washing-up liquid may initially appear to wash grease away, but it often cools and hardens further along the pipework.
Other Items to Avoid Pouring Down Drains
Plumbing experts also advise against putting coffee grounds, flour, rice, and pasta down the drain, as they contribute to clogs in household pipes. The warning comes as households face financial pressures, making unexpected plumbing bills especially unwelcome.
