Fat & Grease Removal

Fat and grease build-up is one of the biggest causes of recurring drainage problems in hospitality and busy buildings. Over time, fats cool and solidify inside the pipework, trapping food waste and debris until the drain gets restricted or blocks completely.

ICE Drainage provides fast, professional fat and grease removal across London and the Home Counties, helping commercial and residential customers restore flow, cut down on odours, and stop the problem coming back.

Call us on 0203 870 1067 for support and a no-obligation quote.

What is fat and grease removal?

Fat and grease removal is the process of clearing and cleaning drainage pipework affected by FOG (fat, oil, and grease). It can involve clearing grease-related restrictions from kitchen waste lines, cleaning the inside of pipework to reduce leftover build-up, clearing external lines and manholes affected by grease deposits, and advising on grease management to stop it happening again.

FOG problems are common in restaurants and commercial kitchens, pubs and bars, hotels and serviced apartments, takeaways and food production units, and staff kitchens and canteens.

How fat and grease cause drain problems

Hot oils and fats going down the sink might look harmless, but once they cool, they solidify and stick to the inside of the pipe.

That sticky layer then catches food scraps and sediment, coffee grounds, soap scum, and paper products and wipes.

Over time, flow slows down, smells start to build, and the line can block completely, usually at the worst possible moment, like a busy service, a weekend, or an event.

Signs you need fat and grease removal

FOG problems usually give you warning signs first. Call ICE Drainage if you notice slow-draining kitchen sinks or wash-up areas, gurgling sounds from plugholes, persistent bad smells near drains, water backing up during busy periods, blockages that keep coming back, or flooding outside or an overflowing manhole.

If foul water is present, keep people away from the area and call ICE Drainage on 0203 870 1067.

Our fat and grease removal process

Our goal is to properly remove the build-up, not just push it further down the line, so your drainage keeps working reliably.

1) Rapid assessment and triage

We gather details on the symptoms, the type of site, access points, and whether there's any flooding or downtime risk.

2) Clear the restriction and restore flow

We remove the blockage using the method that suits the pipework and how severe it is.

3) Clean the affected pipework

Where it makes sense, we clean the line to reduce leftover grease deposits, helping restore capacity and cut down on snag points.

4) Check for wider system issues

Grease problems that keep coming back can point to poor gradients, damaged pipework, or a restriction further downstream. We'll advise if more investigation is needed.

5) Prevention advice and next steps

We give you practical advice on grease control, how often to clean, and grease trap servicing where it's relevant.

Fat and grease removal for hospitality and commercial sites

For hospitality, grease issues can genuinely affect the business. A blockage can mean kitchen downtime and cancelled bookings, hygiene risks and possible compliance issues, smells affecting the customer experience, and emergency call-outs pushing costs up.

We support restaurants and commercial kitchens, hotels and serviced apartments, pubs and bars, retail and office premises, schools and public buildings, and facilities managers and multi-site operators.

We work to keep disruption low and get you back to normal quickly.

Grease traps and prevention

If your site produces a lot of FOG, having a grease trap or interceptor and a proper servicing routine is usually essential.

Common issues we see include overfilled traps causing backups, poor maintenance leading to smells, a trap that's the wrong size for what the kitchen produces, and blocked inlet or outlet pipes.

We can help you build a practical prevention plan, including Planned Preventative Maintenance where it makes sense.

Planned maintenance for fat and grease control

Emergency call-outs are disruptive. Planned maintenance is usually the most cost-effective way to keep grease build-up under control.

We can support with scheduled cleaning of kitchen waste lines, targeted jetting or cleaning of grease-prone sections, CCTV surveys where recurring issues suggest something's wrong, condition reporting for facilities teams, and PPM contracts for single or multi-site operators.

If you're seeing repeat slow drainage or smells, we can recommend a plan built around how your site actually operates.

If you suspect a grease-related blockage right now

Stop using the affected sinks or dishwashers if water is rising, keep staff away from any foul water, avoid pouring boiling water or chemicals down the drain, as it can shift grease and make blockages worse further down the line, take photos or video if it's safe to do so, and call ICE Drainage on 0203 870 1067 for support.

Book fat and grease removal with ICE Drainage

If you need help with fat and grease removal, ICE Drainage can help.

Call 0203 870 1067 or email contactus@icedrainage.co.uk to get started. In most cases, we can give you an initial quote from a short description, some photos, and your site location. We cover London and the Home Counties, and support both one-off call-outs and planned maintenance.