One of the leading causes of clogged kitchen drains is used cooking oil. Many people make the mistake of pouring used cooking oil down the drain, and end up with a clogged sink at the end of the day. You may spend a whole afternoon with a rubber plunger, drain cleaner, and a kettle of boiling water trying to unclog the drain. You can avoid this messy, exasperating chore by disposing of used kitchen oil properly.

• Never pour cooking oil down the sink. The temperature of your drain pipes are significantly cooler than your kitchen, which means that the oil could solidify very quickly. Even vegetable oils can build up and solidify inside your drain pipes.

• Put it in a jar. Small amounts of cooking oil can be stored in a resealable plastic jar, and disposed of with your other household rubbish.

• Take it to a processing plant. Restaurants can process used cooking oil, although it is best to send your big jars of used grease and fats to a biodiesel processing facility. Not only do you get rid of your used cooking oil, you can also help produce clean, environmentally friendly fuel. (Tips on how to make biodiesel)

The next time you dispose of used cooking oil, remember to give your drain pipes a break. You can prevent clogged drains by following these simple steps to get rid of your used cooking fats and grease. For more information regarding this article, read how to get rid of clogged drains.