A growing number of people are turning to coconut oil for a variety of uses such as cooking and skin care but, as with other oils and fats, if coconut oil is not disposed of carefully it could cause clogged sink pipes and drains.

Natural Properties

Coconut oil is made from the fruit of coconut palm trees and in recent times it has become popular with celebrities and writers espousing its natural properties.

Foodies say it is a healthy substitute for butter and can be used in a host of dishes from biscuits to curries; beauty consultants point to the high vitamin E content in coconut oil and say it can be employed to enrich skin and whiten teeth; some health writers believe coconut oil can help protect against heart disease and ease digestion.

Blockages

But there is a downside to this growth in the use of coconut oil. Unlike the majority of other cooking oils, Coconut oil solidifies at cooler temperatures, which in our British climate means it is solid at room temperature throughout most of the year.  This means if it is poured down the sink after use in the kitchen it is likely to coagulate in the pipes and contribute to blockages.

The same problem could happen in the bathroom where people who have used coconut butter on their skin or hair in the shower and wash it off down the plughole.  If the oil is washed away with debris from cooking or hair from showering, it is a drain blockage in the making.

Safe disposal

Our advice for disposing of coconut oil after cooking is the same as it is for all other fats, oils and grease that result from food preparation. Leftover cooking oil should be emptied into a container such as a fat trap or an old margarine tub and, after it has cool and solidified, disposed of in the bin.

Those who use copious amounts of coconut oil on their skin could wipe down with a wipe before stepping into the shower or investigate whether they can use fractionated coconut oil, which remains in liquid form and doesn’t solidify.  Also a good old fashioned drain trap stops the hair going down the plughole with the oil.

And, of course, a regular shot of Buster’s Deep Clean Foamer will prevent any build-up in your pipes and ensure that your drains and plugholes remain unclogged.

If you would like further information on this or a related subject, please search the website or contact us and we will be happy to help.