People have been warned not to pour melted ice cream down the sink during the heatwave this week. The Met Office is forecasting record temperatures with some set to see 38C and heat health warnings in place until at least Thursday. While the weather could cause your ice cream to melt if you leave it out in the sun for a few minutes, experts say you should never pour ot into the sink or down the drain. Rentokil Specialist Hygiene is warning UK households not
to pour any unwanted fats, oils and grease down the sink – including ice cream. Anyone who does risks costly drain blockages and sewer disruption, according to the company’s cleaning experts. The warning also includes barbecue grease, marinades and salad dressings. Many summer staples contain high levels of fat that may appear harmless in liquid form but can rapidly cool and solidify inside pipework. Dairy-based products, combined with sugary residues, can also encourage bacterial growth and unpleasant odours deep within drainage systems. Over time, this
build-up can form hardened blockages, commonly known as fatbergs – restricting wastewater flow and, in serious cases, causing sewer backups, burst pipes, flooding and expensive repair bills. The problem may be more widespread than many realise. Research commissioned by Initial Washroom Hygiene found that 1 in 10 UK believe it is acceptable to pour fats or oils straight down the sink. Jamie Woodhall, UK Technical and Innovations Manager at Rentokil Specialist Hygiene , comments: “We’re a nation that knows how to make the most of
the sunshine, but warmer weather can bring some less helpful habits, particularly when it comes to disposing of cooking fats and food residues. “The good news is that small changes make a real difference. Letting fats cool and solidify before scraping them into the bin, wiping greasy pans before washing them up, and using a sink strainer are all simple steps that can save households from potentially serious and expensive drainage problems.”
heatwave, melted ice cream, sink drains, fatbergs, Rentokil Specialist Hygiene, Met Office, 38C, UK households, grease disposal
So you’re telling me my sink can’t handle melted ice cream… meanwhile my landlord’s pipes are like 60 years old anyway lol.
I read melted ice cream and automatically thought “just freeze it and scoop it back out”?? Also who even pours ice cream down the sink, that’s unhinged.
Wait, fatbergs are from grease right? But if it’s just dairy and sugar won’t it just… rinse away? Like I get the idea but sinks have been dealing with milk/whatever forever. Heat does weird stuff though so maybe I’m wrong.
Heatwave warnings for everything now. Next they’ll say don’t breathe near the sink. I totally believe grease solidifies in pipes, but 38C makes people forget common sense. Just scrape it into the bin like they said, but honestly I didn’t know ice cream counted as fat/oil like barbecue stuff.