In short
Dubai kitchens use two main types of grease interceptor. Under sink traps are compact units that fill quickly and usually need cleaning every two to four weeks. In ground interceptors hold far more and are emptied by tanker, often monthly. Both only work when emptied completely, and a trap that fills in under two weeks is probably undersized.
How any interceptor works
Kitchen wastewater enters the interceptor and slows down. Because fats, oils and grease are lighter than water, they float and form a mat at the top. Food solids sink to the bottom. Baffles inside keep the floating grease away from the outlet, so the water leaving is far cleaner than the water that came in. As the grease mat thickens and the solids rise, the clear zone shrinks, and eventually grease passes straight through.
Under sink traps
Compact units fitted below a sink or dishwasher, common in cafés, small restaurants, cloud kitchens and pantries. They are cheap and easy to install, but hold only a small volume, so they fill quickly. In a busy kitchen an under sink trap can need service every two weeks, and one missed visit lets grease into the drain line. Service is quick, usually 30 to 60 minutes, and can be done before opening or after close.
In ground interceptors
Larger chambers set into the floor or outside the building, used by hotels, large restaurants, food courts and central kitchens. They hold hundreds of litres or more, so they tolerate busy service better, but they are emptied by vacuum tanker and need planning for access. Most need monthly service, with heavy frying kitchens often fortnightly.
Is your interceptor the right size
A trap that reaches a heavy grease layer in under two weeks, despite full cleanings, is probably too small for the kitchen's output. Other signs include grease visible at the outlet within days of service and repeated blockages in the line downstream. More frequent service can bridge the gap, but sometimes the honest answer is a larger unit. We assess capacity against your cooking volume on the first visit.
What a proper service includes
Whatever the type, a proper service empties everything, the grease mat, the solids and the water, then scrapes and scrubs the walls and baffles, checks the fittings, refills the trap with clean water and records the disposal. Skimming only the top leaves the solids behind and the trap fails within days. Read how our grease trap cleaning works, and where the line beyond the trap is coated, how hydro jetting restores it.
Services That Help
- Grease Trap Cleaning, Full pump out, baffle scrubbing and function check for commercial kitchen grease interceptors, with documented FOG disposal that keeps your establishment compliant.
- High Pressure Water Jetting, Blocked drains cleared at the cause. Hydro jetting nozzles scour grease, scale and sand off the full pipe wall, restoring original flow instead of a temporary hole.
Questions About This Topic
Can kitchen staff clean the grease trap themselves?
Staff can skim visible grease between services, but a full clean means pumping out the solids and water, scrubbing the baffles and disposing of the waste at an approved facility with a record. Grease must never go into the bin as liquid or down another drain. Professional service is what your compliance file needs.
Do enzyme or bacteria treatments replace grease trap cleaning?
No. Treatments may break down some grease, but they can also push emulsified grease further down the line, where it sets again. They do not remove the food solids at the bottom. Regular full pump outs remain essential.