Why you should always keep an empty jar under the sink

If there's one part of cleaning after cooking that stops people in their tracks, it's seeing a pan full of oil and fat and wondering what to do with it.

Pouring it down the sink is definitely not the answer as it can solidify in sewer pipes and is known to cause 30 per cent of wastewater blockages

Grease, oil and fat down the drain also contributes to those nasty odours that waft up from the kitchen sink.

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This means the bin is the best option, but we all know that anything liquid in the rubbish just ends up leaking everywhere.

So how do we get rid of this greasy mess?

One easy option is to keep an empty jar under your kitchen sink to pour the oil and fat into.

After cooking you'll be able to keep adding to the jar until it's full, then screw the lid on and toss in the bin.

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For those who don't cook with oil as often, a small jar is a good option.

Basically all you need to do is wait until the oil and grease has cooled down then pour it in.

Using a clean jar is probably best to prevent mould growing in it prior to reusing the jar but if you've just emptied a one and need to use it for oil disposal go for it.

This hack is similar to pouring cooking oil and fat into a piece of foil and tossing that out once the contents have solidified.

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While both of these tricks add to landfill, there aren't really many other options unless your council offers cooking oil recycling.

Composting used cooking oil is possible, but only in small amounts.

"Too much can disrupt the flow of oxygen. This can trigger anaerobic decomposition of compost, which smells unpleasant and can also attract unwanted pests.," Ian A. Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University, wrote in an article for The Conversation.

So next time you've used the contents of a jar, consider keeping it aside to use for disposing oil – your drain pipes – and the broader sewer system – will thank you for it.

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