Stop pouring excess cooking oil down your drain as foil trick is much safer

Cooking oil is one of the most versatile tools we have in the kitchen. It comes in a variety of different types, from olive oil to vegetable oil to even artisan types like coconut oil, and most of us use some type of oil every single day to fry foods or roast things in the oven.

But what do you do with the oil that's left in the pan once you've cooked your food? Sometimes, the amount of oil we use is negligible, so this doesn't matter, but when you've been frying an egg or roasting potatoes, you're probably left with oil that needs to be disposed of before you can clean the pan or dish.

Because oil is a liquid, you might be tempted to just chuck it down the drain of your kitchen sink. But most people know you should absolutely never do this, as oils and fats can cause blockages in your drain that can destroy your plumbing.

There is something you can do instead, however. According to a cleaning expert on Instagram, all you need to safely get rid of your excess oils is some kitchen foil and a cup - which most of us have at home already.

In a video shared by a home hacks account, the woman took some scraps of aluminium foil and wrapped them around a plastic cup, using the cup to help form the foil's shape. Once the cup was covered with no gaps, she then gently pulled the cup out, leaving just the cup-shaped foil behind.

Then, the woman placed the foil into her sink drain so that when she poured the oil in, it collected inside the foil and didn't leak into her plumbing system. This meant she could pinch the foil closed at the top and then throw it into her rubbish bin.

If your foil won't stand upright in the sink, you can also do this hack by forming foil around the inside of a cup or mug, meaning you can use the cup itself to hold the foil upright and pour your oil inside.

Commenters on the post thanked the woman for her trick. Several also pointed out alternative solutions, such as waiting for the fat to cool down and tipping it directly into the bin, or adding it to an empty bottle that you can slowly fill over time and then dispose of once it's full.

How to safely dispose of cooking oil

1. Let the oil cool completely after use.

2. Pour into a sturdy, sealable container, such as the original bottle, a milk jug, or an empty can.

3. Dispose of the oil properly by following local guidelines, as rules may vary between councils.

• For small amounts of oil, you are usually fine to seal the container and throw the oil in the bin, or to soak up the oil with paper towels and dispose of them in your rubbish bin.
• For larger amounts, however, you may need to take the sealed container to a local recycling facility. Some areas also have collection programmes that convert used oil into biodiesel.

4. Never pour oil down your drain or toilet, as this can cause blockages and environmental damage.

5. If the oil is still clean, you may be able to strain it and reuse it for future cooking.