The Genius Aluminum Foil Hack That Protects Drains From Grease Damage

You just fried up some delicious bacon and you're left with a griddle full of hot grease. What now? Before you run it over to the kitchen sink, you should know that oil and grease should never be poured down your sink drain or into your disposal. That liquid slurry is going to cool and solidify into a thick, goopy mess that can clog your pipes. While this may sound ridiculously obvious, plumber after plumber can tell you about the messes they've seen with fat, oil, and grease – collectively called FOGs – poured down sink drains. Too many people don't know how to dispose of grease and cooking oil the correct way.

Even if your drain doesn't seize up immediately, small amounts of FOGs can build up as a residue over time, slowly leading to big problems. The last thing you want is to have to unclog a blocked drain or sewer line, which could lead to serious damage to your home. Fortunately, there is an easy hack as seen in the TikTok from Nicole K. Modic, also known as @kalejunkie. Using aluminum foil can save you from making this potentially costly mistake: just place a sheet over the drain, pour the grease, wait for it solidify, and then dispose.

Most people are familiar with the idea of pouring their hot grease and oil into a can or jar specifically set aside for this purpose. If you'd rather not have that hanging around your kitchen, this quick and easy method will appeal to you. All you need is a small piece of aluminum foil. 

Tear enough foil off of the roll to line the drain of your sink. If you're concerned about spillage, use two layers of tin foil. It also needs to be large enough not to slip down the drain by mistake. Simply press the foil lightly into the drain area to make a bowl-shaped indentation in it to catch the grease. Then, pour the grease or oil into the foil cup you've made into the foil. Leave the foil cup there until the grease has cooled and solidified and is safe to move. Then, carefully remove the foil from the drain, wrapping it into an enclosed ball to throw away. 

A very similar alternative to this hack is to line a small bowl with foil instead of your drain and follow all the steps above. Using this method, the grease never comes anywhere near your sink drain. Either way you roll, you have foiled the grease and saved yourself an expensive house call from your local plumber.