By venue type
Grease trap cleaning for commercial kitchens
What commercial kitchens actually pay for a planned grease trap clean, the practical interval most operate to, and the three reasons commercial kitchens commonly run their traps too hard.
Why commercial kitchens' traps fill up the way they do
- High-throughput kitchens running multiple services a day put more fat, oil and grease through the trap than a single-service restaurant.
- Shared kitchens, ghost kitchens and catering hubs concentrate output from multiple operators into one trap.
- Older premises often have undersized traps relative to their current load, especially after a fit-out that added fryers or grills.
Typical size and frequency for a commercial kitchen
Typical trap size
2,000 to 5,000 litres or larger
Typical interval
Monthly is the default for high-volume kitchens
Frequency is set per venue in the trade waste agreement. The figures above are practical starting points; the agreement is the rule. See how often should a trap be cleaned for the underlying logic.
What it costs
$400 to $900 for a planned 3,000L clean.
Commercial kitchen pricing scales with trap size more than venue type. A 5,000-litre trap is roughly double the cost of a 1,000-litre clean, plus any access difficulty or after-hours work.
Full pricing by city and trap size: grease trap cleaning cost.
Getting quotes
Submit the venue address, your contact details and the trap details you know. Skip what you do not know, the contractor will confirm on site. Up to three licensed contractors quote, typically the same business day. Free for venues.
Frequently asked
- What grease trap size does a commercial kitchen need?
- Most commercial kitchens sit at 2,000 to 3,000 litres. Hotel kitchens, catering hubs and food courts often run 5,000 litres or larger because they serve multiple operators or shifts. The figure is set by the plumbing authority for the fit-out.
- How often does a commercial kitchen need a pump-out?
- Monthly is the default for any high-volume kitchen. Lower-volume commercial kitchens land at every two months. The frequency in the trade waste agreement is the binding figure.
- Can a commercial kitchen share a grease trap with another tenant?
- Yes, in food courts and shared-kitchen sites that is the norm. The trade waste agreement sits with the building or operator. Each tenant contributes load, the single trap is serviced on a frequency that reflects the combined output.