Martha Stewart's Easy Trick To Get Rid Of Cooking Oil (And Save Your Drain)

Have you ever stood over a hot pan wondering how to dispose of used cooking oil properly? Martha Stewart has a simple, no-fuss solution that can help you clean up the pan and get rid of the oil without ruining your kitchen plumbing. In a TikTok video (below), the lifestyle guru shared her tip, saying, "When your pan is full of oil or melted butter and you don't know what to do with it and it's hot, just place some paper toweling. Let it soak up all that oil." Once the pan has cooled off, it's safe to wash. Meanwhile, "No grease is going to go down the drain and all the grease is right in the paper towel. You can just discard it."

@marthastewart

Dispose of your used cooking oil with this easy technique! #cookingtip #cookingtok

♬ original sound – Martha Stewart

This method works because the majority of the oil will get absorbed by the paper towel while the pan is still warm, leaving only small amounts of grease on the surface. Washing the cookware will rinse off the residual grease. Stewart's hack also spares the pipe under the sink from accumulating solidified cooking oil which can eventually clog the entire plumbing line. Clogs can lead to bigger sewage problems in the long run and the repairs needed to fix it will be painfully expensive. As such, this paper towel trick can save homeowners hundreds of dollars and the stress that comes with a broken sink.

Just like her tip on how to save money on kitchen oil, Martha Stewart's hack for removing used cooking oil from the pan is easy to follow. It's as easy as wiping the grease off with a paper towel. However, the seasoned homemaker didn't mention in her video how to discard the paper towel once it has completely soaked in the oil. You need to toss them in a sealed plastic bag before discarding them with your regular trash. This way, you don't create a sticky mess when the temperatures are high and the oil bleeds through the towel. This also helps keep bugs out of your kitchen, as the smell of used oil can attract insects and other pests.

If you run out of paper towels, a good alternative is coffee filters. They can also absorb the oil from the pan and you can discard them the same way. Meanwhile, if you're dealing with a large volume of used cooking oil, try to assess first if you can still reuse it. If so, strain it through a cheesecloth or coffee filter placed over a clean jar to separate the solid food particles. You can then store the oil in a cool, dark place and use it next time you prepare a meal. Should you decide to throw out the oil, pour it into a sealable, disposable container like an empty milk jug or detergent bottle before tossing it in the trash.