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Original poster

To wonder how to get rid of liquid fat?

165 replies

CarlaH · 11/07/2026 11:29

We keep being told not to pour oil or liquid fat down the sink because it causes problems for the water companies.

How are we meant to dispose of it? Googling says we should put it into a glass or plastic container and throw it into the main waste but we are supposed to recycle those things aren't we?

I don't have suitable empty glass or plastic containers just lying around and I certainly don't have plastic containers with lids apart from the ones I want to keep like Tupperware.

What do most people do with it?

OP posts:
Floatlikeafeather2 · 13/07/2026 08:48

Chasingsquirrels · 11/07/2026 12:04

I use am empty oil bottle (sunflower or olive oil).
Keep it on the side & empty meat juices (roast chicken & sausages mainly) into it.
When it is full I put it in a bread bag, tie it off & put in the general rubbish.
Takes several months to fill a bottle, but it has a cap so it just sits there on the side.

Why do you wrap it in something else that should be recycled? If it's in a container, you don't need to.

GotALionInMyPocket · 13/07/2026 08:36

Put it in the land fill bin.

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 13/07/2026 08:26

Betadelta · 11/07/2026 11:37

I throw it in the bin (in a yoghurt pot or similar) as the lesser of two evils compared to putting it down the sink.

Yes, this is the obvious solution.

MuminMama · 13/07/2026 08:23

If it’s not too much, make a well in the food scraps in your food waste bin and pour it in, it will set as it cools

SharonEllis · 13/07/2026 07:59

WanderleyWagon · 11/07/2026 19:10

I would be pouring it into a drippings bowl that I keep in the fridge and re-using it

This is what I do too. I'm shocked at how few people apparently do this.

ohdear2 · 13/07/2026 07:53

When cooled fat will go to surface and solidify. I just put on paper towel which soaks up extra moisture and put that in the bin

BakedPotatoBeansCheeseColeslaw · 13/07/2026 07:20

I have this problem too at the moment since they changed our bins. They only collect the black bin every 3 weeks now so I feel like putting it in there will make it smell!

Dolphinnoises · 13/07/2026 07:13

I pull a jar out of the recycling and use that. Ideally you’d recycle everything but you can’t put oil down the sink and this is the only way to do it IMO - especially if the oil is still a bit warm. I don’t often have lots of oil to throw away - maybe after roast potatoes there’s a little bit. I’m married to a veggie so potatoes are roasted in oil rather than meat fat.

Juice from roast chicken, either in the same jar or if it’s likely to solidify, sometimes I put a sandwich bag over a bowl, pour it in and leave it in the fridge overnight. It’s solid enough to bin at that stage and when it returns to room temperature stays margariney rather than liquid

ChoccyHobknob · 13/07/2026 01:14

We collect it in a tupperware then DD and I mix with flour and make fat balls for.the birds

Justchillinhere · 13/07/2026 00:54

I usually soak it up with kitchen roll, if it's a lot I'd put it in a freezer bag when it's cold then pop it in the bin, we haven't started the food waste bin yet but I'd save it up in any old container then scoop it out and put it on top,

Moveoverdarlin · 13/07/2026 00:38

Pour it in to a mug, put it in the fridge. It goes solid, I then scoop it out straight in to the wheelie bin

RoyalIris · 12/07/2026 22:19

Yetone · 12/07/2026 17:07

😱 you sound like my mother. She always used to reuse the same fat in her frying pan. Anyone having a fried egg would have a bit of last week’s one with it!

Edited
Show quote history

I came on here to say this! Memories of the 70’s, the cup of reusable lard!

I pour any oil direct into food waste assuming there is a good layer of off bread or vegetables peeling or some such already lining the bottom. I also wipe pans with off bread or kitchen towel to save my drain.

GlitteryRainbow · 12/07/2026 22:08

I have a jug that it solidifies in then it goes into the food waste bin. The fat that is not the jug.

CypressMoon · 12/07/2026 20:59

I let it go cold, dip stale bread in it and put it out for the fox and crows.

MummyWillow1 · 12/07/2026 20:59

Just let it cool and pour it over your rubbish. Unless it is a full deep fat fryers worth it will just coat whatever is already in there. If there is a lot then put it back into the empty bottle and bin that.

Abouteffingtime · 12/07/2026 20:40

Food bin. With a bit of kitchen roll.

fetchacloth · 12/07/2026 20:37

I wait for it to cool and pour it into a sandwich bag, tie it securely and bin it in general waste.
For a small amount I blot it with kitchen paper and bin it.

AnneElliott · 12/07/2026 20:09

I pour it into the food water container - but only if there’s enough veg and leftover food to soak it up.

RustyBear · 12/07/2026 20:00

Solid fat goes in the food waste caddy and then in the kerbside food waste bin. I rarely have liquid fat, but our council tells us to put it in a sealed bottle and put it in the food waste bin

JulietteHasAGun · 12/07/2026 19:50

https://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/make-fat-balls-for-birds-winter-gwaf25/

fat balls for birds.

MrsJeanLuc · 12/07/2026 19:49

CarlaH · 11/07/2026 11:53

Sadly it didn't solidify at all. I suppose it was more juice than fat.

Show quote history

If it didn't solidify then it wasn't fat it was the meat juices and you should have eaten it with the casserole 😋.

If it's meat fat just wait for it to solidify and scrape it into the bin / wipe away with kitchen roll. Small amounts of oil can be soaked up with kitchen roll. Larger amounts can be poured into an empty tin (did you put tinned tomatoes or sweet corn in your casserole?) and binned.

TooHotToBoogie · 12/07/2026 19:42

Pour it on a crust of bread to soak it up then in the food waste bin

sueelleker · 12/07/2026 19:42

Soak it up with kitchen paper, then wrap the paper in foil and put it in the regular waste bin.

rwalker · 12/07/2026 19:39

For smaller quantities I wait till kitchen bin full then pour it on top and empty bin rubbish soaks it up

Islandgirl68 · 12/07/2026 19:35

@CarlaH I keep an empty jar, fill with oil when we have some, when full, put in bin. Then use next empty jar.