GreaseGiant pumps and cleans restaurant grease traps and interceptors across Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Baltimore. We work on the schedule your local FOG (fats, oils, and grease) program requires, jet the lines when they back up, and leave a signed manifest on site every visit — so you pass inspection and keep your kitchen draining.
What is grease trap cleaning?
A grease trap only works when it's emptied before it fills. Once FOG and solids pass the 25% threshold, grease starts slipping through into the sewer line — which is exactly what your local FOG program exists to prevent. We pump the full contents (not just skim the top), clean the baffles, inspect for damage, and document the visit.
How often should a restaurant pump its grease trap in the DMV?
Each DMV jurisdiction runs its own FOG program under the same basic logic. Here's how the core rules line up:
| Jurisdiction | Who regulates it | Cleaning rule | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, DC | DC Water FOG program; haulers licensed by DOEE | Maintain the interceptor per the DC Plumbing Code; register in DC Water's FOG BMP portal; larger interceptors serviced by a FOG hauler | Manifests kept on site 3 years (21 DCMR Ch. 15) |
| Baltimore | Baltimore City DPW FOG program (EPA / MDE consent decree) | Clean at least every 90 days and before FOG + solids exceed 25% of capacity | 3 years |
| Northern Virginia | County/city public works (e.g. Fairfax County) under VA DEQ | Clean before the trap is 25% full of grease and solids (the "25% rule") | 3 years (e.g. Fairfax Co. Code Art. 67.1-3) |
City-specific guides: Washington, DC · Baltimore · Northern Virginia.
What's included in a GreaseGiant grease trap service?
Full pump-out
We remove the entire contents — not a surface skim — then scrape the baffles and walls.
Line jetting
When the line backs up, we jet it clear instead of leaving you with a slow drain.
Signed manifest
A compliant waste manifest left on site every visit, with copies kept for your records.
Schedule that fits
Service timed to your fill rate and your jurisdiction's rule — monthly, quarterly, or on-call.
One company for grease trap cleaning and used cooking oil
Why manage a septic-style pumper for the trap and a separate hauler for the fryer oil? We handle both sides of restaurant grease. Add used cooking oil pickup, or see the full one-company bundle.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a restaurant pump its grease trap?
The governing rule across the DMV is the 25% rule: clean the trap before fats, oils, grease, and settled solids reach 25% of its capacity. In practice most restaurants land on a 1–3 month cycle, and Baltimore City sets a hard floor of at least every 90 days. High-volume fryers and small indoor traps need more frequent service. GreaseGiant sets your cadence to your actual fill rate, not a generic calendar.
What does grease trap cleaning cost?
Price depends on the trap's size, how often it's serviced, and how easy it is to access — a small indoor 40-pound unit is very different from a 1,500-gallon outdoor interceptor. Restaurants that bundle grease trap cleaning with used cooking oil pickup from one vendor typically pay less than running two separate companies. Tell us your trap size and we'll quote it plainly.
What's the difference between a grease trap and a grease interceptor?
They do the same job at different scales. A grease trap is the smaller indoor unit (often under the sink or in the floor) measured in pounds; a grease interceptor is the larger in-ground or outdoor tank measured in gallons. Both separate FOG from wastewater so it doesn't congeal in the sewer line. GreaseGiant services both.
Do grease trap additives and enzymes work?
No — additives, enzymes, and bacteria don't remove grease, they just emulsify it so it flows past your trap and hardens further down the line, where a blockage is far more expensive and can put the clog on your bill. There's no substitute for physically pumping the trap. Many FOG programs explicitly prohibit additives used to bypass cleaning.
Do you handle FOG compliance paperwork?
Yes. We're a licensed hauler, we leave a signed waste manifest on site after every pump-out, and we keep your records so they're ready when an inspector from DC Water, Baltimore City DPW, or your Virginia locality asks. Most programs require you to retain three years of manifests — we make sure you can produce them.