Dispose of Cooking Oil

What do you do after cooking with lots of oil, such as when deep frying? Pouring the oil down the drain or toilet will cause clogs down the line, literally, since oil thickens when it cools and does not mix with water. Pouring it in the garbage can make quite the mess, as well. This article will outline some better options.

Steps

 * 1) Let the oil cool. Leave the oil/grease in whatever cooking vessel until it is cool (a few hours, to overnight and beyond).
 * 2) Freeze it. After it has cooled some, you can pour it into a container and store in the freezer. Metal soup cans or empty juice cartons are ideal for this purpose.  Once it's solid, it's easier to dispose of it. Or if you need to reuse it, just let it thaw.
 * 3) Reuse the oil for cooking, if you can. Oil can be used for frying several times over, as long as you filter it between uses.
 * 4) [[Image:Oil & water 1 6646.jpg|thumb|Photo by bitjungle]]Make a lava lamp. This is a fun project to do with kids!
 * 5) Save some for rubbing on snow shovels. When you do that, snow won't stick to the shovels as much.
 * 6) Consider making an oil lamp. The video below shows you how.
 * 7) Use it to make biodiesel. Biodiesel is a non-toxic and biodegradable fuel that can power your car's engine and help the environment at the same time. Don't need biodiesel yourself? Save the oil in its original container, advertise in an online free ad (like Craigslist) and someone who makes biodiesel will come pick it up.
 * 8) Use the oil for shaving. Avoid the chemicals in commercial shaving creams and lotions that may dry and irritate your skin.
 * 9) Check if there is a local recycling center that will take the oil off your hands.
 * 10) Take large amounts to a local restaurant. Sometimes they have used oil/grease bins that you can throw your oil into, if you ask nicely.
 * 11) Pour over used cat litter, after changing the pan. Litter will absorb oil, reducing mess.
 * 12) Mix it with stale bread, old rice or any grain product and feed it to your pigs or chickens. They eat almost anything. If you don't have animals, take it to a farmer you know, or look for someone who sells farm eggs and take it to them.
 * 13) Use it to make soap if it's only one type of oil. Make sure to "clean" it by putting the cool, used oil into a saucepan filled with water. Let the water simmer (on medium to low heat), and stir the oil and water together gently. Anything that contaminates the oil, like bits of food, should fall out of the oil layer and into the water layer. To get the oil out, allow the solution to cool, and if need be, place the whole thing into a freezer until the oil layer is solid. Continue to "clean" it until no more food or other contaminants are seen.
 * 14) If throwing it away is the only option, let it cool, and put small amounts in sealed containers in the trash. Pour it into a container you would throw away anyway (preferably ones that you can't recycle). Peanut butter jars are ideal for this, as they are easily resealable and have wide opening. Put the cap on, close it tightly, and throw it in the trash.

Tips

 * Adding cooking oil to a compost pile will have a negative effect on the composting process, unless it's a very small amount.
 * When the oil and fat harden, you can mix it with peanut butter and bird seeds to feed the birds.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Filter Fry Oil for Reuse
 * How to Deep Fry at Home
 * How to Prepare Used Cooking Oil for Biodiesel
 * How to Make Your Own Soap