Grease Trap Cleaning Tampa sees many kitchens do their own weekly trap clean, and the rules allow it within limits. You can usually clean a small indoor grease trap yourself: Tampa allows it under a written protocol, and Hillsborough County for traps under 50 pounds capacity. Outdoor interceptors must be pumped by a registered hauler.
Who may clean what
| Where | Indoor trap | Interceptor |
|---|---|---|
| City of Tampa | Staff under a written protocol, or a registered hauler | Registered hauler only |
| Hillsborough County | Staff only if under 50 lb grease capacity | Registered hauler only |
| Pinellas County | Weekly cleaning, logged | County-permitted hauler only |
| St. Petersburg | Weekly cleaning with a written protocol on file | Permitted hauler only |
| Pasco County | Under-sink units weekly | County-permitted hauler |
Disposal limits
In the City of Tampa, grease removed in-house can go with your solid waste only if it is solid, dry, mixed with an oil absorbent, sealed in a bag or container, and no more than 5 pounds (Sec. 26-306(f)(5)). Anything more needs a registered hauler. Never pour removed grease down any drain.
A weekly routine that meets the rules
Adapted from St. Petersburg’s best-practice manual:
- Bail the water out of the trap to make cleaning easier.
- Remove the baffles if possible.
- Dip the grease into a watertight container.
- Scrape the sides, lid and baffles with a putty knife into the container.
- Hand the waste to a hauler, or dispose of it as solid waste if your local limits allow.
- Replace the baffles and lid.
- Log it: date, who did it, estimated volume removed, disposal location, manager’s initials.
Don’t use hot water, acids, solvents, caustics or emulsifiers.
When to call a hauler instead
- The trap is past its limit, or solids have built up at the bottom
- The baffles or outlet tee look damaged
- You’ve removed more grease than the disposal limit allows
- It’s an interceptor
- An inspection or a violation deadline is coming
See indoor grease trap cleaning and grease interceptor pumping.
Bottom line
Staff can handle the weekly clean of a small indoor trap under a written protocol, logged every time. Interceptors, large volumes of grease and the deep clean belong to a registered hauler. To split the work properly, call (727) 476-9241.