When the school year ends and students head home, campuses start to feel a lot quieter. While classrooms and lecture halls may remain dormant during the summer, one area that needs careful attention before everyone disappears is the kitchen. These facilities, found in cafeterias, student centers, dorms and dining halls, don’t just shut down with the flip of a switch. Without a proper plan, leftover food waste, cooking oil and under-maintained systems can lead to expensive and unsanitary surprises when the fall semester returns.

Among the most overlooked, but critically important, components of a summer shutdown is the grease trap or grease interceptor. Neglecting to clean and maintain these systems before summer break can lead to foul odors, pest problems, plumbing blockages and even city fines.

1. Empty and Clean the Grease Trap or Grease Interceptor

Grease traps are designed to separate fats, oils and grease (FOG) from kitchen wastewater before it enters the sewer system. Over time, these traps fill with sludge that must be pumped out and properly disposed of. Letting it sit unused over the summer isn’t harmless; it can turn into a smelly, hardened mess that's expensive to clean later and may even back up into kitchen drains.

Before closing your campus kitchen, schedule a professional grease trap cleaning with a certified service provider. Southern Green Industries specializes in grease trap maintenance, cleaning and FOG removal to ensure your systems are fully compliant with local codes and ready for use when the new school year starts.

2. Drain and Sanitize All Fryer Oil Systems

Leftover fryer oil is not only a safety hazard, it’s a pest magnet. Many schools forget to fully empty and sanitize deep fryers, leading to rancid smells and insect problems. Facility managers and administrators need to make sure to schedule a final collection before staff leaves for break.

3. Deep Clean Kitchen Floors and Floor Drains

Kitchen floors accumulate more than visible grime. Grease can build up in corners, behind equipment and especially in floor drains. Without daily staff cleaning, grease left behind can create serious odors or blockages. The downtime of summer break offers an ideal time for deep cleaning. Summer shutdown kitchen cleaning should include:

• Scrubbing floors with degreaser
• Cleaning under and behind appliances
• Flushing and treating floor drains

This is especially important in warm, humid regions, like Atlanta, where smells and pests escalate quickly.

4. Shut Off and Clean Refrigeration Units

Refrigerators and freezers should be emptied, cleaned and unplugged unless they’re needed for summer operations. A missed container of food or a leaking unit can create a huge mess over a couple of hot months.

• Remove all perishable items
• Wipe down all interior surfaces
• Leave doors slightly ajar on unplugged units to prevent mold
• Take the opportunity to schedule maintenance or clean condenser coils to extend refrigerator and freezer lifespan

5. Inspect Dishwashers and Ice Machines

Food service equipment like dishwashers, steamers and ice machines should be:

• Drained and cleaned
• Disconnected if unused
• Inspected for signs of wear or corrosion

Many campus facilities use the summer break to perform equipment maintenance. This is a great time to schedule inspections or replace parts before regular operations resume and deep cleaning and repairs become more disruptive.

6. Schedule Preventive Plumbing Maintenance

While grease traps are a serious concern, campus kitchens are full of pipes and other fixtures that can develop problems after sitting idle. If your facility has experienced backups or slow drains during the school year, summer is the time to investigate.

7. Notify Facilities and Security Teams

Lastly, your school's facilities or maintenance departments should be aware of which kitchen systems were shut down, cleaned and disconnected. Ensure summer maintenance and cleaning crews know if anything is left on or needs periodic checks. This helps prevent miscommunication and ensures someone can step in if an issue arises during summer.

Don’t Let Grease Traps Become a Summer Nightmare for Your Atlanta Business

Southern Green Industries provides dependable, worry-free grease trap cleaning and maintenance for all types of schools, universities and campuses. We can help ensure your summer shutdown process is easy and allows you to remain compliant with local FOG ordinances. Our expert team offers grease trap cleaning and used oil pickup and recycling tailored to commercial kitchens of all sizes.

Get ahead of your summer shutdown and contact us at (404) 419-6887 to schedule grease trap service.