Where Do You Dump Mop Water In A Restaurant? Definitive Guide!

Shower drains, utility sinks, and toilets often dispose of mop water; but where do you dump mop water in a restaurant?

It’s best to think about the safest way to throw out your mop water before you do so.

In most countries rules regarding mop water disposals are very strict, especially where local sewers were not designed to dispose of dirty water.

The most appropriate way to dispose of mop water in a restaurant is to flush it down the toilet. You can also pour it down a utility sink, but these places can become clogged by solid dirt, pet hair, or human hair.

Caution and Safety when Disposing of Mop Water

While you may want to consider other methods, flushing mop water down a toilet or pouring it into a utility sink remains the safest way.

Remember that your health is a priority; if you’re unsure where to dispose of mop water, err on the side of caution and use a safe option that works for you.

City Councils and Mop Water Disposals

Since mop water from your restaurant may have chemicals in it, some councils prefer to collect such waste routinely for safe disposal.

If you’re in such a state/city, you have to take it to the council to dispose of it safely.

This is when pouring it down the toilet comes in handy. It’ll go right through, no problem – unless you’ve been using cleaning products like bleach and stuff, which you really shouldn’t be doing anyway.

But that can be a hassle, and they only accept it on certain days, so chances are you’re not going to do that on a tight schedule.

Note: Try making your eco-friendly cleaning supplies to mop your restaurant. They're easy to make and will save you money.

When you Shouldn’t Flush Mop Water Down a Toilet

Even though it’s the best way to dispose of mop water, flushing down a toilet also comes with its demerits which you have to be aware of. Here are a few:

Clogged Toilets

Clogging causes a lot of problems because the plunger often fails to work. There is a need for a plumber to clear the line completely and fix everything in these cases.

It is expensive and time-consuming.

Another cause of this clogging is small bits of plastic or tampons found anywhere down the toilet.

These items go down the toilet when someone dumps their mop water into the toilet bowl with it.

This can be caused by children playing with toys while cleaning or adults dropping small items at your restaurant, eventually finding their way into mop water.

Blocked Drainage

The dirt builds up inside the pipe and eventually clogs it completely due to problems with the toilet.

To check for blockages in the plumbing system, you may need to put on long rubber gloves and insert your arm into the inspection port on top of the toilet since this is a dirty job.

You can try putting some vinegar down in your drain to see if that helps loosen up whatever is blocking your toilet.

You may also have to pay what the plumber charges for his services, and some plumbers give no room for negotiating prices.

Bacteria and Dirt

If you’re wondering where my mop water be disposed of, you should also be wondering about the bacteria and dirt contained in the mop water.

When you empty a dirty mop water bucket into the toilet, bacteria, and dirt from the mop may stick to the sides of the toilet bowl and multiply.

Remember, all of the cleaning products used in your restaurant will also be released externally into the environment.

This makes your toilet bowl dirty, affecting how clean your restaurant looks.

Besides, dirty mop water enters sewer pipes and can negatively impact our environment, waterways, rivers, and streams.

Note: Naturally, if you want to be environmentally aware and friendly, you should take extra care when disposing of your dirty mop water by it won't affect your staff and customers.

Disinfect Mop Water Before Disposal

To ensure you dispose of less harmful mop water, you’ll need to use special cleaners to neutralize chemicals in mop water and kill off the germs and bacteria.

Alternatively, you can make your cleaner, mix it with water and mop your restaurant floor.

Here is how it works:

1. Combine white vinegar and water in a bucket, then mop.
2. The vinegar will penetrate stains, leaving a sparkling clean floor behind.
3. Now you’re ready for mopping with a regular floor cleaner too.
4. If you’ve got some hard stains on your restaurant’s floor, stir up baking soda in water and apply that solution to any stained areas of the surface before you do the initial vacuuming.
5. Mop again with the regular cleaner after letting it sit for a few minutes—you should be able to get rid of most if not all of those nasty spots on your floor this way

For wooden restaurant floors, here’s how to disinfect the mop water before cleaning:

• Take some warm water, white vinegar, and olive oil and mix them in a bowl.
• Then soak your mop in the mixture and mop away.
• If you need more, add a little extra of each ingredient. This oil will make the floor slippery, so make sure you let it dry thoroughly before walking on it.

The mop water you dispose of will be disinfected and less harmful.

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Eco-friendly cleaning products are key to effectively get rid of dirty mop water without hurting the environment!

Eco-friendly cleaning products are just as effective as other mainstream options while safe for the environment.

These products can be easily purchased locally, and you can find out what they are safe to use on the package.

Remember that making your own cleaning product is cheap and simple as you know exactly what ingredients it contains.

Additionally, less of the chemicals end up in the sewer line with this solution, which benefits people and the environment.

Tip: You can also mix a couple of squirts of dish liquid with water. Use the mixture to wipe down your mop and when you're finished mopping, make sure to rinse your bucket out with clean water.

Sanitary Drains

The dirtiest water goes down the sanitary drains, and for many restaurant owners, they are the go-to solution when wondering where do you dump mop water in a restaurant.

Sanitary drains are an ideal solution only if there aren’t any objects or debris clogging them up!

Also, flushing the water down the shower drain and the toilet sends it directly to the sanitary sewerage system.

If you’re familiar with most municipality sewerage systems, you know that they have two basic systems: one for storm drains and another for sanitary drains.

However, if the mop water is not completely drained out, it can cause serious problems like a clogged drain, power outage, overflow of your waste water pipe, or even a major burst in the sewer line.

Note: As a responsible restaurant owner, you need to keep track of what's going down the drain.

Kitchen Sink

Never poor restaurant mop water down a kitchen sink. It’s all too easy to pour the dirty, soapy mop water down the sink, but it’s not good for you or the planet!

First, mop water can contain grease that can clog pipes.

Also, chemicals and bacteria in the mop water aren’t healthy for people if ingested or the environment.

If that wasn’t enough, dirty water sitting in pipes promotes biofilm growth, which can block the flow of waste through the sewer or septic system.

Note: So always pour your used mop water into a bucket down the toilet and flush.

Final Thought

If you’re wondering where do you dump mop water in a restaurant, it’s better if you don’t pour mop water down the toilet or sanitary drainages.

The bad thing about this is that the water will carry harmful chemicals straight into rivers, which isn’t good for nature or our environment.

And if the council finds out what you’re doing, you could face a pretty hefty fine.

The kitchen sink is a NO, NO.

Harsh chemicals, dirt, and bacteria that go down with mop water mean your sink and kitchen could get dirty and contaminated. 

So even though it can be cleaned and disinfected afterward, it’s best to avoid washing food in a sink full of dirt and chemicals.