How to Clean Used Cooking Oil, Easy and Effective!

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Used cooking oil (UCO) is a cooking oil that turns dark and has an odor after being used several times. Although you can clean it, the used cooking oil is not safe for consumption because it contains dangerous substances.

It is better to use UCO for other purposes, such as candle or soap making, rather than using it for cooking.

Quoted from Traction Energy Asia, every year, Indonesia is estimated to produce 1.2 million kilolitres of UCO. It mostly comes from households and small enterprises, with Java–Bali as the biggest supplier.

Then, how to clean used cooking oil to be leveraged into new products? Read the explanation below!

How to Clean Used Cooking Oil

Before learning how to clean used cooking oil, it is important to note that UCO can be processed to be cleaner and fit for use. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Filter the Oil

One of the easiest ways to clean UCO is by filtering it to separate the dirt and food waste. The process of filtering used cooking oil can also help reduce the rancid smell of the oil.

To filter it, you can use a soft mesh filter, a coffee paper filter, or a paper towel. Yet, make sure to let the oil cool before filtering to be safer and prevent tearing the filter.

You had better pour the oil slowly into a container while filtering it to precipitate the small particles and separate them from the oil.

2. Mix Oil with Corn Starch

The next step is to add cornstarch into the cold oil and stir well. Then, heat the mixture on low fire and stir it with a spatula. Don’t let the oil boil, and just keep it warm.

After approximately 10 minutes, the corn starch will clot and absorb the dirt from the oil. Next, filter the oil to separate the starch clots and food particles.

3. Store It in a Closed Container

Oil can break down for several reasons, such as reusing it and storing it incorrectly. If not stored properly, oil will quickly change color, smell rancid, and become unusable.

To keep the condition, you should store it in a cool, dry, far from light, and far from excessive heat areas. This is because light and heat can accelerate the oil breakdown and make it rot faster. Moreover, make sure to store the oil in a closed container to maintain cleanliness and durability.

4. Do Not Store It Near the Stove

Avoid storing UCO near the stove because the heat makes the oil break down faster. Continuous exposure to heat can cause the oil to change color, have a strong smell, and lose its quality.

How to Remove Odor from Used Cooking Oil

Used cooking oil usually has a strong odor after being reused many times. If you do not clean it properly, the smell will be musty and disturbing. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to remove the odor from UCO as follows:

1. Heat the Oil

The first step is to clean the coconut shell and make sure there is no dirt in the shell. Then, put the shell into the heated oil. The shell will absorb the dirt and dangerous substances from the UCO, making the oil cleaner to be processed.

2. Fry the Coconut Shell with Ginger

Next, you can fry the shell with slices of ginger in the heated oil. This process only takes several minutes, so do not cook too long to prevent overcooking. Coconut shell and ginger will absorb unpleasant odors and make the used cooking oil clearer.

3. Filter the Oil

After several minutes, filter the coconut shell and ginger out of the oil. This process is effective in removing sour odor and making the oil clearer. With this method, the UCO appears cleaner and can be reused without worrying about the disturbing odor.

4. Used Cooking Oil Is Ready to Use

Cooking oil can be reused up to three times, but you should avoid using the same oil many times because every time it is heated, it will be oxidized, breaking down the quality and making your food smell awful. This means that the more the oil is heated, the faster its quality deteriorates.

Aside from following the methods above, you can reuse UCO for other purposes, such as soap making, candle making, or other UCO processed products.

That is the information about how to clean used cooking oil. Even though the oil appears cleaner afterwards, UCO is not recommended to be reused for cooking due to its bad effect on your health.

Therefore, it is important to use UCO wisely, such as for other safer purposes or to dispose of it in an environmentally friendly manner.

One of the beneficial ways to process UCO is to turn it into biofuel through Manajemen Pengumpulan Minyak Jelantah untuk Lingkungan (MINYAKU) by the Chandra Asri group and TUKR (part of Biofront), inviting the communities to gather used cooking oil.

MINYAKU is one of the circular economy initiatives by the Chandra Asri Group and TUKR invites the public to collect UCO in the area around the factory operations in Cilegon.

This program involves waste banks, communities, and associations to process the collection to be more organized and standardized. Interestingly, people who exchange used cooking oil will get a balance of used cooking oil savings per liter.

Through MINYAKU, it is hoped that people can be educated more about how to process UCO wisely and in an environmentally friendly way.

Additionally, MINYAKU contributes to environmental preservation and supports the surrounding community’s economy.

In addition to collecting used cooking oil for the MINYAKU program, you can also join #SiPalingSustainable and challenge yourself to realize a sustainable lifestyle through various simple steps!

When else can you contribute directly to the environment while adopting a more sustainable lifestyle? Let’s register yourself to join Indonesia Asri and make a big change for a greener future!