Australia-wide emergency warning: Here's how common kitchen mistakes are affecting your pipes

Australians are being warned against committing a common kitchen crime that can clog pipes with dirt and grease.

Spilling cooking oil down the sink or not wiping a greasy pan with a paper towel before washing it can cause “nasty” clogs that become a “health and environmental nightmare.”

Being mindful of what food and oil goes down your kitchen drain can help prevent clogs known as “fatbergs” and save homeowners huge plumbing costs.

Sydney Water issued a warning showing what the fatty lumps look like, causing “discomfort” to hundreds of people.

“Fats, oils and grease should never be poured down the drain as they will harden when they come into contact with the cold water in the drain,” the Facebook post said.

“It then mixes with other waste, such as wet wipes, to form hard masses known as 'fatbergs.'”

Fatbergs can cause overflows and sewage backflows that spill into homes, backyards and local waterways, costing homeowners hundreds of dollars to pay a plumber.

There are four main ways Aussies can prevent fat buildup in their pipes, starting with raking leftover food into the bin or compost.

Always wipe oily pans with paper towels before washing dishes, discard used oils and fats in containers like old jars or milk cartons, and always use a sink strainer to catch small food particles.

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Users were horrified by the image of the fatberg and shared how they get rid of fats and grease from cooking.

“Why waste paper when you can just use the crust of bread to soak up the grease and throw it in the bin?” one woman said.

“I put my used oil in an empty pasta sauce bottle,” a second wrote, to which a third replied: “Better yet, take the bottle to your local recycling centre – many areas will let you recycle oil!”

“If you need to get rid of old cooking oil or similar, put cat litter in the bottom of an empty 1 litre milk or juice carton. The cat litter will soak it up and harden, then you can wrap it all up and throw it in the bin,” suggested another.

“Put used oils and fats into old coffee jars and let them solidify in the fridge. When they're full, freeze them and throw them in the trash,” someone suggested.