A lot of people think about what they need to do before they leave for vacation. They set the alarm, unhook the devices, empty the fridge, lock the doors, and turn off the lights. But there is one small problem that people often forget about, and it can be really bothersome when you go back. There is a sink in the kitchen or bathroom. If you don’t clean your sink for a few days, especially if you live in a warm or humid region, it could start to smell unpleasant, hold water, or even attract pests.
There is a curved piece of pipe under every sink that is called a P-trap. A lot of people don’t know this. There is some water in that short curve that inhibits sewer gas from entering into your home. The design is basic but sensible, and it works well as long as the water stays where it is. But if you depart for more than a few days, the water in the trap may start to dry out. Once that barrier is gone, foul smells from the plumbing can permeate into your home. You expect the customary warm smell when you walk in, but instead you get a musty, sometimes even unpleasant smell that makes you question what went wrong.
There is more. There are a lot of bugs that like to live in the dark, moist areas of drainpipes, like ants, drain flies, and cockroaches. If you don’t use a sink for a few days and the water sits in the pipe, bugs can easily go in from there. Once they come inside, they’ll search your kitchen or bathroom seeking food, warmth, and a place to sleep. When you get home from vacation, you might find small ants crawling on your counters or gnats flying about your sink. If things get really bad, bigger pests like cockroaches could be able to get in through the sewers.
But there is a sensible and surprisingly easy way to stop all of this. Before you leave for your trip, lay a clean paper towel (or even a few layers of toilet paper) flat over the drain in the sink. Next, flip a solid glass or cup over down. Place it on top of the paper towel, directly over the drain. This creates a physical barrier that covers the entrance well without needing to fit securely like a stopper. It keeps bugs from getting in and smells from getting out of the drain.
A lot of old, sticky, or bent sink stoppers or plugs could come loose or not make a full seal. The method of putting the glass upside down only works with weight and location, though. It doesn’t need a seal because it stops air and movement, which means it acts as a lid to keep the space below it closed. Insects can’t get through either, unless you lift the glass, which they can’t do.
To get your sink ready for this approach to operate optimally, you need to do a few basic things. First, pour a saucepan of hot water and white vinegar down the drain. This helps get rid of food leftovers, soap scum, and grease that might smell. Then, give it a few minutes to sit. Use a lemon half to clean the metal ring around the drain. The juice will clean up any filth that might still be there and make the room smell like citrus. Use a cloth or paper towel to dry the area, then place the dried paper towel over the drain and your glass that is upside down.
This method is very affordable and only needs stuff you already have at home. It doesn’t have any chemicals that could damage you, it’s safe for all sorts of sinks and surfaces, and you don’t need any specific tools or supplies to use it. It is also excellent for the environment because it doesn’t need chemical bug sprays or deodorants that can stay in the air or wash into your water supply.
You can use this procedure in any area that has a sink or an open drain, like the bathroom, kitchen, guest room, laundry room, or even the utility sink in the basement. If you have more than one sink, do the same thing in each one. It just takes a few minutes, but it can save you hours of cleaning and the inconvenience of going home to a house that smells awful or has pests.
You unlock the door to your home after a long, pleasant trip and find it just as clean and fresh-smelling as when you left. There are no weird scents. There are no bugs that you don’t want. You can use the sink now that it’s clean. The paper towel and the glass flipped upside down worked better than you imagined they would.
Before you go, take a minute to cover your sink drains while you pack and go over your mental list of things to accomplish. It’s a little change that doesn’t take much work yet makes a significant effect.
