This simple trick involves placing a sheet of absorbent paper (like paper towels or dishcloths) over the sink opening, then placing an upside-down glass on top.
This forms a physical barrier that prevents stale air, small dust particles, rising gases, or even insects from entering your kitchen.
According to Loïc , a plumber for 18 years in the Landes region:
“Before leaving, I always recommend that my clients thoroughly clean their sink, treat the drains with hot white vinegar, and cover everything with a simple glass inverted on paper. This helps prevent 80% of the post-vacation problems I see every summer.”
The steps to follow before leaving: the ritual of the perfect vacationer
Here is the complete method for leaving a sink clean, hygienic and watertight:
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Clean the sink thoroughly , especially the edges of the drain and the walls.
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Pour 2 to 3 liters of hot or boiling white vinegar down the drain. This will disinfect the pipes and dissolve any residue.
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Leave for a few hours , or even overnight, temporarily blocking the sink with a plug or a cloth.
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The next day, rinse with hot water .
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Rub the drain with half a lemon to neutralize odors and add a natural fragrance.
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Dry the sink thoroughly.
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Place a sheet of absorbent paper over the hole.
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Turn a glass (or thick plastic) cup upside down over it, so that it completely covers the sink opening
And there you have it! In just a few minutes, you’ve protected your kitchen from the inconveniences of being away.
Why not just plug the sink?
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My 9-year-old daughter baked 300 Easter cookies for the homeless — the next morning, a stranger showed up at our door with a briefcase full of cash. My daughter, Ashley, has always had a heart too big for her chest. Since my wife died, we’ve barely been making ends meet. We spent everything we had trying to save her from cancer. But when Easter came this year, Ashley told me she’d been saving up her own money to buy ingredients. “For the homeless,” she said. Her mom used to be one of them. She was thrown out by her parents when they found out she was pregnant with Ashley. When I met her, she had nothing — but she had the brightest smile and the sharpest mind I had ever seen. I fell in love with her. I took her and Ashley in. And from that moment on, Ashley became my daughter in every way that matters. So when Ashley said she wanted to help people like her mom once was… I didn’t stop her. For three nights straight, after school and homework, she baked. Her little hands worked nonstop. She found her mom’s old cookie recipe. She rolled every piece of dough herself. She decorated every cookie. She made three hundred cookies. On Easter, she handed them out one by one. She looked people in the eyes. She wished them a Happy Easter. Some of them smiled. Some of them cried. I stood there thinking it was the proudest moment of my life. I thought that was the end of it. The next morning, I was washing a mountain of dishes when the doorbell rang. I opened the door. An older man stood there in a worn-out suit, holding a scratched aluminum briefcase. His eyes were locked on Ashley. Before I could ask anything, he set the case down and opened it. I froze. Stacks of hundred-dollar bills — more money than I had ever seen in my life. “I saw what your daughter did yesterday,” he said, his voice shaking. “I want to give all of this to her.” My heart skipped. Then he added: “But you have to agree to ONE CONDITION.” My chest tightened. “What condition?” I asked. He stepped closer. He lowered his voice. And what he asked for in return made my blood run cold.
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