The Real Deal on Covering Your Sink Before Vacation

There’s a weird travel hack floating around that involves placing a sheet of paper and upside-down glass over your sink drain before leaving town. It supposedly helps prevent sewer smells and creepy crawlers from getting into your home through your drains while you’re gone. I’m always up for a good vacation prep hack, but this time I decided to dig a little deeper into why this idea exists and whether or not it works.

The idea behind this hack is legitimate. The P-trap, which is the curved, U-shaped pipe located beneath your sink, tub and floor drain, does hold water as a protective barrier against sewer gases and insects entering your home. However, the method shown in the viral photo is not a reliable way to protect your home.

Why Do People Think They Need This Hack? The Real Plumbing Issue Behind This Idea

As mentioned above, every sink, tub and floor drain in your home contains a small piece of plumbing magic referred to as a P-trap. Most people have heard of the P-trap, but may not know that the curve of the P-trap wasn’t designed to catch lost jewelry or hairballs, but rather to hold water on purpose. The water within the P-trap creates a physical barrier between your home and the large sewer system outside. This barrier is commonly known as the “water seal” and provides a level of protection by blocking unpleasant sewer gases and odors from entering your home.

However, if you leave a drain unused for a sufficient amount of time, the water will eventually evaporate, eliminating the protective barrier created by the P-trap. At this point, you may begin to notice a bad odor or worse yet, unwanted critters may begin to enter your home.

Therefore, the reasoning behind the viral hack is valid. If you plan to leave your home for a significant period of time, you do not want your P-traps to dry out.

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