Here is Why You Should Always Leave an Upturned Glass and a Piece of Paper in the Sink Before Going on Vacation

Most people treat vacation prep like a checklist: empty the fridge, set the lights on timers, adjust the thermostat, water the plants, double-check the locks, and tell the neighbors you’ll be gone. We do all the obvious things. But there’s one small detail almost everyone forgets — a detail that ends up creating the musty, sour smell that lingers in far too many homes after a week away.

It’s the sink.

Most of us see the sink as nothing more than a metal basin for dishes, brushing your teeth, or dumping leftovers. But when a home sits dark and empty, that harmless bowl of stainless steel becomes a perfect entry point for sewer gases, moisture buildup, and even pests crawling up from the pipes. All of this happens quietly while you’re sitting on a beach or exploring a new city, completely unaware of what’s waiting for you when you get back.

Fortunately, there’s a small, clever, zero-dollar hack that seasoned cleaners and practical homeowners swear by. It requires no gadgets, no chemicals, and no effort:

Lay a paper towel over the drain, then place an upside-down glass on top of it.

That’s it. A paper towel and a drinking glass. It sounds ridiculous — too simple to matter — but it works for a reason most people never think about.

To understand why this trick is so effective, you have to know what happens inside your plumbing when nobody is running water.

Every sink has a P-trap — the curved section of pipe under the drain that holds a small pool of water. This water acts like a barrier, sealing sewer gases and insects out of your home. It works beautifully when the sink is used daily. But when you’re gone for days or weeks, that protective pool gradually evaporates. When it dries out, the house becomes exposed to everything it’s designed to block.

That’s when the problems start.

Without water in the trap, foul-smelling gases like methane and hydrogen sulfide rise straight up from the sewer. This is what creates that nasty rotten-egg odor many people notice after returning from a trip. The dark, moist drain interior also becomes a perfect habitat for mold, mildew, and bacteria. And worst of all, insects — drain flies, gnats, ants, even roaches — can travel upward through the pipes. You don’t see them while you’re gone, but they’re more than willing to explore once the barrier is gone.

This is why many homes smell “off” after a vacation, even when everything looks clean.

The upside-down glass trick takes care of all of it.

You simply place a paper towel or small square of toilet paper over the drain opening and cover it with an overturned glass. That’s enough to create a lightweight physical barrier that stops gases, moisture, and bugs from coming through the drain. It blocks what needs blocking, allows just enough airflow to prevent condensation, and doesn’t interfere with the trap water so much that it accelerates the evaporation.

Some people assume a sink stopper should do the job, and on paper that makes sense. But rubber stoppers warp. They shrink, dry out, and lose their seal. Some even trap moisture underneath, which grows mildew faster than if you left the drain open. Others pop out on their own, especially during temperature changes. And if your stopper is old or cracked, it might do nothing at all.

A glass avoids all of these problems. It doesn’t warp. It doesn’t seal too tightly. It doesn’t react to moisture or temperature. It won’t stain porcelain or metal. And unlike gadgets or plastic covers, it’s already sitting in your cupboard, free. If an insect manages to crawl up the pipes, it meets a wall it can’t push through. If sewer gas rises, the towel blocks it so you won’t smell a thing when you unlock your front door.

You can turn this into a simple, smart pre-vacation ritual. Before you leave:

Clean the sink thoroughly. Food particles, soap scum, and moisture attract pests.
Pour half a cup of white vinegar down the drain. It disinfects and cuts through buildup inside the pipes.
Let it sit for an hour or two, then flush with hot water.
Rub a cut lemon around the drain for a fresh scent.
Dry the sink completely with a towel.
Lay a paper towel across the drain.
Place an upside-down glass over it.

It takes less than a minute. It costs nothing. And it prevents the most common cause of mysterious post-vacation smells.

People who’ve tried this hack swear by it. Some use it for every sink in the house. Others only use it in bathrooms or kitchens. You can even place glasses over shower drains if you really want to keep bugs and odor in check. It works for stainless steel, porcelain, composite sinks — anything with a drain.

And it’s environmentally friendly. No sprays. No harsh cleaners. No disposable traps. Just a repurposed cup and a scrap of paper you would’ve thrown away anyway.

Imagine coming home after a long trip. Maybe you’re sunburned from a beach week or exhausted from a cross-country flight. You drop your bags, inhale — and your house smells exactly like it did when you left. Not stale. Not swampy. Not sour. Just clean. The air feels fresh. The bathroom doesn’t hit you with that damp funk. The kitchen smells neutral, not like something died under the floorboards.

That small luxury — that peace — comes from a thirty-second trick.

Because the truth is simple: vacation isn’t just about leaving. It’s about returning, too. Walking into a fresh, calm home keeps the good mood going long after the plane lands.

Some habits look trivial. But this one prevents sewer odors, stops insects from entering your living space, protects your plumbing, and makes your return more pleasant — all without spending a dime.

So the next time you’re getting ready for a trip, set the timers, water the plants, unplug the electronics, and take those few extra seconds to cover your sink drain with a paper towel and an upside-down glass

Small habit. Big payoff.

And when you walk back through your door days later and breathe in clean, fresh air, you’ll know it was worth it.