A guide to protecting your home's P-traps from drying out during long vacations, debunking the viral paper and glass hack and offering reliable alternatives like mineral oil and plastic wrap.
Equipment
- Sink
- Tub
- Floor drain
- Laundry standpipe
- Toilet
Ingredients
- Mineral oil (or baby oil)
- Kitchen plastic wrap (cling film)
- Rubber stopper
Advertisement
Instructions
- Pour about a quarter-cup of mineral oil down every drain in the house before leaving.
- Alternatively, ensure the drain is completely dry, place a piece of plastic wrap over the drain, and press it down tightly, tucking the edges into the sink basin.
- Alternatively, push the rubber stopper down firmly into the drain for sinks and tubs.
- For basement floor drains, pour 1 to 2 cups of mineral oil down the grate.
- For laundry standpipes, pour 1/4 cup of mineral oil down the pipe.
- For toilets, flush right before leaving or drop a little mineral oil into the bowl to seal the water.
Advertisement
Notes
Do not use cooking oils like olive, vegetable, or canola oil, as they can go rancid and solidify in pipes. P-traps generally remain sealed for at least a couple of weeks, but risk increases with absences of three weeks or more, extreme heat, high ventilation, or rarely used drains.
Advertisement
