When I travel, I always put a glass and a piece of paper in the sink. You’ll understand why this trick can really make a difference—let me explain! | April 25, 2025

It’s often assumed that an empty home stays clean and tidy. And yet… the exact opposite happened to me. A sparkling clean apartment, but a sewage smell so strong that for a moment I thought I’d thrown my suitcases down the drain. Want to know why? And most importantly, how can we avoid it? Don’t move…
Why can an empty house smell bad?

You might think that a home freezes in its cleanliness in the absence of life. But an invisible detail can quickly turn your cocoon into an odor trap: dry siphons.

A siphon is the small nook under your sink or shower that retains some of the water. This water acts like a natural plug, preventing odors from rising from the pipes. But when it evaporates—especially in summer or when you’re away for several days—the most unpleasant odors escape.

That’s exactly what happened to me in this well-kept studio. When I opened the door, a strong sewage odor hit me. The kitchen was spotless, but a veritable odor invasion had wafted in from the sink.

It’s often assumed that an empty home stays clean and tidy. And yet… the exact opposite happened to me. A sparkling clean apartment, but a sewage smell so strong that for a moment I thought I’d thrown my suitcases down the drain. Want to know why? And most importantly, how can we avoid it? Don’t move…
Why can an empty house smell bad?

You might think that a home freezes in its cleanliness in the absence of life. But an invisible detail can quickly turn your cocoon into an odor trap: dry siphons.

A siphon is the small nook under your sink or shower that retains some of the water. This water acts like a natural plug, preventing odors from rising from the pipes. But when it evaporates—especially in summer or when you’re away for several days—the most unpleasant odors escape.

That’s exactly what happened to me in this well-kept studio. When I opened the door, a strong sewage odor hit me. The kitchen was spotless, but a veritable odor invasion had wafted in from the sink.

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