Why do you need a p-trap? What is its purpose? The main reason why every sink in your home has a p-trap is to keep sewer gasses out of your home. Sewer gas can be harmful to your health, and it also has a terrible odor.
A p-trap is the pipe that is shaped like a “U” located underneath all your sinks. Inside of a p-trap, there will always be standing water that functions as a seal between your sink and the plumbing beyond it.
P-traps also serve the secondary purpose of stopping debris from making it down the pipe. Instead, this sediment will collect at the bottom of the bend.
Of course, this buildup can impede water-flow, so it will need to be cleaned out occasionally. Some p-traps will have a drain plug to make this easier, otherwise, you will need to remove the pipe to clean it out. This will also let you catch jewelry that might have been washed down by mistake.
