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In most households, the sink is where you do most of the cleaning in your kitchen, especially if you don\u2019t have a dishwasher<\/a>. However, it\u2019s also one of the places that often gets ignored when you\u2019re tidying up and scrubbing your kitchen surfaces<\/a>. And, that\u2019s just the outside<\/em> of the sink. If you don\u2019t have a garbage disposal, you really shouldn\u2019t be letting anything make its way down the drain \u2014\u00a0but we\u2019ve all been guilty of letting those extra grains of rice or soggy piece of onion slide down into the abyss, never to be seen again. Well, eventually, those bits of food will end up clogging your drain over time, which either means a torturous evening of drain cleaner and snake wrangling or an expensive call to a plumber. Thankfully, even if your apartment (like mine) didn\u2019t come with one, there\u2019s an easy and affordable solution to this problem: the 2-in-1 Silicone Sink Strainer with Stopper<\/a> from OXO.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This 2-in-1 tool<\/a> from one of my favorite kitchen brands, OXO, features a silicone basket which traps food bits and easily inverts when you need to empty it. Giving the large center knob a quarter turn in either direction engages the stopper, which halts the flow of water and plugs the sink. It\u2019s also made with quality silicone that won\u2019t scratch up the bottom of your sink, and it\u2019s both PVC-free and dishwasher-safe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Personally, since I\u2019ve been using it, what\u2019s stood out for me is its versatility. Having a plug that (actually) works makes it super easy to clean my sink, because I\u2019ll just add some soap, stop the drain, and fill up the sink to soak off any crusted-on bits of food or sauce and loosen up any grease or oil. Plus, as a strainer, it\u2019s so easy to remove that I usually don\u2019t even have to touch any of the gross, soggy food bits that it traps \u2014 I just pick it up by the knob, invert the basket, and dump it in the trash. The other cool thing about this two-in-one tool from OXO is that you can use it in the bathroom, too. If you don\u2019t already have a TubShroom<\/a> or a built-in drain plug, this is an awesome upgrade.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019m not the only one who likes it either. \u201cOn first glance this little stopper doesn\u2019t seem like it will do the job,\u201d one reviewer wrote<\/a>. \u201cBut, when you fill the sink, it holds firm. That\u2019s the beauty of this stopper \u2014\u00a0OXO built a well executed simple kitchen helper. When you turn the knob, water flows right out. I clean sinks full of fruit and veggies in large batches and this will help HUGELY! Love it.\u201d So, whether you\u2019re looking to replace your existing sink strainer, upgrade your shower drain, or avoid an expensive call to a plumber down the line, the 2-in-1 Silicone Sink Strainer with Stopper<\/a> is a great choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n