Over a three month period, the following science experiment unfolded.
Day One: Visiting employees hold a meeting at an office, drinking coffee and then leaving three used mugs in the sink.
Day Three: Mugs are now full of diluted coffee, dirty water, and Cup-o-noodle soup.
Day Five: Mugs, particularly the glass one, seem to be developing white scum on their surface.
Day 10: Mugs remain in place, liquid is now mostly dirty water and food particles.
Day 13: Mugs seem to be losing liquid to evaporation, but dirty circle is forming on bottom of the sink around each mug’s base.
Day 20: Liquid levels returned to full, apparently from a tomato based soup or dish.
Day 22: The mugs, with their liquid, are moved from the sink and lined up on the left of the sink on the counter. Rust circles remain at the bottom of the sink.
Day 25: The liquid is halfway evaporated, leaving a think patina of nastiness along the inside of the mugs. Particulary disturbing on the glass mug.
Day 30: Liquid appears to be holding steady at about 1/8 of a mug.
Day 42: Mugs are moved, with their liquids, to the right of the sink and lined up along the wall.
Day 46: No change.
Day 55: No change.
Day 73: No change.
Day 88: The mugs seem to have moved in and set up housekeeping. I imagine that even if we tried to move or clean them, they have sealed themselves to the counter and made their grime immovable.
Day 102: Tragically, the mugs were washed, the sink cleaned, and we are now on much tighter discipline in the kitchen. Much more pleasant, but the experiment has been shut down!