How Should You Clean Your Reusable Water Bottle and How Often?

water bottles are convenient and Eco-friendly. We use them everywhere, from the gym to wherever our errands may take us, or even while we’re just relaxing at home. However, not cleaning your water bottle can lead to bacteria growth, weird smells and build up you don’t want to ingest. Here is a step-by-step guide to cleaning your water bottle and reusable straws.

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What You’ll Need:

• Water
• Dish washing liquid
• Bottle brush
• Paper towel or clean dish cloth
• Bleach or vinegar
• Cleaning tablets (optional)
• Straw cleaners (optional)

How to Clean Your Water Bottle

You should clean your reusable water bottle after every use. Here’s how:

1. Start by filling the water bottle with warm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
2. Take a bottle brush and brush the inside and bottom of the bottle, then wipe the lip and cap. If your water bottle is dishwasher safe, place it on the top rack. Look to your water bottle care instructions for more information.
3. After your water bottle is washed, take a paper towel or clean dish cloth and dry the water bottle and cap. You can also let it air dry, but make sure to leave the cap off to prevent new bacteria from growing.

Deep Cleaning

Sometimes you might forget to wash your water bottle. It happens to the best of us. But if you start to notice a smell from your water bottle, it’s time for a deep cleaning. Here’s how:

1. Add a teaspoon of bleach to your water bottle. Then fill the rest of the bottle with cool water. If you’re not keen on bleach, you can use vinegar instead. Fill the bottle half with vinegar, half with cool water and let it sit overnight.
2. The next day, rinse the bottle with warm water and use cleaning tablets to disinfect, or, if dishwasher safe, place it on the top rack.

Cleaning Reusable Straws

Reusable straws should be cleaned after every use. Here’s how:

1. Rinse the straw in warm water with some dishwashing liquid.
2. Use a straw cleaner to scrub away any gunk inside the straw.
3. Rinse once more with warm water. If the straw is dishwasher safe, run through the dishwasher.

Conclusion

Cleaning your reusable water bottle is easy and takes little time. Following these steps will keep your bottle bacteria-free and your water fresh.