Best Way to Clean Water Bottles

Whether you hand-wash your favorite water bottles or run them through the dishwasher, you understandably assume that they are clean. However, they don’t stay clean for long. The interior of water bottles is the ideal environment for bacteria and mold to grow.

You may not realize it, but each time you take a drink of water, a small number of bacteria from your mouth is carried back into the bottle. Over a short period of time, the bacteria and even mold spores grow rapidly. What’s the best way to clean water bottles?

Why Regular Cleaning Matters

If you’ve ever touched the inside of a water bottle that you haven’t cleaned for a few days, you likely noticed that the surface felt slimy. You may have also caught a whiff of an unpleasant or even musty odor.

Few people wipe the inside of a water with a clean paper towel. If you head over to the sink in a minute to do this, don’t be surprised if the paper towel shows a colored residue on it. This residue is a combination of bacteria and mold.

Bacteria and mold are commonly found inside water bottles. The longer you go between washes, the more bacteria and mold you’ll find. Each time you take a drink of water, you’re consuming potentially large quantities of these illness-causing germs. While the health of your drinking water is of utmost importance, you might also notice that the water starts to taste and smell funny if the bottle isn’t cleaned often.

How Often Should You Clean Your Water Bottle?

If you only have one or two go-to water bottles, running the bottles through the dishwasher is a minor inconvenience. After all, you might have to use another cup for your next outing. That cup might not fit right in your car’s cupholder. Maybe it doesn’t keep your water cool as long as your favorite water bottle does.

There are many reasons why you may not wash your water bottle every day, but this is highly recommended. After even a day of use, a water bottle can contain an astounding number of germs. In fact, it likely has more bacteria on it after a day than your toilet has.

Daily Cleaning Routine

The easiest way to clean your water bottle daily is to run it through the dishwasher. Just be sure that it is dishwasher-safe before doing so. If you don’t want to wait an hour or two for the dishwasher cycle to finish, you can hand-wash the water bottle using dish soap and hot water.

Fill up the bottle with soapy water, and put the lid on it. Cover the drinking hole or straw hole with your finger, and shake vigorously. Then, use a bottle scrubber to clean the bottom and interior of the cup. After rinsing out the soap, your cup is ready to use for another day.

Deep Cleaning Methods (Weekly)

Even when you clean your water bottle daily, it still needs deep cleaning on a weekly basis. Before going to bed at night. Fill the water bottle with a 50-50 solution of hot water and distilled white vinegar. Then, complete the daily cleaning steps in the morning.

How to Clean Hard-to-Reach Spots

Many water bottles have places that are difficult to reach and clean. This may be at the bottom of a tall, slender water bottle. Perhaps there are a few nooks and crannies on the lid. It’s just as important to clean these areas as it is to clean the easy-to-reach spots.

To access them, use a slender bottle cleaning brush or a clean toothbrush. Your dishwasher may not clean tight or small spaces well. Because of this, you may need to follow up a daily dishwasher cleaning by hand-washing the crevices with a small brush.

How to Deal with Odors or Mold

If your water bottle still smells bad or has signs of mold after cleaning it, more effort is required. Baking soda can tackle tough odors. Combine it with water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste across all surfaces of the cup.

After 15 minutes, fill the cup partially with white vinegar. Use your clean toothbrush or bottle scrubber to scrub the water bottle. If the smell continues to linger, it’s time to replace the water bottle.

Cleaning Do’s and Don’ts

• Clean your water bottle daily after each use.
• Deep clean the water bottle weekly using baking soda and vinegar. A bleach solution is another option, but don’t mix bleach with vinegar.
• Ensure that you clean the small crevices and hard-to-reach spots thoroughly.
• Only put dishwasher-safe cups and lids in the dishwasher.
• Pay special attention to cleaning straws and nooks on the water bottle and lid.

Bacteria and other germs live on everything in your home. To keep the growth from getting out of hand and causing illness in your household, regular cleaning is a necessity. With Cleanzen cleaning services, you never have to worry about overlooking important areas on cleaning day. Our professional cleaners deliver a spotless home at every visit. Schedule Cleanzen service for your home today.