When you use a reusable water bottle, you're making a conscious effort to reduce your plastic waste. But if you don't properly clean your water bottle, it can start to become smelly and may even harm your health. Cleaning a reusable water bottle is easy if you have the right supplies at home. You can easily clean your reusable with dish soap, vinegar, baking soda, or bleach. Here's how you can do it:
Reusable bottles are so convenient and easy to use, saving me money and the environment in the long run.
But when it comes time to wash the bottles, people have no idea how to do it properly. So I decided to write this post on deep cleaning your reusable water bottle. Read on to find it-
Mix one-part water and one part distilled white vinegar.
You should be able to get the job done with two tablespoons of vinegar. When you've added the two tablespoons, shake the water bottle vigorously before putting the cap back on.
Ensure that you shake up the bottle, so the vinegar gets into every crevice and corner. Vinegar rinses aren't for yucky stuff like bacteria, mold, or mildew.
Don't throw it away yet. Warm water should be added until the vinegar in the stainless steel bottle is about half-full, according to Hunker. Shake any potential buildup loose with a bottle brush.
If necessary, remove the bottle brush, close the cap, and shake it up again (giving no bacteria build-up a chance to withstand your shaking, vinegar-scented anger). Letting it for one night is better to get the best result.
Make sure that the next day, the bottle and its lid are thoroughly rinsed with warm water to remove any remaining vinegar. Make sure they are dry. This method makes water bottles made of stainless steel particularly easy to clean. Click here to check self cleaning water bottle.
Add a drop of dish soap (if you like).
A warm, soapy water solution will suffice for everyday washing. Add a few drops of liquid dish detergent to the empty water bottle and fill it with hot water. Once the cap is back on, shake the container vigorously to make the water bubble.
Empty the bottle of suds, and then use a bottle scrub brush to clean down. Make sure to wash the bottle's exterior and bottom as well.
Let your water bottle dry thoroughly after rinsing it in warm water until you no longer see soap bubbles. Take special care to scrub the openings of the spout and mouthpiece on the lid. Make sure it is rinsed and dried.
Use baking soda
Stainless steel water bottles can also be cleaned with baking soda. Since it contains vinegar's antimicrobial properties, it is great for fighting bacteria without its distinctive odor. Whenever bacteria, mold, or other funky build-ups cause a bad smell, baking soda can help remove them.
Start by making a paste of just two ingredients: water and baking soda, which you'll use to clean your stainless steel water bottle. Let the paste sit for about 15 minutes inside your bottle after applying it with a bottle brush. Then, let the bottle air dry after rinsing with hot water.
You can dry your reusable bottles most effectively by air-drying. You can dry it in your kitchen by turning it upside down. Turn the bottle upside down without a drying rack, but ensure there is space between the mouth and the counter.
Try leaning it against something or suspending part of the mouth over the sink so there will be some airflow. Of course, this will create yet another breeding ground for grossness by trapping all that moisture.
Use bleach
Use bleach to clean your water bottle if there is a lot of grime or mildew. Put a teaspoon of bleach in your water bottle. With the remaining water, fill the rest of the container.
Scrub the inside and outside of the cap with the solution as well. The next morning, rinse your water bottle thoroughly with warm water. Then, run your dishwasher cycle and let it dry if your bottle is dishwasher-friendly.
Another way is hydrogen peroxide.
You might have Hydrogen peroxide around the house if you are trying to keep things simple and don't want to buy anything else. Are there any first aid kits or medicine cabinets in your home?
That would be great if that were the case. When you use HP to clean it, you do not need to worry about getting a stain on your stainless steel water bottle. You can use 3% hp to clean your water bottle.
According to Healthline, the hydrogen peroxide used for food preparation is diluted with 65 percent water to 35 percent H202. Applied to food packaging materials, this 35 percent solution kills bacteria and microorganisms.
Hydrogen peroxide should be rinsed with hot water before being used to clean stainless steel bottles. Take special care to remove any buildup before applying HP with a bottle brush. Afterward, rinse the bottle again in hot water to remove all HP remnants. Air-dry the bottle.
Why should I use vinegar? Is it safe to use vinegar?
The cleaning power of white vinegar is astounding. In enclosed, moist spaces, white vinegar's acidity makes it an excellent tool for cutting through grease, grime, and bacterial buildup. (Such as water bottles.)
Depending on the solution, vinegar contains 4-7 percent acid and 93-96 percent water, according to the National Library of Medicine. According to Hippocrates, there's been a long history of vinegar being used to treat infections and other acute health conditions since 460 B.C.
Luckily, vinegar can do more than sterilize wounds for germaphobes. Besides being a powerful cleaning agent, it is also non-toxic. You can also get it in bulk, which is much cheaper than greenwashed stuff in stores. So yes, vinegar is safe and one effective way to clean your water bottles.
Why should you clean your reusable water bottle?
- Reusable water bottles attract germs - Bacteria love moist environments like those found in reusable bottles. As humans sweat and touch their mouths after drinking from their bottles, they also leave behind germs. These germs will then grow inside their bottle over time if left uncleaned.
- Smells will build up if not cleaned regularly - Even if you wash them every day, bacteria still grows on the insides of these products over time due to the moist environment inside them (see above). If these bacteria aren't washed away regularly through thorough cleaning efforts within each household where they reside, this buildup will eventually emit unpleasant odors from the inside.
How to Deep Clean Reusable Bottles FAQs:
1. Do reusable water bottles smell?
A reusable plastic water bottle may develop an unpleasant odor or slight discoloration when not properly cleaned after use. A wet environment or long-term storage with water left in the bottle can speed up the process
2. Am I getting sick from my water bottle?
Using reusable water bottles without cleaning them daily can lead to bacteria growth that may cause illness.
3. Reusable water bottles: when should they be replaced?
Water bottles made of stainless steel typically last 10 to 12 years. Due to their durability, non-corrosive properties, and stain-resistant properties, stainless steel water bottles are popular. In addition, there is no immediate sign of wear and tear since they can endure the impact.
4. Does Reusing plastic water bottles can make you sick?
An EPA-approved laboratory test showed bacteria levels above what is acceptable in multiple plastic water bottles. So you won't normally get sick from bacteria that build up in reusing water bottles.
5. Do dirty water bottles cause UTIs?
In addition to diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and sepsis, drinking infected water can cause diarrhea.
Conclusion
I hope this post has given you some helpful tips on how to clean your reusable water bottles. It might seem like a lot of steps at first, but once you get into the habit of doing it every few days or so, it becomes second nature. And remember: whenever possible, give the bottle a good rinse with hot water before putting anything else in there.
