How to Clean Water Bottles: The Top 5 Methods
Congrats on purchasing a reusable water bottle! We are all one step closer to saving the earth and the oceans, and reusable water bottles can also protect our health. To keep your water bottle in a healthy, ready-to-drink condition, you should know how to clean water bottles the right way.
Even if you have the best-insulated water bottle, there are hazards if you don’t clean your water bottle correctly or regularly. We recommend cleaning it once daily, mainly if you use your water bottle for anything other than coffee, tea, or soda. These flavored drinks can create bacteria and residue. Over time, this can become mold or leave your water bottle with an unpleasant odor. As long as you know how to clean water bottles and do it regularly, you won’t have to worry about these potential issues.
How Many Germs Are On Your Water Bottle?
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According to one study, a water bottle that has yet to be cleaned contains over 300,000 colony-forming units (CFUs) per square centimeter. A dog’s toy, for comparison, has less than 3,000 CFUs. A toilet bowl has 27,000 CFUs. This means your water bottle could potentially have more bacteria than a dog toy and a toilet bowl.
If your reusable water bottle has mold, it’s easy to see. Unfortunately, CFUs are so small that they are invisible to the human eye. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Clean your water bottle daily and understand how to clean water bottles the right way so you don’t have to worry about these germs.
You may wonder if cleaning your water bottle so much makes it worth it. However, using a reusable water bottle is an eco-friendly choice. If you practice good water bottle hygiene, you’ll save so much plastic from entering the planet’s ecosystem (specifically the ocean) that the daily effort needed to clean your water bottle is worth it. The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) now recommends a daily water intake of 3.7 liters (15 cups) for men and 2.7 liters (11 cups) for women. That’s a lot of water. If your primary water source came from plastic bottles, you would have consumed a lot of single-use plastic.
How to Clean Water Bottles the Right Way
All cleaning methods below will feature everyday household items to keep it as simple as possible. If you’re using your water bottle for anything other than water, such as juice, tea, or coffee, then take extra care to remove bacteria and odors.
5. The White Vinegar Method
Materials needed: white vinegar, water, bottle brush, cloth
- Pour two tablespoons of white vinegar into the bottle.
- Put the cap of the water bottle back on. Shake the bottle like it’s a Shake Weight (or shake it like it’s a stainless steel bottle you’re trying to clean). This will ensure that the white vinegar covers the entire surface area of the inside of the bottle.
- Leave the white vinegar inside the bottle. Remove the cap and fill the bottle up halfway with warm water.
- Clean the bottle inside for at least 30 seconds with the brush.
- Remove the bottle brush and replace the cap. Leave the vinegar and water mixture inside the bottle.
- Shake the bottle again for another several seconds.
- Pour everything out. Rinse the bottle with water to remove the contents.
- Put one tablespoon of vinegar on the clean cloth.
- Wipe the mouth of the bottle and the outside of the bottle.
- Wash the bottle cap with your vinegar-soaked cloth. If your cap smells, let it soak in vinegar for up to 15 minutes (this should remove all odors).
Congratulations! You have a clean water bottle ready for use. You won’t be dissatisfied with the white vinegar option if you’re wondering how to thoroughly clean water bottles and remove odors. Vinegar tends to be an excellent cleaning solution, and this method is no exception.
4. The Soap and Water Method
Materials needed: water, dish soap, bottle brush, sponge, dish rack
If you’ve ever cleaned dishes in a sink before, this method will make sure to familiarize you. This is one of the most common options when looking at how to wash water bottles.
- First, remove the cap. Fill your bottle halfway with warm or hot water.
- Squirt a few drops of dish soap into the bottle.
- Replace the cap. Vigorously shake the bottle for at least 10 seconds.
- Remove the cap and pour the soapy water out.
- Refill the bottle with water and rinse it a few times to remove all soapy residues.
- Use a bottle brush to clean the inside of your reusable water bottle with additional cleaning power. Scrub the entire surface area inside of the bottle. This extra cleaning is essential if you’ve used your water bottle for anything other than water.
- Rinse your bottle with warm water and place it upside down on a dish rack to dry.
If your reusable water bottle has a screw-on cap, you’ll also want to clean the treading of the cap as well. Use a wet sponge with a bit of dish soap on this part. Clean the cap and focus on getting in between the treading.
Voila! You can now use your water bottle.
3. The Baking Soda and Bleach Method
Materials needed: baking soda, bleach, water, dish rack
For this method, you’ll combine two of the most potent household cleaning ingredients: baking soda and bleach. This method is beneficial if you’ve used your water bottle for anything other than water. If you’re looking for how to clean water bottles in a way that removes odor, try this method.
Just so you know, this method works best when you do it overnight, so plan accordingly.
- Add one teaspoon of bleach and baking powder to your reusable water bottle. Fill the entire bottle up with warm or hot water. Replace the cap.
- Gently shake the water bottle to ensure that the bleach and baking powder mix with the water and cover the entire surface area inside the bottle.
- Leave the bottle as is on the counter overnight.
- When you wake up, open the bottle and pour the contents out.
- Rinse the bottle a few times with water to make sure you removed all residue.
- Dry your bottle on a dish rack.
Boom! Your reusable water bottle is clean.
2. The Dishwasher
Materials needed: dishwasher, dishwasher soap
This is the easiest method of cleaning water bottles.
- Make sure that your reusable water bottle is dishwasher safe. You can do this simply by reading the packaging on the water bottle, but if you no longer have that, check the bottle itself. It should say “dishwasher safe” on it if it is.
- Open the dishwasher and place the bottle and cap on the top shelf of the dishwasher. You might have to use the bottom shelf if your bottle is too tall.
- Run your dishwasher on the hottest water settings and use the heated dry cycle option. This will kill germs.
- Make sure your bottle is completely dry after the cycle is complete. Any moisture left in the bottle is an ideal breeding ground for future bacteria.
Hooray! You have a clean water bottle ready for use.
1. The 3% Hydrogen Peroxide Method
Materials needed: 3% hydrogen peroxide, soap, sponge, water, dish rack
If your reusable water bottle has residue or an odor, this is an excellent method to neutralize both.
- Clean the cap using a sponge, dish soap, and warm water. As mentioned before, if your bottle has a screw-on cap, clean between the treading. Rinse the cap with hot water.
- Fill your empty bottle with 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
- Replace the cap and shake the bottle as if you’re making your favorite cocktail for at least 15 seconds to make sure the entire surface area inside the bottle is covered.
- Pour the hydrogen peroxide out and rinse the bottle with water.
- Place the clean bottle on a dish rack to dry.
Yippee! Your bottle is sparkling clean.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Those are the top 5 ways to clean your reusable water bottle using simple household cleaning items. Take the time to clean your water bottle daily, mainly if you use it for anything other than water, like juice, coffee, tea, or protein shakes. Each day you do this, you’ll protect your health and our planet, which is overburdened by plastic. A little effort makes a big difference.
