All of us regularly use bottles for our daily water intake. We always carry them along and frequently consume the required liquids for our bodies from these containers. But have you ever thought if you clean bottles at the right time and in the right way?
We are sure most of us would answer in a not quite desired way – washing the containers once in weeks or months and cleaning with running water or brush with the help of some liquid. One has to know that bacteria and fungus can grow in water bottles quickly, given that they are always moist or wet from the inside. We must take special care to clean and maintain a water bottle. We most of the time neglect this fact, and today, we decided to tell you the best and top ten ways to clean water bottles right! Let’s get started!
Why Water Bottles Require Special Care?
First of all, why are we required to clean the water bottle and maintain it regularly? After all, it is just a container we use and refill daily. If you are someone thinking along these lines, let us warn you – bacteria is likely to grow inside a water bottle very quickly. Germs and fungus can grow in dark and closed spaces where it is moist. A study has mentioned that water bottles can develop up to 300,000 bacteria cells if not cleaned for a week continuously. Isn’t it gross to even think about it? Hence, it is required that one cleans the water bottle correctly!
How to Clean the Inside of Drinking Water Bottles:
One can use several methods and techniques to clean the water bottle. How many of them do you know well? Let us see the top ten ways as follows.
1. Traditional Dish Soap Method:
Using dish soap like vim or other washing bar is a traditional method of cleaning any bottle or jar, for that matter, any drinkware! The process has been followed since our grandmother’s time to wash up the judging of these lines. Similarly, you can squeeze dish soap inside the bottle to make it clean. This is a popular and quite easy yet effective way most of us prefer clean plastic water bottles.
Required Things to Clean:
- Vim soap or any other dish soap
- Hot water or regular tap water (as per the water bottle type)
How to Clean Water Bottles Using Vim or Dish Soap:
- Add some fine dish soap or Vim bar granules into the water bottle
- Fill up half of the bottle with hot water or regular water, depending on the type of material the bottle is made with
- Put back the cap
- Shake up the bottle well.
- Dump out the soap water.
- Now clean and scrub near the mouth of the water bottle well with a sponge
- You can use a bottle brush to reach inside the container and scrub well
- Rinse with water several times
- Could you leave it to air dry?
Suitable for: Plastic water bottles, metal, and steel water bottles can be cleansed using this traditional cleansing mechanism.
2. Modern Dishwasher Method:
Using a dishwasher is the modern technique many youths and present-day households follow. You are good to go if you have a dishwasher inside your home. Not just that, make sure your water bottle is dishwasher safe. If you have a very sleek plastic bottle, we recommend you not to use the same in the dishwasher but rather to discard it too! Here is how to wash the water bottle hygienically using the dishwasher machine.
Required Things to Clean:
- Dishwasher
- Detergent
How to Clean Water Bottles Using a Dishwasher:
- Open the cap of a water bottle and load it inside the dishwasher
- Add detergent to your machine
- Set it up as per the time required
- Leave it and take out the container once done
- Let it dry
Suitable for: Steel, metal and sports water bottles are best when cleaned with a dishwasher. Caution – make sure that the water bottle is dishwasher-safe and marked.
Read: Best Infuser Water Bottles
3. Vinegar Cleaning Method:
Vinegar has properties to cleanse deep and remove dirt and grime from several things. We often see elders using vinegar to clean even bad stains on clothes or marks in the kitchen. Hence, in the same way, one can use vinegar easily to clean the water bottle. You can find the white vinegar in any grocery store.
Required Things to Clean:
- White vinegar
- Water
How to Clean Water Bottles with White Vinegar:
- Add white vinegar to the water bottle. You can add 1/5th of vinegar for a full bottle
- Fill it up with water
- Let it sit overnight. Do not wash the drinkware immediately
- Rinse it clearly with water in the morning
- Scrub the bottle near the mouth and cap areas with a brush as required
- Rinse with water and let it dry
Suitable for: Any plastic, metal, or steel water bottles can use vinegar to sanitize and deep cleanse.
4. Water Bottle Cleaning Kit Method:
Do you know that we now have special kits to clean the water bottles? Yes, you heard it right. You can even purchase special water bottle cleaning kits in the market and grocery stores easily. They have specific tools in different sizes to fit different bottle parts, such as caps, nozzles, and pipes inside. Indeed, this has become one of the most convenient and best ways to clean water bottles.
Required Things to Clean:
- Water bottle cleaning kit
- This includes brush and gloves in most cases
How to Clean Water Bottles Using a Special Cleaning Kit:
- Add the required wash liquid to the bottle
- Let it stay for a while
- Take the special brushes in different sizes
- Scrub in the water bottle in different areas with the help of a brush
- Clean nozzle with scrub and sleek brush
- Clean the cap as well with the right brush in the kit
- Shake it well
- Rinse with water thoroughly
- Let it dry.
Suitable for: One can use the water bottle cleaning kit for any water bottle, ranging from plastic to steel or metal variants.
5. Hydrogen Peroxide Method (3% only):
Most of us do not know the goodness of using Hydrogen peroxide in clean water bottles. While the liquid is popular for cleansing and healing wounds in our body, you can use this method if your water bottle is very old and has a bad odour. The method also helps not just to clean your drinkware but also disinfect it from any bacteria.
Required Things to Clean:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Water
How to Clean Water Bottles with Hydrogen Peroxide:
- Firstly, wet the bottle
- Clean with regular soap and liquid
- Rinse with water
- Now pour ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide
- Close the cap
- Make sure you do not let the air go inside the bottle
- Shake it well
- Leave it for a while
- After a good soak, come back and give it a rinse
Suitable for: Steel and metal water bottles are best to be used and cleaned with hydrogen peroxide.
Read: How to Wash Gold Jewelry
6. Water Cleaning Tablets Method:
The medical industry has been advancing; we even spot tablets for water bottle cleansing. Yes, you heard it right! Water cleaning tablets are available in the market today, and it is a step-up approach to cleaning dirty to bad drinkware easily. This method makes cleaning stainless steel and glass water bottles easy, especially if you have a bad, dirty, and greasy one.
Required Things to Clean:
- Water cleaning tablets
- Water
How to Clean Water Bottles Using Water Cleaning Tablets:
- Just fill the bottle with full water
- Drop in the tablets inside
- Let it soak for 45-60 minutes
- Shake the bottle and rinse it well
- That is it; your bottle is disinfected and ready to use.
Suitable for: All types of water bottles can be cleaned with the water cleaning capsules/tablets, as required.
7. Bleach and Baking Soda:
Bleach and baking soda are the most technical and deep cleaning methods to wash any drinkware. If you want to use an old bottle in bad condition, you may want to use this technique to get the bottle back to looking sparkling clean. Further, if your bottle has marks or oil grease, you can remove them quickly.
Required Things to Clean:
- Bleach
- Baking soda
- Water
How to Clean:
- One teaspoon of bleach should be diluted in a full bottle of water
- Add another teaspoon of baking soda
- Leave it overnight
- In the morning, shake the bottle well
- Clean the nozzle and cap
- Rinse it thoroughly
- Make sure all solution is removed from drinkware
- Leave it for air dry
Suitable for: One can get a clean metal water bottle like steel, copper, etc., by using this technique.
8. Cleaning with Hot Water and Salt:
If you regularly clean the drinkware well and do not require specific and unique care, then you can use this casual technique to rinse and clean the bottle. This technique is solely for those with clean bottles and to rinse them regularly.
Materials Needed:
- Hot water
- Salt (preferably rock salt)
Instructions:
- Pour boiling water into the bottle
- Add two spoons or three spoons of rock salt to it
- Let it stay for a few minutes
- Come back and shake the bottle well
- Rinse it thoroughly with normal water
Suitable for: Steel and copper bottles are better for using hot water. Refrain from using plastic water bottles with warm water. The plastic may melt and harm your health.
9. Sanitizing Wash and Brush:
Another casual and accessible way of cleaning water bottles, which are already in regular use and aren’t very dirty or bad, is here. Use any sanitizing wash, hand wash, liquid (such as Dettol), and a bottle cleaning brush. Cleaning the drinkware for regular use is a super easy and straightforward method.
Required Things to Clean:
- Sanitizing wash liquid
- Brush
How to Clean:
- Add a bit of wash liquid inside the bottle
- Fill it with water
- Leave it for 10 minutes
- Come back and scrub well with a water bottle cleaning brush
- Rinse it well with water
- Rinse till soap and wash liquid is gone
Suitable for: All plastic, steel, and metal bottles can be applicable in this cleansing mechanism. Cleaning plastic bottles using wash liquid is famous and well-known among many, then using it for steel.
Read: How to Clean Spectacles
10. Simple Soak and Squeeze Method:
This casual wash technique is suitable for regular everyday cleaning and rinsing mechanisms. Do not follow this technique for those bottles which are old and dirty. Only if your drinkware is clean and used regularly can one follow this easiest way for a clean water bottle. The above-mentioned deep cleansing techniques can be used once a week alternatively.
Required Things to Clean:
- Water
How to Clean:
- Just fill in the bottle with water
- Shake and squeeze it well
- Rinse it thoroughly
- Alternatively, scrub the bottle near the cap and nozzle once every two days.
Suitable for: All water bottles can be cleaned regularly in this simple way
If you think cleaning bottles is very easy and is to be done occasionally, then you are wrong. Uncleanly drinkware can lead to several health hazards and can affect overall well-being. Given that we consume water daily from the drinkware and use it regularly, we are responsible for keeping it clean.
