It’s common knowledge that you shouldn’t buy plastic bottles because they harm the environment. However, your reusable water bottle might also harbor bacteria which may be harmful to you. This article teaches you how to keep your water bottle free of germs.
Why Must You Clean Your Reusable Water Bottles?
According to researchers, about 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. However, reusable bottles must be kept clean to avoid bad water that can cause infections.
How To Clean Reusable Water Bottles?
Your first step is to clean it daily, as it’s a bad idea to leave stagnant water in the reusable bottle.
To get started:
● Pour all existing liquid out of the bottle
● Mix lukewarm water with a mild soap dish and pour it into the bottle. This destroys microbes because dish soap contains surfactants that trap dirt and remove it from the bottle’s surface.
You should avoid using cold water as it stops the soap from dissolving properly and cleaning the bottle. Instead, use baking soda or distilled white vinegar. While cleaning, it’s also best to use a small, bristled brush instead of a sponge to get into all the hard-to-reach areas. After cleaning the bottle with a product of your choice, rinse it out and let it dry.
You can use this process to clean your bottle with baking soda:
● Add one teaspoon of bleach and one teaspoon of baking soda to the bottle, fill it, and leave it overnight
● Rinse thoroughly with warm water before drying
You can also do a deep clean with vinegar using this process:
● Fill the bottle halfway with vinegar, then add cool water and let it stay overnight
● Rinse and dry with a towel or dishcloth.
How To Maintain Your Reusable Water Bottle
You should avoid eating and using your water bottle to drink water as this can transfer bacteria from your mouth into the water and leave a foul smell. Experts also recommend not putting the water bottle in the dishwasher as it uses powerful detergent pods that could damage your bottle.
However, you could run the bottle through the dishwasher if it has a sanitizing cycle that kills germs with high heat.
Conclusion
While using plastic bottles isn’t a good idea, reusable water bottles can become unhygienic if you don’t clean them properly. You can clean your bottle with warm water and soap, vinegar, or baking soda.
