Water bottles can hold dirt, grime, debris, and stains. If you want to enjoy drinking crisp and refreshing liters of water from a bottle, you’ll need to keep its surfaces clean by following 10 practical steps.
Use a Dishwasher
A dishwasher can help you disinfect a water bottle following athletic activities. When you hold a water bottle and hydrate after playing a sport, your sweat will contaminate its housing, and the only way to get rid of it safely is by cleansing the bottle in a dishwasher if it’s dishwasher safe.
To wash a bottle this way, pour out any lingering liquid. Then, combine fresh water and dish soap in the bottle. If the plastic isn’t dingy, you’ll only need a few drops of soap. Finally, set the dishwasher’s temperature to warm, and start the wash cycle.
Cleanse the Bottle in Soapy Water
During situations when you need to cleanse a water bottle quickly, you can rely on soapy water. Always use a mild soap because a strong product may generate an intense smell that could overpower your water.
Use Vinegar
Over time, a water bottle might develop funky odors that can decrease the quality of fresh drinking water. The strongest odors are usually caused by mold and other contaminates. Vinegar can eliminate the particles that produce these smells if it sets on a bottle overnight. In the morning, the vinegar will provide a mild citrus scent. To remove any lingering vinegar, thoroughly wash the bottle in warm soapy water.
Treat the Bottle in Hydrogen Peroxide
In some cases, basic cleaning agents may not eliminate germs and stains. For these jobs, hydrogen peroxide produces great results. Because this is a strong substance, you’ll only need ¼ cup during every cleaning routine.
Hydrogen peroxide won’t destroy germs and odors if it sets in a bottle. To use hydrogen peroxide as a cleanser effectively, you must vigorously shake it in your water bottle. Then, wash away any lingering chemicals by thoroughly rinsing out the bottle with clean water.
Rely on Water Cleaning Tablets
Water cleaning tablets have chemicals that activate in a partially full water bottle. When a tablet dissolves in water, it releases a soapy mixture that cleanses soiled surfaces and depending on the product, it may also make a bottle smell pleasant. You can use tablets to freshen up your water bottle on the go since they activate in at least 15 minutes.
Wipe Stains With a Micro-Fiber Cloth
The outside of a water bottle also needs to be cleaned because these surfaces can hold germs and contaminates. A micro-fiber cloth is a suitable product for this task as it can quickly wipe away stains and debris. You can use a micro-fiber cloth while it’s dry or damp. However, for tough grime on a bottle, a micro-fiber cloth that’s soaked in mild soapy water works best.
Wash Out Flavored Water Thoroughly
If you’re going to combine a fruit drink mix with water in a bottle, always clean the housing immediately. Because fruity powders change the color of water, they can easily stain the surfaces around a water bottle. By rising out your bottle immediately after all of the fruit drink is gone, lingering powder residue won’t stain the housing.
Dry the Bottle Efficiently
If water stays in a bottle for an extended length of time, mold will begin to grow on its surfaces. Because mold needs moisture to survive, it can’t thrive if you properly air-dry your water bottle. To eliminate beads of water after washing your bottle, simply tilt it underside down. Then, let the bottle dry in a space that has great air circulation. As the air currents enter the bottle, they will evaporate water in various nooks and crannies.
Avoid Sticky Foods
Bugs can contaminate surfaces inside and outside of a water bottle. The risky bugs are ants and warps because they’re attracted to sugars that are used to make sticky sauces and fruit drink mixes. You can keep insects away from your bottle by washing the housing whenever it’s sticky.
Fill the Bottle With Filtered Water
Regular tap water has invisible contaminants that can alter the taste of other beverages. If you only fill your bottle with crisp filtered water, sodas and fruit drinks won’t have an odd aftertaste when they’re served out of the water bottle.
These strategies can help you keep regular bottles and promotional water bottles clean. However, you should always wash promotional bottles with care in order to protect their designs.
