What can I use to clean my water bottle? This is one of the first concerns I get asked when one finally got their very own reusable water bottle. No matter if you use it for water, tea, juice, or coffee, you have to clean your water bottle daily.
Yes, daily. You put contents in there that go directly in your body and your mouth touches it every day. This may sound like a lot of work and sure it’s easier to just get single-use coffee cups or water bottles, but trust me, it’s worth it.
Over time, you save more money by investing in the best coffee tumbler. You help save the environment too. And I promise it’s really easy to clean them daily. This ensures you get a clean, fresh drink every day.
Are you still having trouble deciding what insulated coffee mug to get? Check out my blog: “Is Yeti better than Contigo?” to find out more about these famous travel mugs.
Different Ways To Clean Water Bottles:
Here are 4 different ways I like to clean my reusable drinking containers. If you notice, these are all done manually. I do own dishwasher-safe ones, however, cleaning them manually helps me lengthen their life span. I notice that even if a bottle is tagged as “dishwasher safe” this still causes them to wear out faster than if you just wash it manually.
Soap And Warm Water
This is how I clean my water bottles daily. It will only take you about 5 minutes or less to do this. Fill the water bottle with warm water then put a few drops of mild dish soap. Gently shake the bottle until suds form inside then toss the water out.
Now you want to get a sponge or bottle brush to clean the inside all the way down to the bottom of the bottle. Do the same on the outside to rid of bacteria and coffee drips. Once you’re done, rinse it well with warm water and dry it down with a paper towel to stop bacteria from growing in it.
Vinegar
How do you get mold out of a yeti cup? Or any water bottle in that matter, the answer is a vinegar solution. If you have been into the eco-friendly cleaning habit, you will know about this all-around miracle cleanser.
It works for almost everything. Cleaning your kitchen, getting rid of ants and yes, you can also use it to clean your water bottles! This is perfect especially if you have a stainless-steel tumbler. Sometimes when we keep coffee or any strong-smelling drink in it, it tends to smell like that for days. Pour equal parts water and white distilled vinegar in the bottle. Put the lid back on and shake it a few times then leave the solution to sit in it overnight.
Rinse it well with warm water the next day to get rid of the vinegar solution then wipe it dry with a paper towel.
Cleaning Tablets
If you’re not very comfortable with the vinegar solution because you find it too strong smelling. Or don’t have overnight to give it time to work, use cleaning tablets instead. All you have to do is fill the bottle halfway then drop a tablet in it.
Let it work its magic for about 30 minutes. Once it’s done, pour the water out and clean the exterior of the bottle with a clean sponge and dish soap. Then rinse it well with warm water. It will get rid of any stain or odor that is going on in your drinkware.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Another well-known household cleanser is Hydrogen Peroxide. Do you know when the inside of your tumbler feels slimy? High chance that’s bacteria builds up. This is one of the best ways to disinfect your water bottles.
Start by doing the dish soap + warm water method. Now pour at least ¼ cup of Hydrogen Peroxide in it and put the lid on. Shake it for about 2-3 minutes, pour the contents out then rinse it again with warm water.
Baking Soda
Last but not the least, is using another household cleaning agent – baking soda and water. Make a paste using water and baking soda then spread it all over the interior of the bottle. You can use your hand but if the bottle has a tight opening, you will need a bottle brush.
Put the lid back on and let the paste sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then rinse it thoroughly with hot water. Make sure all the paste gets washed out. This solution can remove stains and any strong odor left in your water bottle caused by residues, bacteria, or mold.
I hope you’ll find these methods helpful. These are ones that I have tried and tested over time. Do you have any cleaning methods you want to share? Leave them in the comments below! 😊
