Once you know where to look, keeping your bottle fresh is just a matter of routine.<\/p>\n
Person holding an open stainless water bottle with a cap in one hand
\nCredit: Simply Recipes \/ Getty Images
\nRecently, during a morning workout, I noticed my water bottle was doing me dirty. I showed up with a freshly washed bottle filled with cold water, and every time I\u2019d take a sip, the water would taste off. I washed it daily, air-dried it overnight, and occasionally even ran it through the dishwasher, so I couldn\u2019t understand what was going on.<\/p>\n
After speaking with Becky Fletcher, digital media coordinator and cleaning expert at GoCleanCo, I realized I might not have been cleaning it as thoroughly as I thought. It turns out, the parts of a reusable water bottle that need the most attention are often the ones we overlook\u2014or don\u2019t even realize need cleaning. Thankfully, once you know where to look, Fletcher says that keeping your bottle fresh is just a matter of routine. Here are three ways to keep it clean and odor-free.<\/p>\n
CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE.<\/p>\n
\u200b1. Deep-Clean Every Piece
\nI scrub the lid, the straw, and the bottle itself and call it a day. But when it comes to smells, that\u2019s usually not enough. \u201cThe stainless steel itself usually isn\u2019t the problem,\u201d says Fletcher. Most odors \u201ccome from the parts that aren\u2019t stainless steel, especially the lid, silicone gaskets, straws, bite valves, and mouthpieces.\u201d<\/p>\n
If your bottle still smells after it\u2019s been washed, Fletcher says she \u201cimmediately suspect[s] the gasket.\u201d Those silicone rings \u201care a perfect place for mold to grow. Many people don\u2019t even realize they\u2019re removable, so they never get cleaned,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n
The next time your bottle needs washing, take the whole thing apart. That includes the gasket, straw, mouthpiece, and any other removable pieces. Wash each part with hot, soapy water, and use a narrow brush to clean the inside of the straw. A quick rinse won\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n
Person rinsing a blue water bottle and its cap under a running faucet
\nSimply Recipes \/ Getty Images
\n\u200b2. Deodorize the Right Way
\nIf the smell is still there after a good wash, it\u2019s time to deodorize. Fletcher recommends soaking all of the parts in a diluted bleach solution, if the bottle\u2019s manufacturer says it\u2019s safe to do so. Afterward, rinse and wash it thoroughly, and let every piece dry completely before putting it back together.<\/p>\n
What she\u2019d skip are the internet\u2019s favorite fixes. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t rely on baking soda or vinegar to solve a smelly bottle,\u201d she says. \u201cThey get recommended all the time online, but if you haven\u2019t scrubbed away the buildup first, they won\u2019t do much.\u201d Unfortunately, there\u2019s no shortcut around the actual scrubbing.<\/p>\n
\u200b3. Keep It Fresh With Regular Cleaning
\nKeeping your water bottle fresh and clean comes down to a couple of daily and weekly maintenance habits. Start by emptying the bottle and washing it with hot, soapy water daily. Then, once a week, do a deeper clean. This means taking the lid apart, pulling out the gasket, brushing inside the straw, and scrubbing any easy-to-miss crevices. Leave the lid off (or rest it loosely on top), and don\u2019t put the bottle back together until every piece is completely dry.<\/p>\n
Most bottles can be brought back with a thorough cleaning. But if the gasket stays smelly after a bleach soak, starts cracking, or mold keeps returning to spots you can\u2019t reach, it\u2019s time to replace it.<\/p>\n
Do I love adding another cleaning task to my list of chores? Of course not. But since that gasket check fixed the off-taste in my water, I\u2019ll never skip a weekly deep clean again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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