Your water bottle lid is hiding slime
How to clean a reusable water bottle
Take the lid apart, including the silicone seal ring and straw, scrub every piece in hot soapy water with a bottle brush and a straw brush, rinse, and let everything air-dry apart before you put it back together. Rinse the bottle daily and strip the lid down once a week.
Food contact: use washing-up liquid or bicarbonate of soda only, one at a time, and rinse well. No bleach on a bottle you drink from, and never mix cleaners. Don't put vacuum-insulated bottles in the dishwasher unless the maker says it's fine. Bin a seal or straw with mould that won't scrub off.
Never mix cleaning products. Bleach plus ammonia, vinegar or other acids releases toxic gases. Use one product at a time, rinse between them, ventilate, and unplug appliances before you clean them.
Part of: Printable weekly cleaning checklist
Step by step
- Unscrew the lid and pull out the silicone seal ring, the straw and any mouthpiece (most pop out)
- Soak the parts in hot water with a drop of washing-up liquid for 10 minutes
- Scrub inside the bottle with a bottle brush, and the straw, lid threads and the groove under the seal with a straw brush or old toothbrush: that groove is where black slime hides
- For smells or a cloudy film, fill the bottle with hot water and a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda, leave 15 minutes, then rinse
- Rinse every part well and leave them upside down, apart, until completely dry before you reassemble
- Check the label: many lids are top-rack dishwasher-safe, but insulated steel bottles usually aren't
FAQ
How to clean a reusable water bottle?
Take the lid apart, including the silicone seal ring and straw, scrub every piece in hot soapy water with a bottle brush and a straw brush, rinse, and let everything air-dry apart before you put it back together. Rinse the bottle daily and strip the lid down once a week.
What are the steps to clean a reusable water bottle?
1. Unscrew the lid and pull out the silicone seal ring, the straw and any mouthpiece (most pop out). 2. Soak the parts in hot water with a drop of washing-up liquid for 10 minutes. 3. Scrub inside the bottle with a bottle brush, and the straw, lid threads and the groove under the seal with a straw brush or old toothbrush: that groove is where black slime hides. 4. For smells or a cloudy film, fill the bottle with hot water and a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda, leave 15 minutes, then rinse. 5. Rinse every part well and leave them upside down, apart, until completely dry before you reassemble. 6. Check the label: many lids are top-rack dishwasher-safe, but insulated steel bottles usually aren't.
Is it safe to clean a reusable water bottle at home?
Yes, with care. Food contact: use washing-up liquid or bicarbonate of soda only, one at a time, and rinse well. No bleach on a bottle you drink from, and never mix cleaners. Don't put vacuum-insulated bottles in the dishwasher unless the maker says it's fine. Bin a seal or straw with mould that won't scrub off. Never mix cleaning products. Bleach plus ammonia, vinegar or other acids releases toxic gases. Use one product at a time, rinse between them, ventilate, and unplug appliances before you clean them.