How to clean your water bottle properly!
If you always rinse out your drinking vessel instead of cleaning it thoroughly, you will soon find uninvited guests called bacteria and mold in it. We tell you how to keep your bottle hygienic without much effort.
Who doesn't know this – forgetting the water bottle in the backpack after a tour, or simply being too lazy to clean it – when examining the contents before the next use, you lose your appetite. Also, if you keep sloshing your bottle out for a long period of time instead of cleaning it thoroughly, you will soon find a wellness hotel for mold, fungi and bacteria inside it upon closer inspection. This not only gives the drinks a disgusting taste, in the worst case it can also trigger gastrointestinal infections.
Therefore: Whether glass, plastic or aluminum – regardless of the material, a water bottle should be cleaned regularly. When buying a bottle, it is advisable to make sure that it can be cleaned easily – therefore it should have a large opening (wide-necked bottles) and a smooth surface. Bacteria are not only in the bottle, but also in the lid or drinking straw. With the following tips, you can get your drinking vessel hygienically clean without having to make too much effort.
Basic cleaning with hot water
Pour in hot water and some dishwashing liquid, screw on the lid, shake thoroughly and empty out. A Bottle Clean from Sigg) remedy the situation. Tablet with hot water in the bottle, at least a quarter of an hour leave to act and then rinse well. Dishwashing tablets or powder can also be used in this way – the soaking time is then extended to at least 2 hours. Bit cleaner (according to manufacturer's instructions) also works well! When it comes to materials, there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to dry cleaning.
Home remedies as an alternative
There are alternatives to the cleaning tablets that can be found in every household. But here it is important to note that not all materials tolerate it well.
Put 1-2 sachets in the drinking bottle and pour hot water just about full. Leave for one to two hours, rinse well. Caution: The bottle should not be closed during the reaction time, because gas is produced by the dissolving of the baking powder. The pressure could damage the bottle. This proven method is very efficient (even unpleasant odors disappear) and suitable for all materials except cheap plastics.
Pour vinegar (preferably not vinegar essence or acetic acid) together with hot water into the drinking bottle, shake briefly and leave to soak for two to three hours depending on the degree of soiling. Then rinse well and let dry. The mixture has a germicidal effect and dissolves many impurities. But beware: bottles made of plastic, aluminum and glass do not always tolerate this method well and can be damaged.
Salt or rice
Put one to two teaspoons of salt in the drinking bottle and pour hot water on it, shake it briefly. Leave this mixture to work for half an hour to an hour, shaking the bottle from time to time. The whole thing also works with rice. But be careful: this is a purely mechanical cleaning by scrubbing. Almost all materials, but especially plastic and glass, can be affected by it. Therefore apply only as a last option.
Boil out
Use this method only if the bottle (including lid and drinking straw) is suitable for temperatures above 90°C. Put your disassembled drinking vessel for five minutes in a large pot of boiling water. This is guaranteed to kill germs and bacteria.