HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN YOUR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE?

In a previous blog, we discussed the health effects of plastic water bottles, both disposable and reusable and how a stainless steel reusable water bottle can benefit both your health and the environment. But in order to get the most out of your reusable water bottle it is important to clean your reusable water bottle regularly. Failing to do so can have negative impacts on the quality of your water and even your health.

HOW DIRTY ARE REUSABLE WATER BOTTLES?

Reusable water bottles are by themselves relatively clean. But if they are used frequently without washing properly, then things can get scary really quick. According to testing done by EmLab P & K, reusable water bottles carry all sorts of germs. Here is a brief look at the results:

Reusable water bottles can be crawling with as many as 300,000 colony forming units per square centimeter (CFU/sq cm). By comparison, your pet’s water bowl has on average 43,000 CFU/sq cm. Yikes! Without cleaning your reusable water bottle, you are better off drinking the water from Fido’s bowl.
The cleanest testing bottle was only slightly cleaner than the average toilet seat.
Squeeze top plastic bottles were found to have the most harmful germs called gram negative rods, of which E. Coli is one.

All of the bottles tested had more germ colony forming units than pet bowls, kitchen sinks, and cutting boards combined.

If those stats don’t convince you that the average reusable water bottle is dirty, then perhaps nothing will. For the rest of us who are rightly startled by these figures, there are some things you can do to reduce your exposure to harmful germs from accumulating in your water bottle.

How to keep your water bottle clean

All the experts agree that you should wash your water once a day everyday to keep your bottle relatively clean. However, there are other things that you can do to improve the cleanliness of your reusable water bottle.

1. Invest in a stainless steel reusable water bottle. Plastic water bottles are incubators for germs. Plastic is a highly porous material that is prone to cracking. Germs and bacteria can collect in these areas. Stainless steel, by contrast, is naturally antiseptic, meaning that instead of acting as a breeding ground for germs, it actively repels them
2. Use soap and water. This one seems obvious but it cannot be understated. Many people are under the impression that all a water bottle needs is a quick rinse with hot water to come clean. This is not the case. To get rid of the most germs make sure you wash your water bottle with soap and water, preferably antibacterial soap and rinse thoroughly afterward.
3. Dry your bottle. Another mistake people make is to clean their bottles but stop short of drying them! Water left to sit in a bottle can contribute to even more bacterial growth. Make sure your bottle is nice and dry before you store it away.
4. Invest in a water bottle that is easily cleanable. Some water bottles are not designed for cleaning. It may be hard to scrub the areas that need to be scrubbed. Knowing the importance of a clean water bottle, companies like Be Bottle have created stainless steel water bottles with removable bottoms that allow you to get in all the hard to reach spaces, where bacteria is likely to grow.

BE BOTTLE IS SOLVING THE DIRTY WATER BOTTLE PROBLEM

While creating an eco-friendly reusable water bottle that is both stylish and durable, Be Bottle also had health and cleanliness in mind in the design process. Be Bottle was the first stainless steel reusable water bottle that incorporates a removable bottom that easily unscrews for convenient and thorough cleaning.