Favorite methods for cleaning water bottles?

[SouthernBelle]

I figured if my bottle can't survive the dishwasher, to heck with it!

Really, my polar bottles say dishwasher safe, although they also say top rack only. But they are too tall for the top rack so I put them in the bottom and they are fine, as are my regular bottles. Dishwashers get hot, so I figure that should sterilize them pretty well.

[tulip]

I only drink water (no sugary drinks that molds like), and I find that if I rinse them out right away after a ride, and put them in the dishwasher, they are fine.

I think the same would work for water bottles with sugary drinks--just rinse thoroughly as soon as possible, and put them in the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, getting one of those bottle brushes might work well.

[light_sabe_r]

i've had my bottle for a month. ^_^ It got thrown in with my bike. I love the fact it's clear so if suff DOES start growing I'll be able to see it.

I wish I could throw out my BF's bottle. >_< He's been trying to clean it for two weeks!

He's done the following.

1. Put it in the diswasher
2. Soaked it overnight
3. Put it in the dishwasher again
4. scrubbed it with a scourer and a chopstick
5. Put it in the dishwasher again
6. Put it in the sun
7. Put it in the dishwasher again

Still mouldy. He has a sentimental attachement to this one.

In the lab I'd wash is with detergent... then soak the bugga in 70% Ethanol to get all the MOULD off it. Maybe stick it under the UV light and irradiate it!

[han-grrl]

i'm a denture cleaner kind of bottle cleaning gal. i read it in a Bicycling mag before. works like a charm!

[CorsairMac]

ROFLMAO - oh...........are we supposed to wash them?? The only time mine get washed are when I use any type of sport-drink. I don't use any sweetened drinks but any water I put in the bottle after I use the mixes has the flavour of the mix. I'm looking at my winter commute bike right now and it still has water in the water bottle from the last time I rode it.......in March I think?? Guess there are advantages to living in the dry southwest! lol

[DirtDiva]

You know, I've never had mould grow in any of my CamelBak bladders, and I can be pretty slack about cleaning them (although I do only ever have water in 'em). One of them had a bitevalve that kinda tasted of dirt, but when I looked at it I saw, well, dirt so I stopped worrying about the taste.

I remember trying to get some mould out of a bottle once years ago. Detergent, hot water and a brush didn't work, so I bleached the living daylights out of the little sucker. You don't need as much bleach as you might think - had to toss that drink bottle because I couldn't get the chlorine taste out of it!

[SR500]

I only drink water (no sugary drinks that molds like), and I find that if I rinse them out right away after a ride, and put them in the dishwasher, they are fine.

I think the same would work for water bottles with sugary drinks--just rinse thoroughly as soon as possible, and put them in the dishwasher. If you don't have a dishwasher, getting one of those bottle brushes might work well.

+1, only drink water on the bike, and dishwasher works great. It also has some high heat settings for any nasties that you might find.

I do hand wash the Polar bottles, but usually within a couple hours of riding, and almost always just drink water.

[nafula]

My husband has a tendency to empty bottles and put them in the dark cabinet while they are still wet. Needless to say, they get icky.

Since I've started letting them dry before putting them away, there isn't an ounce of mold, or algae, or anything. Funny how that works.

Also, Rubbermaid makes a brush that is technically made for cleaning sinks. Its a long handled brush that has a bit of an angle at the end. Works great for getting into the edges of the bottle.

[Meaux]

My bottles have this funky taste to them, sort of like that "fridge funk" that you get when you don't use baking soda in the fridge. Any way to get rid of that? It's just getting NASTY in there! (The bottle, not the fridge.) DH and I just put them in the dishwasher and I'm wondering if that's the problem. Haven't seen any mold yet, I know my DH has has a bottle that's over 10 years old.

[beetle]

Here in Aust you can get a product called Milton at the Chemist or supermarket, it is used for sterilising jars etc for jam and for babies bottles so it would definately kill anything bad in a water bottle - I'm sure it would be in the US too.

Sterilising products don't remove the mould or unsightly particles so I would suggest a bottle brush as other have for that.

Also others mentioned clear bottles - they are also better as they are not dark like other bottle therefore the sunlight stops a lot of nasties growing in them. That's why shower mould only grows in the dark corners and bits that don't recieve direct sunlight.