Can the mold from a water bottle harm you?

[Crankin]

Still living.
I bought bottles that can go in the dishwasher...

[ny biker]

Mine go in the dishwasher, too. But that doesn't get rid of the mold. I've found using q-tips on the camelback polars will remove the first layer, making the caps easier to clean.

I keep a toothbrush in the kitchen for cleaning things like water bottle caps. If I'm really having trouble getting them clean I will use zinc dandruff shampoo instead of dish soap, then will rinse the hell out if them. (Somewhere there is a thread about laundry, with a mention of dandruff shampoo having antibacterial, antimicrobial and antifungal qualities.)

[rebeccaC]

Mine go in the dishwasher, too. But that doesn't get rid of the mold. I've found using q-tips on the camelback polars will remove the first layer, making the caps easier to clean.

A friend mentioned Efferdent anti-bacterial denture cleaner tablets working very easily. Fill with hot water and add a tablet, let sit, shake, slowly empty through nozzle and rinse. I usually use the clean bottle especially if I'm using energy drinks in the bottle....just toss in the dishwasher after my ride.

[marni]

you can also add a drop or two of bleach and fill the water bottle. let it stand a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly. I usually alternate the efferdent and the bleach on a weekly basis or after three rides which ever comes firt.

[OakLeaf]

I use the denture cleaner tablets on my bite valves and bottle caps too, but they don't take off the biofilm. If it were dentures, you'd still have to brush them, and you still have to brush your hydration gear. Camelbak sells long flexible brushes in diameters to clean both flexible and straight drink tubes, and that's probably the cleaning appliance that gets used more than any other in my household. Then any bottle brush with a hemispherical arrangement of the bristles.

Today I filled my stainless bottle with a 10% bleach solution and let it soak for half an hour or so ... probably overkill, but I've seen what grows in there one too many times.

[smilingcat]

If the mold and other nasty stuff turns into a biofilm, the only thing that seems to get rid of it is with scrubbing.

I use concentrated hydrogen peroxide. It's bit dangerous. I've accidently splashed few drops on my finger once and it instantly turned my skin white (chemical burn), rinsed it off immediately but after few minutes, I felt a burning sensation (more chemical burn under my skin). But it does kill every germ and mold it comes in contact. And you know when it is working because it will be fizzing as the peroxide breaksdown into water and atomic oxygen (free radical of sorts). The good thing is that it will easily rinse out and doesn't leave any residue behind. And you don't get the chlorine smell. And if you drink a weak concentration of peroxide, only thing it will make you do is to throw up. So no real accidental poisoning there.

yes my nephew learned his lesson the very hard way with yucky stuff in his water bottle. He has learned to disinfect his bottles. Decided that praying to the big ceramic bowl in the bathroom is not a good thing. I think he was hugging it for about a week.

[rebeccaC]

If the mold and other nasty stuff turns into a biofilm, the only thing that seems to get rid of it is with scrubbing.

I thought a subtilisin enzyme in an alkaline peroxide effervescent tablet like efferent made for an effective way of dealing with biofilm.

[OakLeaf]

Probably depends on how thick the film is ...