Favorite methods for cleaning water bottles?

**salsabike** · 06-25-2006, 08:12 PM

Someone recently said--think it was Brandi--that one good way to clean a water bottle is with denture cleaner, which sounded quite smart to me. Anyone have any other favorite methods, especially if mold has shown up? I've used baking soda and vinegar. I've even used a low % bleach solution. Others?

**Grog** · 06-25-2006, 09:37 PM

After about six months, which is about when they start growing mold, throw them away. (Recycle them, of course.) Most of them are made out of porous plastic that won't get really clean even if you wash it in the dishwasher.

Otherwise I just use dishsoap and very hot water. (Don't have a dishwasher...)

**DrBee** · 06-26-2006, 10:08 AM

I have had success with mine in the dishwasher. Haven't seen any mold yet. How about vinegar and water?

**Trekhawk** · 06-26-2006, 10:25 AM

Yikes Mold

. I cant imagine that is a very nice thing to see in your drink bottle. I have had my bottles since I got my bike about a year ago and I dont have any problems with mold. I make sure that I remove my bottles from my bike as soon as I'm home and wash them out. I leave them on the drainer until they are completely dry and then pop them away until my next ride.

Im with Grog - if you see mold I think its time to get some new bottles.

**Pedal Wench** · 06-26-2006, 10:30 AM

Store them in the freezer, or I use a little bit of bleach.

**colby** · 06-26-2006, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Grog

After about six months, which is about when they start growing mold, throw them away. (Recycle them, of course.) Most of them are made out of porous plastic that won't get really clean even if you wash it in the dishwasher.

Otherwise I just use dishsoap and very hot water. (Don't have a dishwasher...)

How do you get rid of the soap taste? I had mine sitting with dish soap in them, then rinsed and let them sit overnight with just plain water, and now they taste like dish soap again. My dad suggested lemon or OJ and water, which is going to be my next stop.

I stopped short of vinegar and baking soda, I'm not sure I want them to taste like that either

**Trekhawk** · 06-26-2006, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by colby

How do you get rid of the soap taste? I had mine sitting with dish soap in them, then rinsed and let them sit overnight with just plain water, and now they taste like dish soap again. My dad suggested lemon or OJ and water, which is going to be my next stop.

I stopped short of vinegar and baking soda, I'm not sure I want them to taste like that either

Hmm not sure how you would get rid of that taste. I dont let mine stand with dish soap in them. Just wash, rinse, drain to dry and have never had a problem with soap taste. Perhaps its the sitting with dish soap in them thats causing the problem.

**Fredwina** · 06-26-2006, 11:00 AM

I think that you've got moldy bottles, the best bet is to throw them away.
I throw the dirty ones in the Dishwasher. I would argee with everyone else that the best thing to do is empty them when you're done. I only energy drink with mine, so I haven't noticed any soapy taste.

**Grog** · 06-26-2006, 03:44 PM

I don't think the soap is more efficient by being left in the bottle overnight. It would be maybe for a greasy pan, but not for a water bottle. Plus, I'd say the soap smell is sign that that plastic is rather porous....

Just wash, rinse, let air dry... throw away and get a new one once in a while!

**colby** · 06-26-2006, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Trekhawk

Hmm not sure how you would get rid of that taste. I dont let mine stand with dish soap in them. Just wash, rinse, drain to dry and have never had a problem with soap taste. Perhaps its the sitting with dish soap in them thats causing the problem.

and:

Originally Posted by Grog

I don't think the soap is more efficient by being left in the bottle overnight. It would be maybe for a greasy pan, but not for a water bottle. Plus, I'd say the soap smell is sign that that plastic is rather porous....

Just wash, rinse, let air dry... throw away and get a new one once in a while!

Oh, it wasn't that long. We're talking 5 minutes while we were making lunch, then I squeezed and rinsed the soap out, along with a bunch of water rinses. Then, we put lemon juice in them, and let them sit for a while (maybe 30 minutes), then rinsed them again. The water didn't taste soapy when I drank out of it at first, but after letting *plain* water sit in them all night (in the refrigerator), the water tasted soapy. I would have expected lemony, but clearly the soap just got right into the pores of the plastic and is hanging on for dear life!

I have a mental block with wasting water, I guess I just need to rinse them more, and let them air dry. And, use them

(PS: They are brand new, so it's soap smell or plastic smell... take your pick

)

**annie** · 06-26-2006, 07:57 PM

I don't use a dishwasher, either. As long as I remember to rinse the bottles out after each use, they are fine. But forget for just one overnight in hot, humid weather, and ICK!! Black spots that don't rinse out in the morning. I fill the bottle almost to the top with cool water, then top it off with bleach. Invert the top of bottle into the bleach solution, too. Let the bottle sit for at least 15 minutes, and presto! Mold is gone, bottle is sanitized. I rinse it well and have not had a problem with bleach taste remaining in the bottle. I've used the same water bottles for years, usually till I lose them or until the top wears out and leaks.

Lots of great ideas in this thread!

annie

**7rider** · 07-28-2006, 09:11 AM

Throw bottles away after 6 months???
Yipes. I have bottles that are 6 YEARS old.
I wash them out as soon as I get back with soap and hot water and air dry them completely. Knock wood, but no problems with mold or mildew. Maybe when my LBS offers me a free waterbottle at an event, next time I should take him up on it!

I also picked up a "sponge on a stick" - for lack of a better term - from Bed Bath & Beyond (or maybe it was Linens -n- Things) designed for cleaning down into bottles. Works great for my coffee thermos, too. I got it in the pots and pans section of the store and really gets into the corners.
My camelback bladders I've recently started storing (empty) in the freezer upon the recomendation of some folks, to prevent mildew growth in them.

**chickwhorips** · 07-28-2006, 09:16 AM

i have one of those bottle cleaners that i use just with soap and water. i'm afraid of it melting in the dishwasher. though with all of you putting them in the dishwasher i assume you haven't had this problem.

what about nalgene bottles? i like to put juice or crystal lite in mine, but sometimes the taste stays in there of the juice or crystal lite when i put plain water in it. any suggestions for those?

**SouthernBelle** · 07-28-2006, 10:28 AM

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** · 07-28-2006, 12:02 PM

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.

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