Daily Cleaning

  1. 1

    Rinse immediately after use

    The easiest way to keep a bottle clean is to rinse it with hot water immediately after each use. Do not leave drinks (especially milk-based, juice or smoothies) sitting in the bottle for hours — they encourage bacteria growth and odour.

  2. 2

    Clean with a bottle brush and dish soap

    A long bottle brush is essential for cleaning the interior thoroughly. Add a small squirt of dish soap and hot water, scrub all interior surfaces including the bottom of the bottle and the lid threads. Rinse several times until soap-free.

  3. 3

    Leave open and inverted to air dry

    Moisture trapped in a sealed bottle promotes mould and bacterial growth. Always leave the lid off and the bottle inverted to air dry completely before storing. A bottle drying rack makes this easy.

Deep Clean — Removing Smell or Stains

  1. 4

    Baking soda soak (for general deep clean)

    Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bottle. Fill with hot water. Leave for 30 minutes to several hours. Scrub with a bottle brush. Rinse thoroughly. The baking soda neutralises odours and loosens residue.

  2. 5

    White vinegar soak (for persistent smell)

    Fill the bottle one-quarter full with white vinegar. Fill the rest with water. Leave for 30 minutes or overnight for stubborn odour. Rinse very thoroughly — several rinses to remove vinegar smell. The acetic acid kills odour-causing bacteria.

  3. 6

    Clean the lid and straw separately

    Lids, straws and their components are often the primary source of mould and smell in water bottles. Disassemble completely. Use a small straw cleaning brush or a pipe cleaner to clean straw interiors. Soak lid components in the baking soda or vinegar solution.

Do not put stainless steel insulated bottles in the dishwasherDishwasher heat and detergents damage the vacuum seal in insulated bottles, eventually destroying their insulating properties. Hand wash only. Standard (non-insulated) stainless steel bottles may be dishwasher safe — check the manufacturer’s instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disassemble completely. Soak all parts in a solution of hot water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or a small amount of bleach (1 teaspoon bleach in 500ml water — rinse very thoroughly afterwards). Scrub with a bottle brush. For straw components, use a small straw brush. Rinse extremely well. If mould has penetrated the silicone seals, replace the seals. If the bottle interior is visibly mouldy and cannot be reached by brushing, replace the bottle.
Most commonly the lid, straw or seal is the source — check these components closely. Bacteria accumulate in plastic threads, silicone seals and straw interior surfaces that regular washing misses. Disassemble completely, soak in white vinegar solution overnight and clean every crevice. If the smell persists after thorough cleaning, the silicone components (seals, O-rings) may need replacing as bacteria can become embedded in degraded silicone.