When was the last time you cleaned your remote control, keyboard, phone...? The list of things we use on the daily that we tend to forget to clean is extensive. When one of those things actually has the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow in (a damp, dark inside) and you drink from it, then it's time to add it to our daily routine.
A study found two types of bacteria in reusable water bottles, one of which can cause infections that are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. They also found that a reusable water bottle had 40,000 times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
This is your reminder to deep clean your water bottle.
In reality, you should clean your water bottle every day and deep clean it every week, especially if you are sick or have left it in a hot environment. However, we know it's usually only when we spot buildup or a foul smell that we take action.
So, how do you clean a water bottle?
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Prepare the solution 🧪
Adding it straight inside the bottle, create a paste with 2-3 teaspoons of baking soda and water OR a solution with equal parts of white vinegar and water. -
Shake the bottle 🧂
Close the bottle with the cap and shake it to mix the solution.
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Leave to sit overnight ⏳
Remove the cap and let the solution take effect for a few hours.
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Scrub with a sponge or brush 🧽
Discard the solution, disassemble all parts and scrub with a sponge or a brush if you can't reach.
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Rinse thoroughly with hot water 💦
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Allow to air-dry ☁️
Invest in the right water bottle
Ocean Bottle is a B Corp certified reusable bottle brand that does good. With the sale of each Ocean Bottle, 11.4kg of plastic (the equivalent of 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles) is collected globally, in coastal areas where plastic pollution is worst.
Made from 90% recycled stainless steel and double wall vacuum insulated materials, their award-winning bottles are recyclable and part-made from recycled ocean plastic. Since launching in 2019, they have prevented over 1 billion bottles from reaching our oceans 🌊
