Sticky sweet sports drinks and hydration tablets can turn your bottles into incubators for bacteria and mold. Check out expert tips from Bicycling Magazine below to keep your bottles fresh and clean and in good shape for years of use.
Related: Make These Healthy Homemade Sports Drinks
Wash By Hand
Rinsing bottles by hand with warm water and soap is the best way to clean them out after runs, according to Ryan Jones, director of bottle development & operations at Specialized. Any general, all-purpose liquid soap will do the job.
originally appeared in Bicycling
A simple, Dont Forget the Caps, available at most department or kitchen stores, will help you clean deep inside large bottles or those with narrow openings. Some scrubbing with a brush cleans sticky residues more easily and thoroughly and better removes mold than rinsing alone.
Don’t Forget the Caps
When you The 8 Best Running Jackets for Surviving Winter, fluid flows through a bottle’s cap, so remember to take care of the lid, too. Seth Beiden, marketing manager at CamelBak, suggests that you squeeze some soapy water through each bottle cap.
Related: How and When to Hydrate
Skip the Dishwasher
Sure, it’s easier to toss your bottles into the dishwasher, but the water temperatures in most dishwashers are near boiling. Such heat commonly deforms many types of plastic goods and kitchen utensils and can degrade your bottles more quickly over time.
To keep your bottles long-lasting, its important to make sure they stay mold-free
Just as you would for a drinking glass, wash your bottle every time you use it. Even if you only drink water, you’re still leaving sweat and possibly bits of whatever you last ate on the lid as you run and drink, according to Beiden. At the very least, rinse your used bottle out.
Related: Know When to Toss It
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If you have to resort to harsh cleaners, it’s probably time to toss the bottle into the recycling bin. Jones notes that bleach in particular is a harsh chemical you may want to avoid putting into your bottle. If you don’t rinse enough, the bleach could contaminate your water next time you fill up the bottle. “If someone who is sick uses your bottle, a good warm soapy rinse should be enough to take care of any germs,” says Jones.
Know When to Toss It
Despite all the best intentions, sometimes a bottle doesn’t get cleaned frequently or thoroughly enough and mold grows inside. Jones suggests that you visually inspect the your bottle’s interior, and if you can’t relatively easily remove all mold with warm, soapy water and a brush, it’s time to get rid of the bottle.
Running in the heat? Here’s an easy trick for keeping water cold longer:
The article 7 below to keep your bottles fresh and clean and in good shape for years of use originally appeared in Bicycling.
Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She's the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing. She co-hosts How and When to Hydrate and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.
