Yes, you do need to clean your water bottle. Here’s why and how

NEW YORK AP You keep your trusty reusable bottle filled with only clear delicious water Do you still need to wash it Experts say reusable bottles get grubby no matter what liquid they re filled with and it s major to clean them regularly Water bottles pick up germs from our mouths when we take a sip and from our hands when we touch the straw or lid They re covered in tiny tough-to-reach nooks and crannies which can become breeding grounds for mold bacteria and other microbes if left un-scrubbed It seems like something mundane but it is extremely critical noted nurse practitioner Michele Knepper who works at the University of Pittsburgh Curative Center Unclean water bottles can cause stomach aches and itchy throats and even exacerbate allergies and asthma Experts disagree on when and how you should wash them but they re all in agreement on one thing Give your water bottle a tender loving clean because something is better than nothing at all Is it that big of a deal No But it s also not challenging to just wash your water bottle announced Dr Mike Ren a family medicine physician at Baylor College of Medicine A few tips for a squeaky clean water bottle Experts say the gunk doesn t care what your water bottle is made of Reusable metal plastic and glass bottles all grow germy but plastic bottles are more likely to get scratches or dings on the inside where microbial life can cozy up The best cleaning routine is a simple one Use a sponge or bottle brush to scrub inside and out with warm soapy water rinse it out and let it dry so it s ready for the next refill A narrow or pipe cleaner-shaped tool can be useful to get into straws and tight crevices For a deeper wash scientists recommend popping the bottle in the dishwasher if it s safe to do so or dissolving a denture or retainer-cleaning tablet in the bottle overnight Scrubbing with a warm water resolution of vinegar or baking soda works too Numerous experts recommend doing a simple soapy water clean every day and a deeper clean once a week If daily cleaning feels a little extra Ren reported to try to get to it at least every other week or so while maintaining other good habits like rinsing the mouthpiece over the sink during each refill But if you fill your reusable bottle with other beverages like protein shakes or exercise drinks it really is fundamental to clean every day Sugary drinks leave a residue that bacteria love to snack on Do you need to dump the water in your bottle every day Is it okay to leave water in a reusable bottle overnight Experts disagree Particular say to dump the dregs out every refill while others recommend emptying every minimal hours Ren says it s likely okay to leave selected inside overnight but to empty old water at least every scant days Guidelines are guidelines Ren noted Everyone s going to do it a little bit differently If there s visible mold on the bottle or the liquid inside has a weird smell don t drink it Avoid refilling disposable plastic water bottles since chemicals can leach into the water and they re even more full of cracks and crevices that can harbor germs Water bottle cleaning routines may not all look the same but it s critical to keep up the habit disclosed Ivy Sun a hospitality expert at Georgia Southern University who has studied water bottle contamination She washes her and her kids bottles with soapy water every day This is just a very small step that we do but it can largely help with our healthcare Sun declared - The Associated Press Vitality and Science Department receives encouragement from the Howard Hughes Clinical Institute s Department of Science Development and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content Source