Keeping bottles sterilised

[brychan]

Hi

What’s are the best ways to keep your water bottles sterilised besides rinsing them out with hot water.

Also how often do you use a bottle for before disposing of it

Mike

[simonhill]

If using plain water in my bottle, I find that rinsing, emptying and leaving it upside down to completely drain each night when on tour it doesn't seem to need any other cleaning.The bottle lasts till it splits (months?).

If you want to sterilise, you can buy sterilising fluid from camping stores that 'vanners use to clean out their water systems. A cheaper alternative is the stuff they use for sterilising baby stuff - Milton fluid. Look on the web - only about £1:50 for 28 tabs or £2 for a litre.

You could also use dilute bleach as long as you rinse well.

[eileithyia]

1. I only use water in mine, so a hot soapy wash is adequate
2. For those who have one hot wash in dishwasher.
3. Milton then wash

How long I keep them very much depends on how it looks or if something on it falls apart / breaks.

[Norman H]

The secret is to empty them and clean them immediately post ride. Even bottles that only contain water will grow algae if left for any length of time, and those that contain hydration tablets or similar will quickly produce all sorts of nasties.

Normal washing up liquid and a scrub with a decent bottle brush is normally all that is needed, but every now and then it pays to use a Milton tablet or a little Sodium Metabisulphite for sterilization.

Stainless steel botles last longer than plastic ones and they don't taint the contents

[bikerwaser]

I've had the same plastic water bottles for about six months.

They usually last me about that amount of time.

They could last longer but it's down to how much I look after them

As others have said, make sure you rinse bottle and lid every day and leave the lid off / stand upside down.

[foxyrider]

1. I only use water in mine, so a hot soapy wash is adequate
2. For those who have one hot wash in dishwasher.
3. Milton then wash

How long I keep them very much depends on how it looks or if something on it falls apart / breaks.

You would think plain water would be okay but my bottles seem to get quite yucky even when rinsed/dried after each ride. I invested in a bottle brush - if it does get nasty a bucket of Milton does the trick.

[LollyKat]

Supermarket own-brand 'Milton' (baby bottle sterilising fluid) is cheap and easy to use.

[rmurphy195]

Miltons every time for me for water bottles/caravan water supplies etc.

Works well for removing tea/coffee stains from mugs as well!

[rualexander]

Steradent tablets?
Don't mix them up with your drinks tablets though!

[Redvee]

A hot water, from the kettle that I boil to make a cuppa when I get home from work, rinse on a daily basis. Half fill and shake then squirt through nozzle. Will give the bottle in use a good clean with washing up liquid in the bottom then repeat previous with hot water and squirt soapy water through nozzle then rinse in clean water and squirt clean water through nozzle then leave to dry. I've got some Milton type fluid from the Poundshop that I probably use in too strong a solution for the lids and nozzle when I feel the urge.

[tim-b]

Hi
Mostly a wash in hot soapy dish water. Occasional Milton
Mine are usually scratched and most of the logos are missing after twelve months and are binned at this point, although I keep one top as a spare
The top/nozzle is IME the part most prone to grot if you're not drinking plain water, and it needs a regular scrub
Regards
tim-b

[bikerwaser]

Bi Carb of Soda is also a good cheap method for cleaning stuff. Plus it doesn't smell .

[bikepacker]

Campden Tablets

[Vorpal]

Mine go in the dishwasher. I have lots of them, so there's no need to use the same one day after day. If I do need to use the same one, I wash it out with a bit of whatever soap is available, very hot water, and a good shake. I also try to clean the top carefully, and the outside a bit, just to get the road gunge off of it. I dry it as well as possible, and leave it sit open overnight.

If it dries completely, it is unlikely to accumulate germs, this way.

If I need to us the same water bottle(s) for more than a few days, I clean them thoroughly (scrubbing, dishwasher, or steriliser) once every 3rd or 4th day.

For most surfaces, thorough cleaning is as good (or nearly so) as sterilisation. The only part that cannot as easily be thoroughly cleaned is a pop-up mouth piece. It's worth squirting soapy water/steriliser/hot water through the top if washing that type of water bottle.

[horizon]

Hi

What’s are the best ways to keep your water bottles sterilised besides rinsing them out with hot water.

Also how often do you use a bottle for before disposing of it

Mike

When you say sterilised, I'm not quite sure what that means. Do you mean clean? Did you also mean that rinsing with hot water was one way?