The Repulsive Situation You Might Find in Your Reusable Water Bottle Lid

Keeping yourself hydrated is important, but it can be tough to get in your recommended 64 ounces a day unless you take water with you when you’re on the go. Enter reusable water bottles, the sturdy, refillable bottles that are more environmentally friendly and budget-friendly than using disposable plastic water bottles. 

Drinking water is healthy, but drinking water from a dirty water bottle is not. Many reusable water bottles have rubber seals or plastic threads in their lids to create a tight fit, but those seals and threads are also places where mold can hide. 

How Dangerous Is a Moldy Water Bottle Lid?

When a bottle filled with water stays in warm conditions too long, such as being in the sun, rolling around in the back seat of your car for days on end, or remaining in a closed, moist dishwasher, mold spores have the opportunity to grow. 

Aside from being really gross, mold can be harmful when inhaled or ingested. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the effects of mold can include allergic reactions such as a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or skin rash. These reactions can be more severe in people who have asthma. Those with compromised immune systems or chronic lung disease may get lung infections from mold. 

How to Remove Mold From a Water Bottle Lid

There’s no need to throw a moldy lid out. There’s an easy solution—one that also works to remove mold from between the lid and rubber seal of glass storage containers. 

Put the lids in a sink filled with 10 parts warm water and one part bleach. Allow them to soak for about 10 minutes to kill the mold. Then run the lids through the dishwasher to remove all the bleach. 

If you don’t have a dishwasher, empty the bleach water from your sink, rinse it out well, then fill it with warm soapy water and give your lids a good scrubbing. Whether you run the bleached lids through a dishwasher or wash them in the sink, dry them very well to prevent mold from returning. 

Do this about once a month with all your water bottle lids or any time you see a lid with mold in it. 

Can Water Bottles Get Moldy Too?

Yes, plastic and stainless steel water bottles can also get moldy. That mold can be more difficult to see because these bottles are often opaque and have small openings, making it difficult to get a good look inside.

If your water bottles have visible mold, funky smells, or black pieces coming out of them when you pour the water out, give them a good disinfecting. There are several ways to do this:

• Boiling: Boil stainless steel water bottles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and submerge the stainless steel water bottles in the boiling water for at least 15 minutes. Allow the water to cool before removing the bottle to prevent burns. Place the bottles upside-down in a rack that allows airflow all around the bottles so they dry thoroughly.
• Vinegar: For plastic or stainless steel bottles, fill the bottles with half distilled white vinegar and half water. Shake the mixture in the bottles and then allow them to sit overnight. Pour out the vinegar/water, and wash the bottles in the dishwasher or by hand in the sink. Allow the bottles to fully dry before using.
• Bleach: Submerge your water bottles in the same sink with the water/bleach solution that you’re cleaning the lids in. After they’ve soaked for 10 minutes, use a bottle brush to scrub them inside and remove any mold that may have gotten dislodged. Then wash the bleached bottles in the dishwasher or by hand and allow them to dry thoroughly.

Once you have your water bottles mold-free, help keep them that way by thoroughly washing and drying them after each use. If mold does build up, you now know how to clean them.