How to clean your water bottle or reusable travel cup

Here’s the only step-by-step guide you’ll ever need on how to clean your water bottle or reusable travel cup the correct way. Trust us, we’re experts. 

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How to clean your water bottle or reusable travel cup

At Chilly’s we’ve been obsessing over water bottles and reusable cups for over a decade. As part of that obsession, we’ve also spent a fair amount of time thinking about how best to clean the products we create – so, years from now, you end up with a Chilly’s bottle or cup that’s as pleasurable to use as the day you bought it. 

 

With that said, here’s the only guide you’ll ever need on how to clean your water bottle or travel cup. Trust us, we’re experts. 

 

How to clean your water bottle 

First off, we need to stress that habitually cleaning your water bottle is a must, not a maybe. You should be aiming to give your bottle a good clean every week, at least. The reason for doing so, aside from the obvious hygiene benefits, is to help maintain your bottle so it lives a full, happy life. 

 

Here’s how to clean your water bottle: 

 

  • Step 1:  Hot. Soapy. Water. That’s it—just repeat a few times and rinse with fresh water after.  

  • Step 2: For a deeper clean, we recommend adding a couple of teaspoons of bicarbonate soda to dish soap, creating a paste.  

  • Step 3: Spread the paste on the bottle, especially where you spot any stubborn marks. Leave this for around an hour before rinsing and scrubbing with a soft cleaning brush.  

  • Step 4: Flush with fresh water to ensure there’s no soapy residue left inside the bottle 

  • Step 5: If you’re not using the bottle immediately after cleaning, leave it in a dry spot with the cap off to prevent moisture build-up. 

  • Pro tip: Skip the sterilising fluids as these can react with the lining of some bottles, while dishwashers can destroy water-tight seals. We don’t recommend soaking your bottle for long periods either.  

 

How to clean your reusable travel cup 

Besides the obvious difference in shape, there’s one key reason why you have to approach cleaning your reusable cup differently: contents.  

 

Where water bottles are usually reserved for, you guessed it… water, travel cups are used for myriad different liquids. Tea, coffee, chai, matcha, hot chocolate, hot toddies—the list goes on. All of these different beverages can leave their mark on your cup, culminating in a pretty unenjoyable aftertaste if not cleaned thoroughly.  

 

So, unlike a water bottle, where the MO is solely sanitisation and upkeep, cleaning a cup is all about removing residual odours or flavours from past beverages. 

 

Here's how to clean your reusable travel cup: 

 

  • Step 1: If your bottle was cleaned recently or has had light beverages in it, then hot soapy water will do just fine. 

  • Step 2: If your cup needs a bit more TLC, then combining dish soap with 1-2 teaspoons of bicarbonate soda, then spreading this mixture throughout the bottle (focussing on any marks) and letting it stand for 60 mins will result in a more thorough clean. 

  • Step 3: Add a splash more water and scrub with a soft-bristled cleaning brush.  

  • Step 4: Rinse with fresh water to remove any residual soap, and your cup is ready for reusing. 

  • Step 5: If not using immediately after cleaning, store in a dry place with the lid removed. 

  • Pro tip: Avoid soaking for long periods of time, dishwashers and sterilising fluids—all of which can damage your cup.  

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