How to use and care for your reusable water bottle seems obvious right? Fill it with water. Drink. Wash. Repeat.

But actually you’d be surprised at how many questions we get about the care instructions for stainless steel and what can be stored in it. For example: what’s the best way to clean it? And can you put fizzy drinks in it? 

Below is our comprehensive guide to caring for your stainless steel water bottle so that it can provide you with delicious plastic-free hydration for decades to come.

Cleaning

Stainless steel is a sterile material, making these reusable water bottles more resistant to mould and bacteria. Saying that, they do still need to be washed regularly - we’re not giving you a free pass to neglect them.

Which brings us to our first questions:

‘How often should I clean my reusable bottle?’

Ideally every day if you use your water bottle regularly. But don't worry, this task doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. It only takes 5 minutes. 

‘What’s the best way to clean my stainless steel bottle?’

Fill the bottle with warm water and a squirt of (plastic-free/eco) washing up liquid. Then, using a(plastic-free) bottle brush, scrub the walls and bottom of the bottle. Be sure to clean not just the inside, but also the lip of the bottle. 

Then rinse, dry & go! Because bacteria thrives in a moist environment, it's a good idea to dry the bottle with the cap off.

Our water bottle bodies are also dishwasher-safe, so you can just pop in there if that’s easier. Just remove the lid and wash that by hand. 

‘How do I deep clean my bottle?’

With all the best intentions in the world, sometimes a bottle gets left in the bottom of a bag for a bit too long and it needs a deeper clean. We’ve all been there!

We’d recommend filling the bottle halfway with vinegar, then adding cool water. Let the mixture sit overnight before scrubbing with the above method or running through the dishwasher.

Liquids

Although mostly used for water, your bottle can hold a host of other liquids if you fancy mixing it up a bit.

‘What drinks can I store in my reusable bottle?’

Here’s a list of what you can and can’t store in your water bottle:

• Milk? Yes
• Squash? Yes
• Drop a lemon or lime in your water? Yes
• Cucumber water? Yes
• Tea, coffee, hot chocolate? Yes (just make sure it’s not scalding hot!)
• Ice cubes? Yes
• Juice & smoothies? Yes (just clean them ASAP afterwards)

• Fizzy drinks? No. This can corrode the stainless steel water bottle and damage the lid. It also might explode. Best to avoid them.
• Sandwiches? I mean, you could, but probably best to use one ofour lunchboxes for that…

‘My drinks have a metallic taste, is that normal?’

If you're new to stainless steel bottles, or just used to drinking out of plastic, you might notice a perceived "metallic taste" when your bottle is brand new.

This depends on the person, and often is completely undetectable. But, if you're feeling like it has a strong smell/taste after you've washed it, there's a level 2 cleaning method you can use: baking soda. 

Just rinse 1 teaspoon with a small amount of washing up liquid and water, give it a light shake and let it sit for a couple hours, then rinse.

Heating & cooling

In general, we wouldn’t recommend heating or cooling your bottle.If it's an insulated bottle you’re using it could cause damage and in any case it will keep your drinks warm or cool on its own!  We don't recommend putting hot liquids in a single-wall bottle, as you might scald yourself. Here are a couple of questions we’ve encountered on this topic:

‘Can I put my stainless steel water bottle in a microwave?’

No. Microwaves are not good with stainless steel. It will not only block the heat from warming whatever's in your bottle, but nuking it can also damage your microwave.

‘Can I put my water bottle in the freezer?’

We recommend you don’t do this  as it can affect the bottle’s durability over time. But, we are human and we do understand the bliss of having ice cold water on a hot day. So, chill some water in the fridge the night before or to keep drinks even colder,  pop a few ice cubes in there to keep things cool. 

And that concludes our stainless steel water bottle care guide. Hope it’s helped you take care of your plastic-free water bottle. 

Got another burning question?  Contact our team of stainless steel experts.