Take a look at the reusable water bottle sitting on your desk or tucked into your gym bag right now. When was the last time it met some dish soap and hot water? If you are like millions of people trying to stay hydrated on the go, your bottle might only get washed once or twice a week—or maybe even less. After all, it’s just water, right? How dirty can it really get?
As it turns out, pretty dirty. It is time to switch things up: Even a day or two without washing can encourage the growth of unhealthy germs in the average water bottle, one expert says.
And, “yes, you could get sick,” warns Dr. Yuriko Fukuta, an infectious diseases expert at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
“If you do not clean your water bottle sufficiently, it can lead to a buildup of germs,” Fukuta, a professor of medicine, explained in a university news release. “You may have nausea, stomach upset, headaches. You may have allergy symptoms such as sneezing if mold is present.”
So what is the best way to clean your bottle?
Dr. Fukuta offers tips for keeping your water bottle as sanitary as possible.
First off, choose the right type of bottle. Metal or glass beats plastic, Dr. Fukuta says, because plastic can develop tiny cracks that are a haven for germs.
Choose larger-mouthed bottles because they’re much easier to clean, and bottles with built-in straws work best; one study showed they contained fewer bacteria. Slide-top bottles were found to harbor the most germs, Dr. Fukuta adds.
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Lots of microbial visitors can inhabit your water bottle, she adds.
Bacteria in your mouth can get into your bottle if you drink directly from your bottle,” Dr. Fukuta shares. “Food particles from your mouth can transfer to your bottle and create a good environment for mold growth. Bacteria and molds from your hands can also get into your bottle.”
Dr. Fukuta stresses that “not all of the germs are harmful, but you could get sick at some point if you keep getting exposed to many germs.”
Her advice? Develop regular cleaning as a habit to keep your water bottle safe. Wiping down the bottle’s mouthpiece with a paper towel after use is a good first step, since that can curb germ growth.
As for washing, ideally, that means cleaning after every use. Bottle washing can be done either by hand or in a dishwasher (on the hot-water cycle). Washing should always include reusable straws, too.
If washing the bottle by hand, wash your hands first; separate all the parts of the water bottle, then wash them with a cleaning solution and water, using a clean brush if possible. Air-dry the water bottle and make sure it stays dry between uses.
Ultimately, staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your health, but drinking from a contaminated container defeats the purpose. Don’t let your daily hydration habit become a breeding ground for bacteria.
And whatever you do, don’t re-use those single-use plastic water bottles, “because the shape of bottle is difficult to clean and the chemicals used in the plastic bottles, such as BPA, can leach out into beverages in subsequent uses,” Fukuta concludes.
By making a few small upgrades—like switching to a wide-mouthed metal bottle and incorporating a quick soap-and-water scrub into your nightly routine—you can protect yourself from unwanted stomach bugs and mold exposure. A clean bottle means clean water, better health, and total peace of mind with every sip.
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