How Clean is Your Water Bottle?
By Fran DeNunzio
Being dehydrated can make you feel lethargic, lightheaded, and can cause dry skin and low energy. That’s why I carry my water bottle with me wherever I can, prioritizing it as much as having my phone with me. I know I’m not alone; my friends take their water bottles with them everywhere, and I constantly see people filling up their water bottles around campus. In the past few years, reusable water bottles have become the norm. I’m sure we all know they are significantly better for the environment than plastic water bottles. With such a variety of brands, sizes, and colors, it’s pretty easy to find a reusable water bottle to become attached to. And of course, they’re perfect for keeping your water fresh, cold, and readily available. There’s basically no reason not to keep a reusable water bottle on you at all times! However, carrying the same water bottle with you everyday can become a problem if you neglect to wash it. It’s easy to get into the habit of skipping a wash or two because you are in a rush and don’t have another water bottle to use. It might not seem like a big deal, but your water bottle can actually become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Bacteria can be transferred to your water bottle from your mouth, hands, and the environment around it. Every time you open your water bottle to fill it up, it becomes exposed to more and more bacteria. Over time, this bacteria can build up and form a biofilm. A biofilm is a slimy layer of bacteria that can develop on the inside of your water bottle. This layer is composed of the different kinds of bacteria that have accumulated inside of your bottle and grown as a result of being in a moist environment. The presence of this biofilm can be harmful to your health, as the bacteria found in biofilms is typically the kind that makes you sick.
Continuously using a water bottle that has not been cleaned can compromise your immune system by introducing disease-causing bacteria into your body. If you are always finding yourself sick with a cold, you might want to take a look at your water bottle and give it a good clean, because that could easily be contributing to your repeated sickness.
In order to protect your health and keep your water bottle free of harmful bacteria, you should wash it everyday. It’s also important to properly clean your water bottle. Make sure that you are cleaning the entire bottle, not just the top of it. Clean the inside and outside with hot water and soap. Just rinsing it under hot water won’t remove the bacteria. I recommend investing in a scrub brush. It will make it a whole lot easier to clean your bottle, especially the mouthpiece and inside. Lastly, make sure your water bottle dries completely. Turn it upside down so that the water fully drains from the bottle, or dry it with a clean towel.
Regularly cleaning your water bottle is such an important aspect of maintaining your overall health. It can be a challenge to get in the habit of doing this daily, especially with the chaotic schedules that college students experience every day. Try to make time to clean your water bottle when you are brushing your teeth, making your breakfast, or even right before you go to bed. Soon enough, it’ll become a normal part of your day.
