How clean is your water bottle?

story by Kelby Dressler ≫

Many students never actually have time to stop and properly clean their water bottle. They are distracted with school, work and sports. Think about it: how long has it been since you have washed  your water bottle? If people only knew about all the germs floating around  in the water they are adding to every day, many might change their minds.

“I usually have a water bottle for around two days then toss it,” said Hagan Andrews, Soph.

Rinsing out a water bottle doesn’t remove bacteria as well as a thorough washing does.

“I wash my water bottle as often as I can, if I can’t remember the last time, then I wash it,” said Mr. Low, the Culinary Arts teacher here at EHS.

According to an article in The Huffington Post, the average bottle is covered in 300,000 colony-forming units per square centimeter. Cleaning it could reduce the risk of extremes such as possible blood infections. Not washing a water bottle after many days doesn’t create germs but it gives the ones that already live there a chance to grow. Ideally, washing your bottle with soap and water everyday will keep it squeaky clean. Rinsing it out isn’t cleaning out microorganisms or contaminants – even if water is the only liquid that goes into it. This applies whether you’re using plastic, glass or metal. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

“I avoid drinking from questionable water bottles,” says Paul Boone, Cross Country coach. “I wash my reusable water bottle at least twice a week during season.”

Taking reasonable precautions will help keep you healthy during the winter months, but there’s no need to obsess over what may or may not be lurking in your water bottle.
“I try not to think about germs on my bottle, but I know they are there,“ says Low.