Clean Your Metal Water Bottle Gasket Rings Before Mold Moves In!

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Do you carry around a metal water bottle, whether it is a Hydroflask, ThermoFlask, Kleen Kanteen or any other similar design? If you do, check your caps-if there are rubber gaskets, make sure to clean them before mold starts to build!

 

I went to rinse my water bottle this morning and noticed a small amount of black sludge building up under the gaskets, and when I pulled it apart I found more underneath. The gasket itself came clean fairly quickly with soap and water, but it was a good reminder that this should be part of a weekly bottle maintenance routine. It takes only a few seconds to pop out the gasket (I used a butter knife), and it keeps things nice and clean. You should also either run a hot sprayer or use a bottle brush to clean up the insides as well, as it keeps any buildup from sticking around. It also means you’re cleaning the one spot in a metal bottle that can absorb flavors, so if you’re like me and jump between lemon/limes and Nuun tablets, you won’t get flavor transfer over time. I’ve learned the hard way that some flavors do not mix. It’s not a fun surprise at 5 in the morning, so do not mix tropical Nuun with lemon juice.

If you haven’t checked those gaskets in a while or you like to rotate them to keep them extra clean, most manufacturers sell packets of replacement rings. They’re extremely inexpensive and very handy to keep around as a backup! After all, if you’ve switched to a metal water bottle, whether it’s because of flavor, concerns about BPA, or just style, you don’t want to undo the good of drinking water by drinking mold along the way!

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About the Author

Zek
Zek has been a gadget fiend for a long time, going back to their first PDA (a Palm M100). They quickly went from researching what PDA to buy to following tech news closely and keeping up with the latest and greatest stuff. They love writing about ebooks because they combine their two favorite activities; reading anything and everything, and talking about fun new tech toys. What could be better?