How to clean drinking bottles properly: 4 tips for shiny soulbottles

The advantages of your soulbottles are obvious: plastic-free, sustainably produced and refillable forever. It is also super easy to clean the drinking bottles - and also important to avoid contamination and germs. Here you can find out how to clean your soulbottles until they are sparkling clean. And hey, it's even fun - just brush and shake!

When it comes to hygiene, the first reflexive thought is currently: wash your hands! But regardless of Corona, it is important not only to make sure your hands are clean, but also to give your everyday objects and everyday items some cleaning power. In addition to glasses and smartphones, this also includes your soulbottle . Why is cleaning your drinking bottle so important? Because drinking causes germs and bacteria to collect, especially on the mouthpiece, and these bacteria multiply steadily if we do not wipe them away. Therefore, if you use your drinking bottle every day and like to fill it with juice, coffee or tea, you should clean it every day. But don't worry: cleaning your glass or stainless steel drinking bottle is really quick and easy. We have prepared 4 soulful tips and tricks for cleaning your drinking bottle.

Tip 1: Get in please! Clean Soulbottles in the dishwasher

You can clean soulbottles made of glass in the dishwasher. The ceramic colors of our screen print are baked in and therefore dishwasher safe. And the bottle opening of the soulbottle is not only super drink-friendly, it also ensures that enough water gets into the bottle. There is one limitation: the special colors of our gold and silver print can fade over time. For example, the golden flower of life , which you can also see in the pictures. It is better to wash these soulbottles by hand.

And what is the best way to clean drinking bottles in the dishwasher? It is best to place your soulbottle upside down in the dishwasher. We recommend: Remove the swing top before the wash cycle and place it separately in the dishwasher basket.

Tip for thrifty people: You can really save CO₂ when cleaning the dishwasher - by using green electricity. A drinking bottle that is washed in a dishwasher that runs on green electricity uses around 15 times less CO₂. Here you can find a list of the best green electricity providers .

CO₂eq indicates the greenhouse potential of a gas in relation to CO₂. In this article from utopia everything is explained again in detail.

Tip 2: Clean drinking bottles by hand and Soulbrush

Cleaning by hand is also really simple and works really well for all reusable bottles made of stainless steel and glass. Our tailor-made vegan soulbrush made of natural agave fibers is ideal for our soulbottles.

• Simply fill the drinking bottle with some hot water, add a gentle detergent and close the lid. It should be really hot water to kill bacteria and germs. Note: Glass can cope with temperature differences of around 40 degrees. So preheat it to avoid damage.
• Now it’s time to shake it up and have a foam party.
• After emptying it, it is also recommended to scrub the bottle with a soft brush.
• Then rinse with clear, hot water and allow to dry thoroughly – or with a tea towel. This should definitely be clean and dry.
• Or even better: place the bottle upside down on a clean surface or a colander, preferably leaning slightly at an angle, so that air can get to it and the liquid can drain out of the inside.

Important for all stainless steel bottles: If you use a sponge, make sure you don't choose a model that is too scratchy. Firm, long cleaning of stainless steel bottles can visually damage the surface. And please never use a steel sponge for the soulbottles steel!

By the way: soulbottles and soulbrush are a real dream team, which is why we have various models in a set at a special discounted price - such as the new soulbottle drinking bottle steel gold & golden drinking cup . You can find all sets here in the online shop .

Tip 3: Shake it! Clean drinking bottles with our cleaning beads

Did someone say shake? That makes our cleaning beads all fidgety. The small stainless steel beads are designed for just that: They clean drinking bottles by giving them a good shake. And that's how it works:

• Simply fill some hot tap water together with the balls into your bottle.
• Put the lid on, then shake and make circular movements.
• Then pour the cleaning beads over a fine sieve, rinse them off and spread them out on a clean kitchen towel to dry. This is important to prevent rust from forming due to foreign particles.
• Now rinse your soulbottle again without the pearls with hot water, including the mouthpiece – done.

Pro tip: If the dirt in the drinking bottle doesn't completely go away or if you see limescale, simply add a little vinegar or lemon juice when shaking the pearls. Too much vinegar, however, attacks the rubber seal, so it's best to only use it every now and then. If the rubber seal does become brittle, you can get a replacement here.

Tip 2 for thrifty people: With a survey from summer 2021, we were able to find out that this type of cleaning uses the least energy and resources. So if you care about the environment in addition to a really clean drinking bottle, then we recommend this option.

Tip 4: Clean the porcelain lid and rubber seal of the Soulbottle

Cleaning your soulbottle properly also means: Don't forget to clean the lid ! The swing top is constantly in contact with the bottle opening, where bacteria from the mouth can collect. And moisture also collects between the rubber and the lid. So every time you clean the drinking bottle, simply remove the sealing ring and wash the lid and rubber ring with a sponge or brush, hot water and a little washing-up liquid. You can also put the rubber seal in the freezer, for example, or soak it in vinegar water overnight, which will also help get rid of odors.

Cleaning water bottles: repeat please!

As you can see, keeping your soulbottle clean is pretty simple and should definitely be done regularly. Plastic bottles are generally more susceptible to bacteria on the plastic surface, but drinking bottles made of glass or stainless steel also require regular care. A survey of our soulfriends on the use of soulbottles last autumn found that most people fill their soulbottles an average of 304 times a year and clean them 121 times a year. This means that a proper cleaning - as described above - takes place after every third use. That's a good start and everyone has to find their own dynamic with their soulmate.

Sorry for being so narrow-minded, but we still want you to clean your drinking bottles after every use, regardless of model and material. This is especially important if you like to carry juice, tea or coffee in your drinking bottle.

We have collected more tips for cleaning and caring for your soulbottle in our Help Center .

And what we must never forget: Especially in times of the Corona crisis, hygiene, access to drinking water and safe sanitation are more important than ever! But not everyone has the luxury of being able to simply turn on the tap. That's why €1 for every soulbottle sold goes to our own drinking water and climate protection project WASH'n'soul in Zambia. In order to pay more attention to the water and WASH issue, we have started a campaign: water is political. Here we explain why water is more than a thirst quencher. Water concerns us all. You can read exactly what we are planning and have already implemented with WASH'n'soul with our partners from BORDA and Viva con Agua on the soulblog .

Do you have a secret tip for cleaning your soulbottle or other drinking bottles efficiently and using less resources? Write to us on Instagram , Facebook or at hello@soulbottles.com !