October 22, 2024, 4:14 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Do you always have a refillable water bottle with you at the gym or when doing outdoor sports? It’s a practical thing. However, there are a few things to bear in mind to ensure that the contents don’t become a hotbed of germs.
Bacteria, algae, mold: if they find a warm and humid climate, they can multiply easily – and, in the worst case, become a health risk. This can also happen in refillable drinking bottles, in which germs enter through our saliva and the ambient air. FITBOOK tells you what to look out for when cleaning.
Overview
- Germs found in 90 percent of gym drinking bottles
- How do germs get into drinking bottles?
- Are your own germs harmful to your health?
- How to clean crevices on the cap and lid
- Should the drinking bottle go in the dishwasher?
- What to do with damaged drinking bottles?
- Never close a wet drinking bottle
- Bottle smells? Use baking soda or baking powder for intensive cleaning
- Do not share drinking bottles with others
- Only fill with sugar-free beverages
- Sources
Germs found in 90 percent of gym drinking bottles
Improper use of refillable drinking bottles can lead to the accumulation of germs inside. A few years ago, researchers examined 60 random samples of drinking bottles collected in Brazilian gyms for germs and found germs in 90 percent of them.1
How do germs get into drinking bottles?
Overall, the situation is similar to that of water bottles that have already been opened: Microorganisms can get into them when they are opened, and these multiply relatively quickly – especially if they are stored unrefrigerated. If you drink directly from the bottle, as is usually the case with sports bottles, the bacteria naturally present in saliva are added.
Are your own germs harmful to your health?
For generally healthy individuals, consuming bacteria that originate from their own bodies typically poses no significant danger. In response to a question from FITBOOK, the Hamburg-based internist Dr. Matthias Riedl explains that this can rarely lead to discomfort and possibly diarrhea.
More problematic, however, are germs that can arise from decomposed sugar residues and those that settle on the outer edge of the bottle’s neck. How do they get there? For example, this can happen because you touched dumbbells or other equipment in the gym before reaching for the bottle or because the drinking bottle was in the holder provided on the treadmill, spinning bike, or similar.
How to clean crevices on the cap and lid
After use, it is not enough to pour out the contents and refill the bottle. Use hot water and washing-up liquid to clean it thoroughly. To get it really clean, use a dishwashing brush or toothbrush to rub off any residue. Hard-to-reach crevices – such as those on the cap or lid – can especially be scrubbed well in this way.
Should the drinking bottle go in the dishwasher?
Using the dishwasher can be tricky. Check beforehand whether the material of your (entire) drinking bottle is suitable for machine cleaning. The same applies to various other cleaning options (e.g., with special tabs). If the bottle or parts of it are damaged due to improper cleaning, bacteria, and germs can accumulate in porous caps or tiny cracks inside the bottle, for example.
Is the drinking bottle dishwasher-safe? The Tüv Association advises selecting a program with at least 60 degrees. This will kill most germs.
What to do with damaged drinking bottles?
Damaged drinking bottles should be replaced relatively quickly. Nutritionist Dr. Riedl generally recommends wide-necked bottles with drinking spouts that can be disassembled and placed in the dishwasher regularly.
Never close a wet drinking bottle
Use a fresh, dry kitchen towel to clean the inside of the bottle. One that you have used before could be colonized with kitchen germs. Leave the bottle to dry, then lay it flat. “This will prevent dust from getting inside,” advises Riedl.
You should never seal a wet bottle. This is also familiar from toothbrushes – another utensil that comes into contact with bacteria from the oral cavity and, therefore, should not be put in a case when wet but out to air.
Bottle smells? Use baking soda or baking powder for intensive cleaning
Does your bottle already smell a little unpleasant? Then you need to go one better when cleaning it. The Tüv Association advises placing the bottle in boiling water for a few minutes, provided the material can withstand this. There are also special cleaning tablets, or you can use baking soda or baking powder for intensive cleaning. To do this, put a packet of baking powder or a teaspoon of baking soda in the bottle, fill it with warm water, and leave it to work for a few hours. Do not close the bottle. Then, rinse the bottle thoroughly.
Caution: Baking soda and baking powder can corrode plastics, which is why, according to the Tüv Association, they are more suitable for cleaning glass and stainless steel bottles.
Do not share drinking bottles with others
Has your training partner forgotten their water bottle? Then, of course, give them something – but please don’t let them drink directly from the bottle. You are sure to find disposable cups in the gym that you can fill. This way, you avoid mixing foreign germs with your own and passing on any herpes or cold viruses from one drinker to another.
Expert Clarifies Granola Versus Muesli – Which is Healthier?
Cause, symptoms, and prevention How do you get rid of a sty?
Nutrition tips from an expert 5 healthy snack recipes that keep blood sugar levels down
Only fill with sugar-free beverages
Drinks containing sugar (including those with fructose, such as juices) should be rinsed particularly thoroughly – or not poured into the drinking bottle in the first place. Bacteria resulting from residues can grow mold inside the bottle. And mold spores can develop into harmful substances that are sometimes toxic.