PSA: Your reusable water bottle is nasty.

[highland145]

Four different types of reusable bottle were tested after they were used by athletes for a week, and the results were shocking.

The study found that the average athlete’s water bottle had 313,499 CFU (colony-forming units of bacteria).

In comparison the average dog toy has 2,937.

But some types of water bottle came out worse than others.

The slide-top water bottle may be handy to stop unwanted spillages while you pound it out on the treadmill or even while running for the morning bus, but it harboured the most germs.

The slide top bottles tested had a whopping average of 933,340 CFU, while straw top water bottles were a clear winner with a mere 25.4 CFU.

The classic screw-top bottles had 159,060 CFU, meaning that a swig from that is about as bad as lapping up water from your kitchen sink.

And the squeeze top had an average of 161,971 CFU.

However, although paling in comparison to the shocking levels found on the slide top, the squeeze top’s bacteria was a lot more harmful.


Nearly 99 per cent of the bacteria found on the bottle was classed as harmful and there were traces of antibiotic-immune bacteria, such as the food poisoning-causing E. coli.

In total, over 60 per cent of the germs found on water bottles in the study had the potential to make you sick.






http://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/20...bottles-have-more-bacteria-than-dog-toys.html

 

[HutchinsonJC]

Do these people not thoroughly rinse and/or wash their bottle out... ever?

"half drunk bottle sit in the bottom of your bag or back of your car for weeks"

Yikes! What is that non-sense?

 

[Riverhound777]

Hmm well I never really wash my water bottle so i'm sure it's gross, but I never seem to get sick from it, so maybe it's just helping to strengthen my immune system! I have a metal insulated screw top bottle. I refill it when it's empty, but have only washed it out like once in the past two years, haha. It's just water!

 

[highland145]

I haven't been guilty of leaving water in the bottles but have been guilty not washing them out regularly. I empty what's left after riding and turn 'em upside down on a dish pad to dry out. One of them is a pop top. I should probably clorox that some.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Yet I've never once heard of someone getting sick from the water in their bottles. It's an interesting study I guess, but I'm not sure how much it means realistically.

 

[highland145]

25 years of biking and I don't think I've gotten sick yet. Probably have a better chance of getting run over by a blue hair.

 

[shortylickens]

Yet I've never once heard of someone getting sick from the water in their bottles. It's an interesting study I guess, but I'm not sure how much it means realistically.

What you hear or dont hear is probably not relevant.

If every person in America bothered to track down the source of infection EVERY time they got sick, then you'd know whether or not old water bottles are making people sick. Since people generally dont wonder how or when they got sick, we're probably gonna keep living in ignorance.

I have noticed I frequently get sick my first week going back to school. On a completely unrelated topic, I frequently see the idiot children at college touching every square inch of every surface at college with the notable exception of the soap dispenser.
Probably just a random coincidence. I'l never know since nobody ever takes samples of doorknobs or anything else, looking for germs.

 

[J.Wilkins]

I have several and always at least a couple that have gone through the dishwasher and are clean for use.

 

[Humpy]

I keep thinking one of these days I'm going to clean the bladder and hose in my hydration packs. Probably been a year.

 

[crashtech]

A new way to strengthen the immune system, perhaps?

 

[Rifter]

I have a screw top 1L nalgene bottle. I use it daily to drink 2-3 liters of water. Have for over a decade. I clean it every week or two either in dishwasher or by hand, one of my buddies once was over while i was cleaning it out and said something to the effect of why bother its only water.

I then proceeded to use a toothpick and a papertowel to clean the threads on both the bottle and lid, and after scraping them out the paper towel was red/orange where i was using it to clean the threads, there was for sure bacteria growing on the threads. Now my buddy washes his water bottle more often that i do lol.

A quick test is to spray some hydrogen peroxide on the mouth/threads of your bottle, if you can then put your ear to it and hear it fizzing then its dirty and contains bacteria, no fizz and its clean.

 

[snoopy7548]

I have a screw-top water bottle with a pull-top that I clean after every single use and I only drink water out of it. Am I crazy?

 

[highland145]

I have a screw-top water bottle with a pull-top that I clean after every single use and I only drink water out of it. Am I crazy?

Yes.




The pull tops look like they could be a major breeding ground, trapping some water but I'm still not dead yet.

 

[Staples]

I think we need pictures. Screw type means nothing. I only buy screw type with huge mouths, ones that look like a glass if you unscrew the top.

Ones that look like a 20oz disposable bottle are impossible to clean out.

 

[snoopy7548]

Probably should have said pull-top. Mine looks like this:

 

[Staples]

Same here and I never use the pull top. I always unscrew it and drink from it as if it were a glass.

 

[wirelessenabled]

I use a pull top and rarely clean it. Do about 2000 miles per year on my bicycle and can't remember the last time I got sick in the Summer while using the bottle. The water at my work does have chlorine in it although at home no chlorine is added.
Maybe I fill up at work just enough to keep the bacteria from getting me!

 

[J.Wilkins]

Same here and I never use the pull top. I always unscrew it and drink from it as if it were a glass.

It should be noted that ALL forms of plastic is a bad idea, the ones that used to be thought of as safe are now considered worse in some respects.

Just get stainless shakers or use a proper glass.

Also, using the pull top to squeeze the liquid into your mouth will keep your bottle cleaner than to drink from it.

 

[Staples]

Also, using the pull top to squeeze the liquid into your mouth will keep your bottle cleaner than to drink from it.

Makes perfect sense and maybe I ought a try it. I like gulping water so I hate cold water or carbonated drinks. I use a glass bottle in my car so if the water gets hot and then I drink it later, it does not taste like plastic.

 

[NetWareHead]

Yes I can see this happening. Eventually water bottles develop a smell and thats when I usually wash them. The part that touches your mouth starts to smell first. Its not especially concerning to me since the bacteria is from me and I welcome the opportunity to develop my immune system. But the smell does get off putting when you desire a drink of cold fresh water and the bottle tastes/smells wierdly. They clean up fine in the dishwasher or hand wash.

 

[Murloc]

yuck, I don't know how they can't smell the old saliva after a day of using it?

Also most people have dishwashers so there's not excuse not to wash it.

 

[purbeast0]

I use a pull top and I rarely clean it. I always try to remember but never do. I've never let it get to the point it smells though.

 

[devBunny]

Also most people have dishwashers so there's not excuse not to wash it.

Everyone has a dishwasher. Most of those dishwashers are human.

 

[JimKiler]

At least once a week if not more often i leave the top off and the bottle empty to the water evaporates and the germs should disappear with them, specially if done over the weekend. I have been washing it less often because i do this.

OP on a side note living in a third world country we would get sick less often. Science has not found the answer yet but hypothesize it has to do with touching dirt more than we do. i bet they are on to something.

Also OP your sidewalk or driveway that gets sunshine on it every day is more sanitary than your kitchen counter, sink, table. Science believes the sunshine destroys the bacteria. So the 5 second rule is good when outside but inside i would not abide by it at all, a 0 second rule needs to happen.

 

[FeuerFrei]

My problem is mildew growing in the spout. I use bottles with a straw. After years with a hard plastic spout and no real mildew problems, I trashed my trusty bottle and switched to a modern bottle - a Contego with a silicone spout - kind of chewy. But all the Contego's nozzle does is grow mildew. I'm sure they outfit it with mold-prone silicone so that you'll keep buying new Contegos non-stop. Unfortch Contego doesn't sell replacement nozzles. I see there ARE straw-cleaning brushes on Amazon.

I should mention that I keep my water bottle in the fridge somewhat full of water 24/7. I'll open the fridge, grab the bottle, slurp/suck, then drop it back in the fridge door and walk away. Why pour yourself a glass when you don't have to??

I recently picked up an Avex Freeflow AutoSeal bottle - but it's the type that pours freely through a hole - so I still use my Contego with a suckable spout/straw for water storage.