How to clean a reusable bottle with mold or sunscreen inside
Reusable bottles left unwashed for months or contaminated with substances like sunscreen can usually be salvaged with a deep soak using hot water, dish soap, and white vinegar or baking soda. If the odor or residue persists after scrubbing with a bottle brush, the material may be permanently compromised and should be replaced.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Throwing the bottle away and getting a new one3 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Cleaning the bottle thoroughly with soap or bleachDid this help you?
- 3Scrape or wipe out visible lotion, rinse with plenty of water, and soak or wash in soapy water.Did this help you?
- 4Use micellar water, makeup remover, or Dawn dish soap.Did this help you?
- 5Using miniature interdental flossersDid this help you?
- 6Checking manufacturer videos on YouTubeDid this help you?
- 7Pulling out silicone flaps/gaskets and soaking in warm water with oxicleanDid this help you?
- 8Filling the lid with a 50/50 water and white vinegar solution overnightDid this help you?
- 9Using pipe cleaners, wire brushes, or unfolded paperclips wrapped in flossDid this help you?
- 10Soaking parts in dental cleaning tabletsDid this help you?
- 11Washing thoroughly with dish soap multiple timesDid this help you?
- 12Soaking overnight in vinegarDid this help you?
- 13Soaking overnight with water and a small amount of bleachDid this help you?
- 14Scrubbing with a brush and a sponge with soapDid this help you?
- 15Picking at the stain with a fingerDid this help you?
- 16Using ball bearings or marbles with cleaner while swirling on its sideDid this help you?
- 17Using a bottle brushDid this help you?
- 18Using chemclean soaked in warm water for an hour or twoDid this help you?
- 19Using paint mixing balls from game storesDid this help you?
- 20soaking in denture cleanerDid this help you?
- 21soaking in cleaning-grade vinegar or bleach overnightDid this help you?
- 22boiling the partsDid this help you?
- 23using a bottle cleaner brush with hot water and dish soapDid this help you?
- 24pulling a paper towel through the mouthpieceDid this help you?
- 25replacing the lid or buying a new bottleDid this help you?
- 26Using baby bottle sanitizing tabletsDid this help you?
- 27Soaking in denture tabsDid this help you?
- 28Washing with hot soapy water or hand washing onlyDid this help you?
- 29Soaking in cleaning vinegarDid this help you?
- 30Soaking overnight with warm water, dish soap, and vinegarDid this help you?
- 31Using bottle brushes of different sizesDid this help you?
- 32Using denture cleaner tabletsDid this help you?
- 33Switching to stainless steel bottles and washing dailyDid this help you?
- 34dropping in denture cleaner or tumbler cleaner tabletsDid this help you?
- 35scrubbing the inside with a bottle brushDid this help you?
- 36pushing a sponge around the bottom with a spoonDid this help you?
- 37soaking it in white vinegar for a dayDid this help you?
- 38using baby bottle sterilisation fluidDid this help you?
- 39running it through a dishwasher's high-heat sanitizing cycleDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My water bottle had mold spots in the bottom of it, I’m not sure if it’s aluminum or not.”source ↗
“I tried using bleach spray and hot water to soak the bottom and it seemingly got rid of the mold but not sure if safe to drink from.”source ↗
“Any tips or should I replace it entirely?”source ↗
“I found this old United dairies bottle on a walk. It has this scuff mark that either has dirt or some other stain.”source ↗
“I've tried scrubbing with a brush and a sponge with soap. Also picking at it with my finger. No luck.”source ↗
“I’ve had this Ello water bottle for almost a year and suddenly realized these black moldy spots; yuck! I’ve tried almost everything I can think of. Scrubbing it with sponge, iron sponge, boiling it on hot water, trying to scrape it off with a butter knife and nothing.”source ↗
“I avoid this type of water bottle for this very reason.”source ↗
“one time I left the residue in my bottle and forgot about it for a day or two but after washing like 20 times (has been two weeks since) the smell hasn't fully gone yet.”source ↗
“after washing it the smell goes away for a bit but comes back it if I leave the lid on, trapping the air.”source ↗
“how do I get rid of this smell of old Dunkin' juice in the bottle. I've washed with soap a lot of times.”source ↗
“How do o clean this to make it look as good as new?”source ↗
“That sounds like a good idea. I’ll probably just replace the lid because I can’t stop thinking that it’s fresh mold”source ↗
“If you’ve tried all that…😅 only last thing I can think is UV treatment to see if it kills it off but then again sounds like it’s permeated the silicone so may have to replace it sooner or later”source ↗
“God no its not but this is the third our fourth bottle thats done this.”source ↗
“I noticed a tiny bit of mold inside of it yesterday, so I tried to clean it out by filling it up with warm water dish soap and viniger, shaking it up, then letting it sit overnight. I just emptied it out and rinsed it with more warm water, but there’s still a bit of mold inside of it. How do I clean it out?”source ↗
“I probably will just get a new one, but I kinda can’t fit a sponge into the opening. How else could I clean it?”source ↗
“Ive been drinking out of this for like months, I didn't even know you were supposed to clean water bottles up until a year or so ago”source ↗
“I was dumb and filled a reusable toiletry bottle with sunscreen. Is there any way to wash it out?”source ↗
“I used all the sunscreen that was inside, but I don't want to use it for sunscreen anymore.”source ↗
“My partner has a waterbottle from aldi that no matter what we do to clean it stinks something awful. Weve tried baby bottle sanity tabs, warm water, cold water, denture tabs, lots of soap, little soap, hand wash only.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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