https://www.reddit.com/r/simpleliving/comments/1iwb3fs/water_bottles_no_chlorine/
created by mk_gecko on 23/02/2025 at 14:17 UTC
8 upvotes, 8 top-level comments (showing 8)
We recently moved out to the country side and get our water from a well, and it's not chlorinated (though we do have a water softener).
I like to reuse bottles a lot -- eg. a plastic Gatorade bottle makes a nice water bottle for the next 6 months. However, I'm noticing that after a week of use, the inside of the bottle feels a bit slimy, even though it gets washed with dishes (though I don't have anything that can clean the insides of the bottle, no bottle brush).
Is this because we don't have chlorine in our water?
I suppose I should only use bottles which have a large enough mouth that I can reach something inside them and clean them.
Comment by Grammareyetwitch at 23/02/2025 at 15:37 UTC
18 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Any drinking vessel needs to be washed inside or they all get that way. It will make you sick. Get a bottle brush. Also you can put a half teaspoon of bleach in a whole sink of rinse water and it sanitizes your cups.
Comment by soybeing at 23/02/2025 at 16:04 UTC
22 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Stop drinking out of plastic bottles
Comment by ihearttoskate at 23/02/2025 at 16:33 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Have you ever had the well water tested? A significant percentage of wells don't meet drinking water standards because they're not maintained or lack treatment afterwards. Some states require testing well water as part of selling a house; do you have any paperwork from the seller about the well?
While it's a good idea to wash water bottles more, I'll admit that I've reused water bottles with less cleaning than you're currently doing. However, I'm on piped water, which has residual chlorine and resists slime forming.
Comment by starrae at 23/02/2025 at 18:21 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
The water softener makes water slimy
Comment by ExplosiveRoomba at 23/02/2025 at 22:25 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I don't have a bottle brush either. But, I use the handle of a long handled spatula/spoon, along with a sponge. I place the sponge inside the bottle, and then use the handle to push the sponge and scrub all along the bottom, sides, etc. I always use hot water, and the neck/lid/inner neck I wash with the sponge and my hand. It works. But I don't use small water bottles; I use something at least the size of a Gatorade bottle opening.
EDIT: I take the sponge back out of the bottle with the handle of the spatula. It can be tricky, but I've done it so many times I have it down to a science lol.
Comment by whatisthisredditstuf at 24/02/2025 at 06:27 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The easiest way to clean a bottle without a bottle brush is to put a small amount of some dishwashing liquid, water, and uncooked rice into it. About a teaspoon or so of rice and the dishwashing liquid and water should just fill at most 20% of the bottle. You want there to be plenty of room for the actual cleaning step: shake vigorously, so the rice scrubs the inside using the dishwashing liquid and water.
All that said, consider a lightweight metallic bottle or thermos instead of plastic bottles. The cleaning still has to happen, of course, but now you know the trick. :)
Comment by WastingTimesOnReddit at 25/02/2025 at 05:49 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
use glass or metal, that can go in the dishwasher. stop using plastic bottles, especially cheap ones like gatorade bottles
Comment by Master-Reference-775 at 23/02/2025 at 14:30 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Sounds like too much softener in water. Could be wrong.