You’re cleaning your water bottle wrong and could be putting your health at risk from mold

REUSABLE water bottles are easy to mindlessly refill, but when was the last time you gave yours a good scrub?

If you notice that the water coming out of your old, faithful water bottle isn't smelling or tasting very fresh, you're probably washing your water bottle wrong - or not as often as you should.

The naturally moist environment inside water bottles is a breeding ground for mildew and mold, so it's important to regularly wash it.

You should be cleaning your water bottle every day to avoid germs, according to cleaning expert Leslie Reichert.

“Germs will grow on your reusable water bottles after each and every use,” Reichert told .

“Combined with the fact that mold and mildew thrive in moist, dark areas—let’s just say this is not a container you would want to drink anything out of.” 

If you have a screw-top bottle, the cleaning process is easy enough.

Simply separate the top from the bottle and run both pieces through the dishwasher, drying cycle included, on the top rack.

Be sure to check your water bottle's product details before throwing it in the dishwasher.

For bottles with more complex tops, you can use a bottle brush to get to the bottom of the bottle and a small bottle brush, like a straw brush, to clean the nooks of the lid.