How Do You Get Mold Out of a Stainless Steel Water Bottle?

After some time, you may notice mold growing in your drinking bottle. This leads you to think— how do you get mold out of a stainless steel water bottle? We're listing ways on how to remove mold in Hydro Cell water bottles to make them squeaky clean and keep water refreshing.

How Do You Get Mold Out of a Stainless Steel Water Bottle? 

To get mold out of a stainless steel water bottle, clean it using baking soda, boiling water, or hydrogen peroxide. Lemon juice, tea tree oil, citrus seed extract, and vinegar also effectively eliminate mold because of their antimicrobial properties.

There are times that mold can grow despite regularly cleaning your bottles. This is because washing still results in moisture, which is where bacteria and mold can thrive. However, with these methods, you can remove any mold in your Hydro Cell water bottles.

Apply Baking Baking Soda

Baking soda is a multi-faceted product that you can use for baking, cleaning, and disinfecting. Moreover, you can use baking soda as a non-toxic treatment solution for getting mold out of your Hydro Cell stainless steel bottles. 

This is an excellent natural treatment if you want to eliminate mold without leaving a strong chemical scent in your bottles.

1. Combine equal parts baking soda and liquid dish soap.
2. Dab a bit of the paste onto an old toothbrush or bottle brush.
3. Gently scrub the paste along the moldy surface.
4. Follow up with a spray solution in stubborn areas.
5. For reinforcements, sprinkle powdered cleaner, then continue wiping the moldy spot.
6. Use a piece of sackcloth of wax paper to wipe the entire area clean. The grainy texture of these materials can also help loosen up the mold.

Spray Vinegar

Vinegar contains mild acid that can kill about 82% of known molds. Ideally, use vinegar with 5% to 6% acidity, which provides antifungal and antibacterial properties that can remove mold, fungi, and other organisms in stainless steel water bottles.

1. Pour white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle.
2. Spray the concentrated vinegar onto the moldy surface and let it sit for 60 minutes.
3. Use a soft sponge or damp cloth to scrub. 
4. You can apply a baking soda and water paste if you need reinforcement when scrubbing.
5. Another option is to soak paper towels with white vinegar, then lay them over the moldy spots.
6. Leave the towels for at least 30 minutes.
7. When there's no trace of mold, rinse the bottle with warm water or do your regular cleaning method.

Clean with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide with 3 to 10% solution is another effective cleaning method for getting mold from a stainless steel water bottle. It is often used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic.

Furthermore, hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative if you don't like the smell of vinegar to leave in your Hydro Cell bottle.

1. Transfer some hydrogen peroxide to a spray bottle, then spray the solution directly into the mold.
2. Let the hydrogen peroxide sit for at least 20 minutes.
3. Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe the moldy section.
4. Repeat if there's still some mold.
5. Make sure to wash with soapy water, then let it dry to prevent mold from growing again.

Use Boiling Water

Most molds and yeasts are heat-sensitive, which means you can destroy mold using heat treatments at 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. 

1. Fill your Hydro Cell stainless steel water bottle with boiling water. This should help disinfect the bottle and eliminate unwanted bacteria.
2. Let it sit overnight.
3. Wash the bottle vigorously using soap or and warm water.
4. Use a bottle brush if the moldy area is hard to reach.

Spray Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another non-toxic mold cleaner yet leaves a refreshing, clean scent. Its 5% acidity acts as a natural bleach for cleaning and disinfecting Hydro Cell stainless steel water bottles.

1. Use concentrated lemon juice or squeeze some lemons, then transfer the solution into a spray bottle.
2. Spray the lemon juice onto the moldy spot. This also works great for removing rust in stainless steel water bottles.
3. Another option is to soak a sponge into the lemon juice then scrub it against the bottle.
4. Repeat until there's no trace of mold.
5. Wash and rinse as usual.

Apply Tea Tree Oil

The Australian Melaleuca Alternifolia tree produces an all-natural essential oil commonly known as tea tree oil. This oil also contains antimicrobial properties that are effective in combating mold, mildew, and fungi.

1. Use tea tree oil with Cineole at 10-15% or Terpinen-4-ol at no less than 30%.
2. Mix 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water or distilled white vinegar.
3. Transfer the mixture into a spray bottle, then spray directly onto the stainless steel bottle's affected portion.
4. Let the mixture sit for at least 60 minutes before scrubbing the mold away.

Use Grapefruit Seed Extract

Similar to tea tree oil, seed extract from grapefruit is an environmentally-friendly cleaning agent for Hydro Cell water bottles. It also has microbial properties that can eliminate up to 60 types of bacteria and yeasts.

1. Dilute 20 drops of extract with 2 cups of water.
2. Mix in a spray bottle, then spray directly onto the bottle's moldy part.
3. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
4. Use a brush or clean cloth to scrub.
5. Wash with liquid soap before rinsing and air drying.

Related Questions

What Are Tips for Preventing Mold in Stainless Steel Bottles?

To prevent mold from growing in bottles, tip and air dry them at the end of the day. It's also essential that you know the proper ways on how to clean stainless steel bottles. Monitor humidity and be diligent in removing moisture, especially when there's no water left.

Can You Get Sick from Drinking Moldy Water?

Yes, you can get sick from drinking moldy water because mold contains toxins that can cause fever-like allergies or flu-like symptoms. While the body can generally combat this, some people who have weaker immune systems are more prone to problems such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.

Conclusion

Hydro Cell stainless steel water bottles allow you to enjoy bringing hot and cold drinks while reducing single-use plastic. However, you may unconsciously let mold grow in the bottle. With these tips, you can remove mold in your bottles, so you can continue using them for a long time.