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Theres no bond quite like the one you have with youremotional support water bottle.
Its faithfully by your side whether youre at work, at the gym, or out on the town.
Your water bottle is practically a best friend.
But hey when was the last time you washed it?
Are you actually drinking viruses, bacteria, and fungi with every sip?
This is true even if you sip regular H2O, though, since bacteria are truly everywhere.
Ready for the cold hard facts?
Keep reading to see what happens if you dont wash your water bottle, according to a germ expert.
Whats Inside Your Dirty Water Bottle?
The averagereusable water bottlelives a tough life.
There are only a few species of bacteria that are known for creating a biofilm.
It just so happens that a few of them come from your mouth.
After a week is when you get those biofilms going.
What Happens If You Drink From A Dirty Water Bottle?
For the most part, nothing bad will happen if you drink from your dirty Stanley Cup.
Thats really the reason to wash your bottle to prevent the introduction of unknown microbial species into your body.
Tetro recommends washing your bottle (and straw!)
If it says its microwave-safe, go ahead and give it a steamy rinse.
As Tetro says, The heat is going to kill the bugs.
How Often Should You Clean Your Water Bottle?
(Looking at you, WaterTok.)
you could also do a smell test, Tetro says.
The role of Exopolysaccharides in oral biofilms.Journal of Dental Research,98(7), 739745. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034519845001.
