Bottle cleaning on tour

[CanucksTraveller]

Good morning everyone, I have a quick question on bottle cleanliness on tours: Under normal circumstances I'd wash my bottles daily in hot soapy water and use a bottle brush. On a few days away from home I'm happy to just rinse them out with clean water nightly, but over a long tour I'm minorly concerned that might not be enough to keep tummy bugs at bay, is it a valid concern?

What do others do with no regular access to a kitchen? I'll be doing a two week tour in the future (once we're allowed) and I'll mostly be camping but I'll maybe use B+B as well.

Thanks!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I don’t clean mine regularly. No tummy bugs.

 

[Moodyman]

You should be fine with a nightly rise and washing of bottle spout for two weeks. Bacteria and mould tend to grow faster if undrunk water is left in the bottle for long periods.

Presume your campsites will have washing facilities. You could always take some sterilising tabs.

 

[Fram]

Same here. Try to get rid of the black bits at home but just keep using and using... while away.

 

[Aushiker]

I have completed tours for up to two months, within the main in a town/campsite about once a week. Never gave my bottles any special consideration. Water was always limited so washing them in town was it. In the meantime, I didn't bother.

 

[mjr]

I tend to take the easiest-clean bottles on tour: wide opening, no nooks and never left part-full overnight.

 

[matticus]

I think the biggest benefit comes from only putting WATER in them. Stuff grows much faster if you have sugars or other food in there.
(I use electrolyte tablets in hot weather, and I think even those create a hygiene problem - but only vv slowly e.g. if I leave a bottle for a month after getting home! )

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Thanks everyone, it sounds like it's nothing for me to worry about... it's nothing I've seen mentioned on blogs, accounts, prep lists etc so I had wondered. I think having occasional mouldy bottles in my youth may, just may, have given me a minor but lifelong habit of careful washes!
It's reassuring to hear that a rinse (and perhaps occasional wash) will be good enough for two weeks.

And I do use energy powders occasionally, but probably not on this tour as I'd have to lug it all with me.

 

[roley poley]

babies milk bottle sterilising tablet about the size of an alk-seltza won't take up much room.Crack a bit off and leave it to soak in there over night one tablet will be more than enough for a tour....oh and of course rinse well before filling to drink from

 

[Milkfloat]

I have been known to use a bit of shampoo in the past.

 

[Slick]

My bil was quite Ill once, so much so he had to visit the doctor. It took them a while to work it out as he was the only one in the family who was Ill and had eaten and drunk the same as everyone else. Turned out to be his bottle and ever since I was always quite careful with mine and use the tablets every now and again even on tour. All here say obviously, but it's just something that stuck with me.

 

[SafetyThird]

You could always get a little dropper bottle, anyone who vapes could give them to you for free, then put a bit of bleach in it. A couple of drops in the bottle, fill with water and leave for 10 mins, should kill pretty much anything in there.

 

[roley poley]

I have been known to use a bit of shampoo in the past.

yes always make sure it's SHAMpoo and not the real thing sorry I couldn't resist the pun

 

[Andy_R]

yes always make sure it's SHAMpoo and not the real thing sorry I couldn't resist the pun

The door is over there >>>>
Don't bother collecting your coat, we'll send it to you.

 

[RobinS]

On our first 3 month tour we found that we were being poisoned by "growths" inside our drink bottles - we would get sick, stop for a rest day, recover (when not using bike bottles), cycle again, get sick again, until we identified the problem.
Nowadays we only use stainless steel bottles, without bite valve nozzles, just screw on caps (nozzles hide mould growth). We also clean them with washing up liquid and BOILING water regularly, using a proper bottle brush. Carrying a bottle brush round Europe is a small price to pay for not getting sick.