Water bottle: E dirty pass toilet seat? – How you can stop your water bottle from becoming dirty

To dey carry water bottle for your bag get double advantage: on one hand, dis habit dey help good level of hydration, wey dey very important for health; on di oda hand, and dey avoid too much chop-chop disposable materials, wey be positive point to sustain.

But you never think about the hygiene of your utensil?

“Only water from the bottle, so all you have to do is rinse it under the tap and fill it to keep it clean,” Rodrigo Lins, a physician and consultant to the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, explains.

But research shows that there is far from the case. If you don’t clean them, the containers will gather lots of micro-organisms, like bacteria and fungi, which are harmful to your health.

A study by WaterFilterGuru, the only company that does water quality control in the USA, estimates that a single reusable bottle fit can carry around 20.8 million CFUs (colony-forming units).

CFU measurement shows the number of microbes, or the shape of colonies, for a surface.

The study compares the contamination level of bottled water with a number of objects, but at first glance it shows a lot of dirt.

For example, find an average of 515 CFU per surface area of ​​the toilet seat, and mean say the bottle carries 40,000 times more bacteria in the toilet bowl.

Numbers are also really lower for pet food cans (1.4 million CFU on average), computer mice (4 million) and kitchen sinks (11 million).

A study by Sabi Pipo from Henan University, China, concludes that “really high levels of bacterial content and rapid microbial growth” are achieved for utensils.

The authors estimate an average of 75,000 bacteria per milliliter of water, and say microscopic creatures fit multiply up to 2 million/ml within just 24 hours.

Anoda study, by Purdue University for USA, collected 90 bottles and found say around 15% of participants never throwey leftover water at the end of di day, and just add more di next time dey use am.

The WaterFilterGuru survey also showed some hygiene issues: while 42% of participants said they wash their bottles at least once a day, 25% said they clean them a few times a week, while 13% admitted to cleaning them a few times a month.

But what about the danger of dirty bottles, and how do you go about keeping yourself clean?

We must know we dey live for surrounding of bacteria everywia, wey no really be bad tin (sometimes, na welcome and key tin for our own survival).

These microscopic creatures have “invaded” our water bottles in a number of ways.

The first and most obvious thing is when we must bring our mouths close to the bottle to drink the liquid.

Some of the microbes that colonize our skin, lips, gums, teeth and tongue, like staphylococci and streptococci, “jump” to utensils and begin to multiply for a new environment.

A similar thing happens when we use our fingers to pick up the container or unscrew the lid to access the water.

Our hands dey contact wit number of oda objects (door handles, elevator buttons, handrails…) wey also dey handled by oda pipo.

Bacteria also fit dey for bags and backpacks for di bottle, for school lockers, on top desk, for kitchen sink.

Once in the container, dis microbes form colonies and begin to multiply for geometric progression if dem no check am through time to time cleaning. According to a Chinese study, the rate went from 75,000/ml to 2 million/ml within just 24 hours.

A moist, warm and dark environment (for example, plastic or aluminum bottles) is also a better environment for many fungal species.

For cases of hygiene leave plenty to like, and it is possible to see the results of a microscopic “party” with naked eyes: water accumulates debris, wey generally settle for the bottom of the bottle, and green or black spots show for the surface of the cork or for hard-to-reach places like spouts and straws.

But what if you were to contact us with any material that presents a health risk?

The answer depends on some factors, according to Sabi Pipo.

“We need to take into account ten times more bacteria in the cells of our body,” explains Lins, who is also president of the Infectious Diseases Society of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

“And depending on the amount and type of microorganisms we ingest, our immune system will cope with these demands without major complications,” he added.

For some cases, for example if the number of microbes in the bottle is very high, the owner of the utensil may experience small inside symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

Alternative na , dey fit dey unlucky enough to find say dia bottle dey colonized by more serious bacteria, wey fit cause serious infections wey difficult to treat wit standard antibiotics.

Some people are also allergic to fungi and molds. For dem, to use water tank wey full of dis micro-organisms fit casue reactions, wit nasal congestion, nausea, headaches and fatigue, among oda discomforts.

Microbiologist Jorge Timenetsky, from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of São Paulo (ICB-USP), explains that some groups of people are in danger and need to pay more attention to the hygiene of personal items.

“This is a case for young people, elderly people or people with weak immune systems,” he explains.

But how do you clean your Wella water bottle without making life more difficult?

Di experts first recommend say. “Ideally, you need to wash am every time you use am,” says Lins.

“To clean once a day wen you get home dey enough,” Timenetsky agrees.

To combat bacteria, just use soap and water, the same products you use for the rest of your dishes.

“It is also important to use brushes to mechanically remove micro-organisms,” di ICB-USP professor add.

Leave me to dry for some time before refilling with water for a new hydration cycle.

You need to get your own bottle) and do not fill the container with liquids, such as juices, sports drinks and sodas, as they carry nutrients that can “stimulate” microbial colonies.

What material do you use and what bottles do you use to influence the level of contamination? Aluminum, plastic or glass get advantages or disadvantages?

According to sabi pipo, the choice depends on individual preferences, since the compounds have similar characteristics to those that gather microscopic organisms.

From Purdue University study wey dem tok for up bin shaow say di glass bottles wey dem collect for di experiment get lower level of micro-organisms in di aluminum bottles.

Timenetsky suggests saying to avoid containers with grooves or rough edges, as dey fit trap more organic matter.

Lins do not recommend bottles with wooden parts (wey dey unusual for dis case). “Also, it’s simpler, easier and easier to clean,” he added.

For oda words, cups and bottles wit spouts, straws and oda small structures dey against, but dey need more attention to hygiene.

You need to buy small, flexible brushes to reach small parts, which are almost impossible to clean with a normal sponge.