Is it ok to reuse Water Bottles?

Queen.Bess

On C4's Embarassing Illnesses last year, the doctor took swabs of towels, drinks bottles, gym equipment etc, from some Birmingham uni students at the gym, to test for bacteria etc. Each item had faecal matter on them, inc. the rim of the drinks bottle! I re-use my drinks bottle by filling it up at the water machine at work, but I rinse the bottle each time. I see no reason not to stop doing that (unless I'm moaned at for taking 1 litre of water from work twice a week!)

goony

I re use mine till they fall apart.Just need to be careful to clean the bottles between uses and not leave water in them for too long.

soba

I wash bottles in hot soapy water, then rinse in cold water with vinegar in. I'm pretty sure that will kill anything. Doesn't taste of vinegar afterwards either. Then reuse until they fall apart.

thriftmonster

hannoja wrote: »

I find the 'chemicals' point of view rather a tenacious one, since you can buy re-usable water bottles in stores.. are they made of such different plastic..? *shrugs*

I'd say sterilise them regularly to be completely safe..

Dh is away ATM so I can't give chapter & verse, but different bottles are made out of different plastics, some of which can leach phthalates (sp?) into the water. He won't reuse a lot of bottles - generally ones that have held fizzy drinks are better because they are made differently to resist the pressure from the carbonation. Phthalates in water have been linked to decreasing fertility rates amongst other things I think.