You know when you’re at the gym and you go to take a sip from your reusable water bottle, but something just tastes … off? We all know and hate that metallic taste and smell that tells us we definitely need to clean our water bottles. This distinct scent typically comes from bacteria, so you definitely want to take care of it. Most of the time, letting your water bottle soak filled with soapy water takes care of the taste and scent, but does that really keep it clean?

While bleach is a tried and true disinfectant, it’s also corrosive, potentially harmful for the skin, and definitely harmful if accidentally ingested. As many people attempt to move toward more natural methods of cleaning, it’s great to know that there are ways to effectively clean your water bottles without exposing yourself to harsh chemicals. In fact, you probably have everything you need right in your kitchen.

Use baking soda

Mix together baking soda and water until they form a paste, and use a cleaning brush to swish the paste around the inside of your water bottle. Then, leave it alone for fifteen minutes as everything soaks in. After the fifteen minutes, rinse your water bottle with hot water until the paste comes off, and let it air dry.

Use white vinegar

White vinegar is an excellent agent for killing germs and bacteria, and also acts as a natural stain remover. To use white vinegar to clean your water bottle, first rinse your water bottle with hot water. Then, fill one fifth of the water bottle with white vinegar. If you prefer, you can dilute one or two tablespoons of white vinegar in a cup of water. Either way, fill the remainder of the water bottle with water and let it sit for ten minutes. Then, rinse the bottle out until you can no longer smell vinegar and let the bottle air dry.

Get a tiny brush

If your water bottle has tiny crevices that you feel like you miss when you’re trying to clean, even after using the baking soda or white vinegar technique, get a small cleaning brush that you can use to get to those easily missed areas.  If your water bottle comes with a straw, make sure to clean that out too.

Stainless steel water bottles are sometimes not safe for the dishwasher, so although it might take a little extra work, it’s worth your time to properly clean out your water bottles to make sure you’re only sipping on clean, healthy water.

For more healthy tips, visit http://starthealthy.com/health.