How to disinfect?

[BlueButterfly]

Well, I hope this doesn't make me seem like a bad guinea pig parent, but I've never really cleaned out my girls' water bottle. I rinse it out every time I fill it up, and I scrub it out with vinegar some times, but that's about it. But now I need to know how to disinfect a water bottle completely. I got my (future) boys a water bottle, and it absolutely reeks of chemicals. I'm thinking that this is gonna need something stronger then wiping it out with vinegar. Any suggestions? I've heard soaking it in soap and water, but is that safe? If so, what soap should I use? Thanks in advance!

[jade_14]

Bleach + soap + water. Soak and use a cotton swab to clean the metal spout. (i just use dish detergent as soap). Rinse well!

[kananaka]

I use hot water, salt, and dish soap, and to clean it out I pour table salt in with a tiny bit of water and a drop of dish soap cover and shake like crazy. The salt is mildly abrasive and scrubs the inside, the soap disinfects, and the water just helps make it sludge like. Make sure to rinse it thoroughly not matter what you use.

[Kim37040]

Be careful in using bleach with soap. Depending on the amount it can be dangerous.

I give them a good soak in vinegar and water and then a soak in plain hot water.

[jade_14]

1 to 9 ratio with bleach is fine

[MissJean]

Undiluted vinegar has antibacterial properties, or that's what the all-natural hippie folks say.

Using brushes is good, as friction helps remove bacteria.

I scrub my bottles out with undiluted vinegar everyday. I don't have a spout brush, so I sadly have to use a Q-tip for the time being. I use a bottle brush for the body. I'm always surprised at how much backwash gets in the spout! Every time I swab the inside, there's a little residue that comes out. That's why I don't even like to skip a day.

A couple times a week I also soak them in the sink with hot soapy water.

[BlueButterfly]

Thanks very much everyone! I'll do some, if not all of this tomorrow.

[jacqueline]

i had been using vinegar very liberally, in the wash and when cleaning the coro. i was reminded recently by some talking head on the radio, that vinegar is very acidic, and that if you use it to clean, you should be careful not to use too much. so, now i'm worried about the vinegar compromising my fabric and the coro, so i still use it, but always diluted. i don't know what you all have heard - maybe i'm just being too cautious, but i just thought i'd share my anxiety. . .

[MissJean]

i had been using vinegar very liberally, in the wash and when cleaning the coro. i was reminded recently by some talking head on the radio, that vinegar is very acidic, and that if you use it to clean, you should be careful not to use too much. so, now i'm worried about the vinegar compromising my fabric and the coro, so i still use it, but always diluted. i don't know what you all have heard - maybe i'm just being too cautious, but i just thought i'd share my anxiety. . .

The regular vinegar you buy in the store is usually already diluted to 5% acidity. To give you an idea of how strong it is, if you put it on your skin once you'll only feel a light tingling sensation. (Unless you have very sensitive skin).

I use about a 32 oz bottles worth every time I wash their fleece and it's been fine. It's not acidic enough to be corrosive.

[Petlovr]

I agree with missjean. I stopped to access the Heinz vinegar website to check if they had a recommendation for dilution. 5% isn't much. I only use about 1 cup in rinse cycle of the wash, and full strength when I'm soaking something, like cage bottoms, plastic hideys with dried on poo, or water bottles. Then I rinse like crazy so there isn't any after taste or smell. It's very safe-and cheap!

[MookaGuineaPig]

I have a glass Super pet water bottle that I just stick in the dish washer every couple of weeks when it gets dirty. It works really well!

[SeeSpotSit]

It is actually very dangerous to mix certain dish soaps with chlorine bleach. Here is the MSDS for Dawn Dish Soap DAWN LIQUID DISHWASHING DETERGENT--PROCTER & GAMBLE -- "Materials to avoid - Chlorine bleach"

The fumes that these two products produce can make you pass out - believe me.

I would either use the salt method above, use vinegar, or...use the dishwasher (if the temp is hot enough to disinfect baby bottles, I'm sure it works for an animal bottle!) top rack if it's plastic.

[pinky]

I never use bleach. I use a drop of antibacterial dish soap in a bowl and scrub with a bottle brush. I rinse very well. I use my finger to rub the underside of the rim of the bottle. I have a tiny bottle brush that fits into the spout. I've also used pipe cleaners. Vinegar is safe for guinea pigs so washing with some vinegar is a better than using bleach.

[MissJean]

My bottles also specifically say *not* to be cleaned in the dishwasher (Hartz brand). Though obviously the previous poster has a glass water bottle, which is fine.

[Mastershroom]

I just hand-wash it with the same antibacterial dish soap and hot water that I use for all of my dishes, and rinse it thoroughly. Never had any issues.