Re: Cleaning Water Bottles
Okay, this is a little hard to explain.
First, I should explain I have anywhere from 25-35 bottles to clean regularly. Second, virtually every bottle that I have looks as good as the day I bought it. Right, Kara?
Number 1 Rule: Never, ever "fill" a water bottle. Not ever.
Every time a water bottle is removed to be refilled, it is ALWAYS emptied and cleaned using the following technique. My method does not use bottle brushes or cleaners or anything. (I don't have the time.)
1. Unscrew the top. When emptying out any water from the bottle, shake it out.
2. Remove the rubber washer. Rinse it off under cold water rubbing it between thumb and forefinger until it feels squeaky clean. This can slime up quickly.
3. With the cold water running fairly hard, run the sipper tube under the water (without the washer), shaking it hard (make the metal ball clang a lot). Repeat that from the other end of the sipper tube (cap end), shaking hard with running water.
4. Fill the bottle with water and shake out once or twice.
5. Run your index or pinky finger around the inside of the top end of the bottle, making sure it's squeaky clean.
6. Fill, shake, rinse out two or three more times.
7. Replace rubber stopper in cap. Maybe shake it out once more for good measure.
8. Fill the bottle, replace the cap. Done.
I don't know if I explained it very well. It sounds a bit complicated, but it's not. I always make a water mess, but hey, it wipes up. No bottle brushes needed. Quite frankly, I don't have time to mess with them. This works. It's worked for well over a hundred pigs. My bottles are clean and look great.
The only bottles I have that are cruddy looking are those that come in from private surrenders (yuk!). Also, I much prefer the clear plastic bottles to the opaque ones, just for water line visibility. But, I like the design of the Lixit. On the Lixit bottles, I do not remove the thin rubber ring.
On average, our bottles are cleaned and refilled about every 3 days. Your PET should have cleaned, fresh water every day. Some of our pigs have cleaned and refilled bottles every day or every other day, depending.
When I get the occasional volunteer to help with cages. They get water bottle duty to start. Once in a while, I'll clean the bottles with a 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar solution.
