cleaning school water bottles

[southeastastra]

any ways to stop them smelling? don't want to just get new ones they're not that old!

Put them in the dishwasher?

I have sigg metal water bottles. The dishwasher doesn't really clean them, and I can't work out how best to clean them, especially the nozzle.

Soak overnight with water and bicarb and then wash really well?

I have a couple for DS that I try to keep for water only - I find that if they have had juice in they smell.

Gave up on the Sigg ones as the nozzle went mouldy!

I have the Sigg ones too and have found that the dishwasher gets them clean. If not, they also sell a cleaning tab thing, probably the same as steriliser tabs. Never had to use them though.

kindersurprise - I will look for the tablets. Dh put milk into one of the sigg bottles and it went mouldy. I've cleaned it loads since, but it still smells. But we've also used it and none of us have been sick

Does anyone have clear reusable water bottles? DD's school insists on clear, I guess to help check its only water inside. I've not found any.. so reluctantly have to use sports-top plastic bottles. I reuse for as long as poss - tops go in the dishwasher fine, the bottle just gets rinsed out. But they don't last forever.

don't have a dishwasher will try the bicarb thing. it only has water in it. i don't know why they can't just have water in cups really.

the only clear ones i've seen emsmum are the ones that schools give away. (not our school though)

Our school has the clear ones but we have to buy them.

I soak our sports bottles in Milton sterilising fluid for an hour or 2 and it works well.

If it's like our school southeastastra they have bottles because they have them on the tables so they can drink when they want to. If they had cups, there would be a flood about every half an hour.....

suppose that makes sense. but they don't need constant watering do they.

No, but the idea is they have a drink when they need it, and if they're not on the tables, you either have to have set times when they can drink,or have constant disruption when they get up to go & get a drink. Even 7 year olds can spot an ideal opportunity for a little skiving - that's why pencils don't last long at school - unless the teacher is on the ball they have social sharpening sessions round the wasepaper bin.

sounds like fun