A recent study from US-based waterfilterguru.com found that reusable bottles can harbor 40,000 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat – describing them as a “portable Petri dish,” the New York Post reported.
When the researchers swabbed parts of different water bottles three times—including the spout lid, the straw lid, and the squeeze lid—they found two types of bacteria present: gram-negative rods and bacilli.
Comparison of bacteria on bottles and other household items
Bottles contain twice as many germs as a kitchen sink; can carry four times as much bacteria as a computer mouse; and 14 times more than a pet’s drinking bowl!
How dangerous are these bacteria on the bottles?
“The human mouth is home to a large number and variety of different bacteria,” said Imperial College London molecular microbiologist Dr. Andrew Edwards for the NY Post. “So it’s not surprising that drinking vessels are covered in microbes.”
And while bottles can serve as a breeding ground for large numbers of bacteria, University of Reading microbiologist Dr. Simon Clarke said, adding that “it’s not necessarily dangerous”.
“I’ve never heard of anyone getting sick from a water bottle. Likewise, taps are clearly not the problem: when was the last time you heard of someone getting sick from spilling a glass of tap water?
“Water bottles are probably contaminated with bacteria that are already in people’s mouths.”
What type of bottle was the safest?
Cap bottles were the cleanest of the three styles tested, with one-tenth the amount of bacteria than bottles with screw caps or straw lids.
How often should the bottles be cleaned?
Experts recommend washing it at least once a day with hot, soapy water and disinfecting it at least once a week—though increase this habit if you’re unwell, drinking from it while eating, or pouring something other than water into it.
