Stinky Nalgene Bottles

[dundare]

My nalgene bottles have been pretty foul lately. Traditionally, I wash them with warm water and dish detergent before any trip and that has always been fine.

Lately, when I open them before a trip, they stink. I clean them and they smell ok, but the smell returns pretty quickly.

Anyone have any tricks for getting rid of the smell and whatever is causing it? I have been thinking of cleaning with some bleach, but am not too keen on putting it into something I drink from.

Thanks.

 

[jade]

As far as bleach is concerned, I don't typically like to use it either....but it does kill germs and you only need a couple of drops. A couple of drops, then fill the bottle with water, shake it up and let it sit for a half hour. Pour the contents out into your toilet or a load of white laundry so you're getting two uses out of it.

You can also use an iodine tablet and follow the rest of the bleach instructions.

Hydrogen peroxide is another possibilty.

If you've had the bottle for a long time, it might be time to make an investment in a new one.

I have friends who never reuse spring water bottles or Nalgene because of the dangers of 'off gassing'. I don't know if that's a marketing ploy on behalf of the manufacturers or if it really is dangerous.

Anyway, I hope you solve your steeenking bottle problem...........

 

[spencer]

I bleach them after every few trips.

I also have two old ones that I retired and reincarnated as field jugs for chainsaw bar oil.

spencer

 

[sp1936]

Lately, when I open them before a trip, they stink.

I'm inferring from this that you're storing them closed. Try leaving them open when you're not using them.

Steve

 

[ADackR]

you should clean the threads on the outside and underneath the cap....

you'll be shocked by all the dirt that is in there. that will take care of your smell. all you need to do is use a paper towel and firmly clean each thread.

i just did this because my nalgene has been pretty smelly for the last week or two. after that cleaning it was fine.

oh, i also agree with everyone on saying use a couple drops of bleech to clean the thing. with all the scare with the recent (Nalgene is harmful if cleaned with harsh chemical and abrasives)
the bleech is just one easy step,

 

[percious]

I just run mine through the dishwasher every few months. And I make sure to leave the top off. Germs loved closed up environments for some reason.

-percious

 

[Mark]

I have friends who never reuse spring water bottles or Nalgene because of the dangers of 'off gassing'. I don't know if that's a marketing ploy on behalf of the manufacturers or if it really is dangerous.

I'm curious. In what, then, do your friends carry their water?

 

[Silverback]

I have used my bottles for number of years, both LPE and Polycarb (Lexan). No problems with smells, I wash them with my dishes, rinse them well and set them upside down on a paper towel for a couple of days until they totally air dry. Plus, I never store them closed.

 

[Grumpy]

I’ve used the Nalgene LPE bottles for . . . ever . . . and never had a foul odor problem with them. (A couple that still get regular use are pushing 25-30 years old.) They will retain flavors, though, if filled with something like lemonade. Flavors usually go away with a shot of well diluted laundry bleach.

Since I don’t buy that fancy bottled water from the store, a Nalgene water jug is my near constant companion, every day. I keep mine clean with periodic bleach treatments as others have described here. Rinse out well afterwards, and you’re all set. I’ve never sent one through the dishwasher. Store unused bottles with caps off.

G.

 

[jade]

Mark..........these particular friends are not of the hiking persuassion. They purchase bottled water, drink, then recycle just as the manufacturers would have it......They only reuse glass bottles, which of course are not safe for us who are out and about.

I agree with making sure the threads are clean and throwing the bottles and caps in the dishwasher every once in a while. Most dishwasher detergent has some amount of bleach in it..........

Hydrate!!

 

[JohnL]

I found that the softer plastic Nalgene bottles take on a smell (and keep it) much easier than the Lexan bottles. The plastic is apparently more absorbant than Lexan. After thoroughly washing the bottles, I will fill the bottles with soapy water and let them sit for several days, shaking them a couple times a day.

Here is what Nalgene has to say about it.

JohnL

 

[Jaytrek57]

Store your water bottles near unwashed, recently used hiking socks. That way when you open your water bottle and say, "Geez...what's that smell?"...you can easily dismiss it and say..."Oh yeah...that's my socks."

Or you can do what others have suggested. I for one go with the washing machine (completely take of the top) and then let it sit for a day or two with water and a few drops of bleach.

 

[Grumpy]

Ahem: Vanilla.

thank you, thank you very much

Wow, AlpSum, I gues you ARE BIG on using vanilla to deodorize Nalgene containers, and whatnot.

G.

 

[Doc McPeak]

Vanilla, Vaschmella!

CHOCOLATE ... MMMmmmmmmm

 

[Stan]

I don't use Nalgene bottles but do occasionally wash them out with a little bleach thrown in to combat mildew and whatever else might like to start building up. As for taste, we sometimes add a slice or wedge of lemon to our bottles. The treat lingers for at least a few refills but I hear that the acid can effect treatment with iodine tablets if you do that.

 

[packdan]

smelly nagene bottles

I've you tried baking soda ?

It is very effective to remove odours.Just put a teaspoon and fill the bottle with water and let stand overnight.

Bye.
Danny

 

[snowshoe]

I have also found backing soda works best. Also store them opened. That usually works well for me.

 

[Nadine]

The HDPE (opaque) nalgene bottles hold odors much more than the lexan ones. I decanted homebrew into a HDPE nalgene in 1999 and despite all my cleaning attempts with baking soda and bleach it still smells like yeast when I open it. Since then I've decanted ethyl alcohol into lexan nalgenes and have not had a problem with odor.