How to Get Rid of Bad Smells in a Stainless Steel Water Bottle

You open your bottle, take a sip, and something's off: a musty smell, a sour note from yesterday's smoothie, or a faint metallic taste. It's frustrating, especially when the bottle is otherwise perfectly good. The good news: in most cases, the smell comes off in a few minutes with things you already have at home.

Where the smell really comes from

Quality stainless steel is non-porous: unlike plastic, it doesn't soak up flavours. When a steel bottle smells, the culprit is usually somewhere else:

• The lid and its seal, where moisture gets trapped after each use.
• The straw, if your lid has one, where drink residue builds up inside.
• A thin film inside the bottle, left by coffee, juice, protein shakes or smoothies.
• A bottle closed while still damp, which is the fastest way to get that musty smell.

So the fix is simple: clean every part, then let everything dry fully.

3 easy ways to get rid of the smell

1. Warm soapy water and a bottle brush (every day)

This is the habit that prevents 90% of smells.

• Fill the bottle halfway with warm water and a few drops of dish soap.
• Scrub the inside with a soft bottle brush, including the bottom.
• Take the lid apart as much as it allows, and clean the straw with a thin straw brush.
• Rinse well with warm water.

2. Baking soda (for a musty smell)

Baking soda neutralizes odours instead of just covering them.

• Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bottle, then fill it with warm water.
• Close it, shake well, then open it and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for a stubborn smell.
• For the lid and seal, make a paste with baking soda and a little water, and rub it in with the brush.
• Rinse thoroughly.

3. White vinegar (for a sour smell or metallic taste)

Vinegar is great against film left by coffee, juice and hard water.

• Fill the bottle with equal parts white vinegar and warm water.
• Let it sit for a few hours, or overnight if the smell is strong.
• Soak the lid and straw in the same mix.
• Rinse well with warm water until the vinegar smell is gone.

Good to know: if you want to combine baking soda and vinegar, do it with the lid off. The mix fizzes and builds pressure in a closed bottle.

Never use these on your bottle

• Bleach or chlorine products. Chlorine can attack stainless steel and cause small spots of corrosion, and it leaves its own smell behind.
• Abrasive scrubs, steel wool or scouring powder. They scratch the steel inside and damage the powder-coated finish outside.
• The dishwasher, for an insulated bottle. The heat can damage the finish and, over time, the double-wall insulation.

The habit that keeps smells away

After each wash, let the bottle and lid dry completely, apart, before closing it. Storing it with the lid off is the single best way to prevent that musty smell from coming back.

A bottle made to stay fresh

OWAW bottles and tumblers are made of 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, a non-porous steel that doesn't hold onto flavours and odours the way plastic does. Washed by hand with warm soapy water and dried properly, they keep your water tasting like water, day after day.

OWAW Nomade: 32 oz (946 ml) insulated bottle with a 2-in-1 straw lid. Cold up to 24 h, hot up to 12 h. Available in 8 colours.

OWAW Pause: 20 oz (591 ml) insulated tumbler for coffee and tea, with a slide lid. Hot up to 6 h, cold up to 12 h. Available in 3 colours.

Both come with free shipping on eligible orders and free 30-day returns.