The essentials in 30 seconds
After every use, empty the bottle, rinse it with warm water and leave it to air-dry upside down with the lid off: Thermos says sealing a wet bottle is the main cause of mould and musty smells. Once a week (more often for coffee, tea, shakes or juice), scrub the inside with warm water, a few drops of dish soap and a long bottle brush, take the lid apart, remove the gasket, run a straw brush through any straw, rinse well and let everything dry fully before reassembling. For smells, use 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda in warm water. Avoid chlorine bleach and steel wool or abrasive pads.
- Dishwasher: check your brand. Thermos says top rack only and no high-heat drying.
- If it still smells, the gasket is usually the culprit.
- Coffee and tea stains are cosmetic; denture or bottle cleaning tablets remove them.
Weekly deep clean of a stainless steel bottle
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01
Gather the tools
Long-handled bottle brush, dish soap, a small brush for the lid and a straw brush if you have one.
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02
Wash the inside
Warm water and a few drops of dish soap; scrub the bottom and the shoulder, where residue collects.
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03
Take the lid apart
As far as it goes: gasket out, straw parts separated, moving parts opened.
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04
Wash each part
Soapy water and a small brush; the gasket needs the most attention.
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05
Clean the straw
Run the straw brush through the full length in both directions.
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06
Rinse
Clean water until no soap remains, or the next drink will taste of it.
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07
Dry completely
Bottle upside down, parts on a clean surface; reassemble only when everything is dry.
Getting rid of a musty smell
Thermos's method: add 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda with warm water, fill the bottle about halfway, close it, shake for 30 seconds and leave it for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for strong odours. If the smell remains, follow with equal parts white vinegar and water for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse several times and air-dry with the lid off. Still smelly? It is probably the lid gasket: remove it and soak it separately in the baking soda solution, or replace it with a genuine spare part.
Bottle, lid, gasket and straw
| Part | How to clean it | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Inside of the bottle | Warm soapy water and a long bottle brush | Steel wool, abrasive sponges, scouring powders |
| Lid | Take it apart; wash each piece with soapy water and a small brush | Skipping it: it is where residue collects |
| Gasket | Remove, wash separately, dry fully before refitting | Chlorine bleach, long soaks |
| Straw | Straw brush through the full length, both directions | Leaving drink residue inside |
| Coffee and tea stains | Denture or bottle cleaning tablets in warm water, about 30 minutes | Abrasive cleaners |
| Outside | Mild dish soap; for stainless steel rust spots, a stainless steel cleaner (YETI) | Abrasive pads |
Can a stainless steel bottle go in the dishwasher?
It depends on the brand. Thermos says its bottles, lids and straws are dishwasher safe on the top rack only, with a standard or gentle cycle, skipping the high-heat drying cycle and letting them air-dry. YETI says all its Rambler drinkware is dishwasher safe, with gaskets and small lid parts in the utensil compartment and caps on the top rack, and that hand washing with mild dish soap works too. Check the instructions for your own bottle before using the dishwasher.
What not to do to a stainless steel bottle
- Sealing the lid on a wet bottle.
- Chlorine bleach, which can corrode steel and degrade gaskets.
- Steel wool, abrasive sponges and scouring powders, which scratch.
- Soaking for hours, especially the lid.
- High-heat dishwasher drying on insulated bottles, if your maker warns against it.
How to clean a stainless steel water bottle: frequently asked questions
How often should I clean my water bottle?
Rinse and air-dry it after every use and deep clean it weekly. If you drink coffee, tea, shakes or juice from it, clean it more often.
Can I put bleach in a stainless steel water bottle?
Thermos advises against chlorine bleach: it can corrode stainless steel and degrade rubber gaskets. Use baking soda, vinegar or bottle cleaning tablets.
How do I get the smell out of a stainless steel bottle?
Shake 1 to 2 tablespoons of baking soda with warm water in it and leave it at least 30 minutes, then rinse. If it persists, use a 50/50 vinegar and water rinse and check the gasket.
Is baking soda safe for stainless steel?
Yes. Thermos says it neutralises odours without scratching or affecting the vacuum seal. Rinse thoroughly.
Are stainless steel water bottles dishwasher safe?
Many are, but check your brand. Thermos says top rack only and no high-heat dry; YETI says its drinkware is dishwasher safe.
How do I remove coffee stains from a steel bottle?
Drop one or two denture or bottle cleaning tablets in warm water inside the bottle and leave them about 30 minutes.
Sources
Manufacturer guidance, checked on 2 November 2026 (02/11/2026).
- Thermos · How to clean a stainless steel water bottle ↗Daily rinse and air-drying with the lid off; sealing a wet bottle causes mould and smells; weekly deep clean with dish soap and a bottle brush; lid disassembly, gasket and straw brush; rinsing and drying before reassembly; baking soda (1 to 2 tablespoons, 30 seconds of shaking, at least 30 minutes); equal parts vinegar and water for 15 to 30 minutes; gasket as the source of persistent smells; denture or bottle tablets for tannin stains; no abrasive cleaners; top rack, standard or gentle cycle, no high-heat drying; chlorine bleach corrodes steel and degrades gaskets; no long soaks.
- YETI · Rambler cap and lid cleaning instructions ↗Rambler drinkware dishwasher safe; hand washing with mild dish soap; stainless steel cleaner for rare rust; gaskets and lid parts removed and placed in the utensil compartment; caps on the top rack; parts dry before reinstalling.
Gasket cracked or smell that will not go?
Replace the gasket with a genuine spare part from the bottle's maker.