# Reusable water bottles hide hidden germs, US expert warns 2026-08-14T06:03:25+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Many reusable water bottles that look clean may be teeming with bacteria, viruses and fungi, says Brian Hammer, associate professor at Georgia Institute of Technology. The problem is that people often clean only the visible parts, ignoring the cap, straw and other small areas where microbes collect. Hammer recommends washing bottles daily with soap and water, including inside and outside, and rinsing with clean water. Sugary drinks should be avoided as sugar helps microbes grow. Old water should be dumped out each day. After washing, the bottle should be dried completely and not left in a warm, damp place. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: bacteria, cleaning tips, germs, hygiene, reusable water bottles Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/reusable-water-bottles-hide-hidden-germs-us-expert-warns/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/reusable-water-bottles-hide-hidden-germs-us-expert-warns/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.