Now Reading: Reusable water bottles hide hidden germs, US expert warns
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Reusable water bottles hide hidden germs, US expert warns
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The story feeds two lazy habits: rinsing and forgetting, or dismissing the risk altogether. Most microbes are harmless, but the expert’s advice is simple and cheap, daily soap wash and dry. That is hardly a burden. The real question is: how many of us actually do it? A spot-check on school bottles would settle it fast.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
