Helped a bit, but sometimes that hint of “old salad dressing” just won’t quit. Maybe it’s just me?
You’re definitely not the only one. My metal bottle went through a phase where it smelled like...rancid Italian dressing, and nothing seemed to touch it. I got kinda obsessive and tried this step-by-step thing:
1) Boil water (like, really hot, not just warm), pour it in and let it sit for an hour.
2) Dump that out, then fill with a mix of 1:3 white vinegar to water. Shake it around, let it soak for a couple hours (or overnight if you’re brave).
3) Rinse, then toss in a few tablespoons of baking soda with more hot water. It’ll fizz up—let that sit too.
I still caught a whiff after all that, but once I left the bottle open to air dry for a whole day (sunny window helps), the smell finally faded. Weird how some odors just cling on...maybe it’s something about the rubber seals or those tiny crevices in the lid? I get anxious about bacteria too, so I probably overdo it with the cleaning sometimes.
If you ever figure out a magic trick for this, please share. Until then, I guess we just live with “eau de vinaigrette” every now and then.
I get anxious about bacteria too, so I probably overdo it with the cleaning sometimes.
That’s exactly where my mind goes, especially since I started having more dental issues. I always worry that whatever’s lurking in those bottle lids is just waiting to mess with my teeth or gums. My dentist told me to be extra careful with anything that touches my mouth after I got my partial denture, and now every weird smell makes me nervous. It’s not just the “old salad dressing” thing—sometimes there’s this faint plasticky odor I can’t shake, even if the bottle’s metal.
I tried the vinegar and baking soda trick too, but honestly, I’m with you—there’s always a lingering scent. One time I even used a baby bottle brush to get into the corners of the lid, and that helped a bit, but then I started worrying about scratching the inside and making things worse. My daughter says I’m being paranoid, but after a couple of gum infections, I don’t mess around.
Leaving it to air dry in the sun seems to help more than anything else, but if I forget and close it up damp, the smell comes right back. It’s almost like the bottle has a memory for odors... or maybe I just have a sensitive nose these days. Either way, I’ve started rotating between two bottles so I can let one really dry out.
I do wish they’d make bottles with lids you can actually take apart and clean properly. Those rubber seals are a nightmare. I tried boiling one and ended up warping it, so that was the end of that experiment.
If anyone ever finds a way to get rid of that smell for good, I’ll be first in line. Until then, I guess I’ll keep sniffing suspiciously before every sip.
It’s almost like the bottle has a memory for odors... or maybe I just have a sensitive nose these days.
Totally get what you mean about the “memory” thing—sometimes I swear my bottle just refuses to let go of that weird smell, no matter what I throw at it. I’ve had a bit of luck with those denture cleaning tablets (the fizzy kind), but even then, it’s hit or miss. And yeah, those rubber seals are the worst... half the time I’m convinced they’re where all the funk hides. At this point, I’m just happy if my water tastes neutral and not like last week’s leftovers.
That’s exactly what drives me nuts about these bottles. My kid’s water bottle got this odd sour smell after we put juice in it once, and no amount of scrubbing seemed to help. I get so anxious about germs, especially since she has a sensitive stomach... I’ve ended up swapping out the rubber parts more often than I’d like, just to be safe. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even worth the hassle, but she’s attached to that thing.
- Had a similar issue after my son put chocolate milk in his bottle—no matter how much I cleaned, that weird smell lingered.
- Ended up taking the whole thing apart and soaking the rubber bits in a vinegar-water mix. Helped a bit, but not perfect.
- Honestly, sometimes I wonder if these bottles are even designed to handle anything but water... the hassle is real.
- I get the attachment though. My kid still insists on using his old one, even though we have newer, “better” options.