COVID-19 RESOURCES
LIT CAMS (200 Free Tokens)ADULT TOYSVOD MOVIES

Remove Soap Taste from Water Bottles

SweetErika

SweetErika

Fingers Crossed
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Posts
13,442
A few weeks ago, I used an unfamiliar brand of dish soap to quickly wash several of our Contigo water bottles. That particular soap had such a powerful scent that our bottles still smell and taste like it after going through the dishwasher a bunch of times, and soaking in boiling water, baking soda and vinegar multiple times over the past 2 weeks. From what I can tell, the soap smell is mostly lingering in the tops and silicone spouts; I think I've got it all out of the straws and actual bottles at this point.

I'm at a loss at this point, and am pissed because 2 of the bottles were almost brand new when I used this awful soap on them.

Any ideas on getting the soap smell and flavor out of our water bottles? I'm tempted to take the store-brand soap back to Fred Meyer with the Costco bottles and request replacement bottles or $20 so I can buy new bottles. :mad:
 
Have you tried lemon juice? It's good for killing difficult odors on hands or clothing; might work on silicone.
 
Weird Harold said:
Have you tried lemon juice? It's good for killing difficult odors on hands or clothing; might work on silicone.
Click to expand...

Not yet. I only have powdered lemon juice packets on hand right now, but they're very potent and might be worth a shot. If nothing else, maybe the lemon will disguise the soap scent enough to use the bottles again. :D

That's disappointing news, Rainshine! I've never had this issue before, but then I usually use an environmentally-friendly dish soap that has a light, natural scent when I need to wash the bottles by hand.
 
You already mentioned vinegar, but I'm not sure what type and the method you used.

Last year we had this issue with a couple Camelback bottles. We soaked them overnight in a solution of 50% distilled water and 50% Apple Cider Vinegar, and I recall it did do the trick.

My wife echoes the lemon juice suggestion above. She has used it with those Ziploc storage containers (plastic) and says the acidity helps, and there is no unpleasant aftertaste or odor.
 
If all else fails, try freezing them (while they're empty). Sounds bizarre, but popping things in the freezer for several days can remove some odours. I've found this especially helpful with plastics and fabrics.
 
simplegirl said:
If all else fails, try freezing them (while they're empty). Sounds bizarre, but popping things in the freezer for several days can remove some odours. I've found this especially helpful with plastics and fabrics.
Click to expand...

This might be worth a shot. I remember a while back some manufacturer of jeans (Levis I think) said that you should basically NEVER wash your jeans. That you should spot treat for stains and to make them have a 'fresh' scent, pop them in the freezer for a day or two in order to remove odors. So, it might work for plastic.

What about diluted bleach? Water it down loads (so you don't end up with a water bottle that reeks of bleach) and then let it soak for a little while. Obviously you'd have to rinse the heck out of it to make sure you remove all of the bleach before using it but ... Maybe?
 
I'm not sure why, but stainless steel wool with water removes odor. I use to get it at a hotel supply store. Baking soda is good too. Just rubbing a stainless bowl under running water will get gasoline smell of your hands so I guess it's worth a try on weird soapy flavors. Also try wine makers bottle rinse chemicals, although it may leave a sulphur taste.
 
Last edited:
I don't use the plastic water bottles but have the plastic storage bowls and things. Generally for those (and the thermal carafe part of the coffee maker) I just use diluted bleach if it's something that doesn't want to wash out.
Looks like you aren't the only one who's had this problem with those water bottles though. I didn't want to jump in without seeing how different they were from the stuff I was used to so I did a quick search. Seems like a pretty common issue. this page may help
 
I like the Contigo line of products and use them a lot. Try soaking them overnight in a mix of water and dishwasher detergent (the powdered kind). There are some pretty significant chemical differences between the powered detergents and the liquid detergents and dishwashing soap. Then, if you have a dishwasher, run them through the dishwasher when you're done. If you don't have a dishwasher rinse them thoroughly in very hot water (bring the water to a boil, then take it off the stove, let the bubbles succeed and use a pair of tongs to swirl them around and rinse them clean. You can scrub them if the detergent mix, but be sure and use a pair of gloves. Most likely what you are smelling is not the soap you used (the soap is probably long gone), but the scented oils they use to make it smell good. A well made dishwashing liquid has scent carried by an oil specifically designed to break down in the soap itself. A poorly made one doesn't really care. (Then, if it is available to you, switch to the 7th Generation product line.) Depending on how badly formulated the original soap was, it may take a cycle or two.
 
Well, soaking the tops in pure white vinegar all night after heating it to boiling helped, but I can still detect the soap scent. The bottles themselves are definitely fine. I'll try the bleach, lemon juice, freezing and running them through the dishwasher again over the next few days, although I'm kind of giving up hope at this point after trying so many things multiple times. Worst case, I'll take them to Fred Meyer with the bottle of awful soap and see if they'll provide (even less expensive) replacements next weekend. Probably not, but it's worth a try.

Paul, I like 7th Generation a lot and use the all-purpose cleaning spray regularly. For dish soap, I favor Costco's Kirkland Environmentally Friendly formula because it's inexpensive, gentle enough on our skin, and isn't heavily scented. I even use it for car washing and when our downstairs toilet clogs, so I don't mind having a gigantic bottle or two on hand. I don't recall buying any other brand of dish soap in the past 5 years. I came across the awful soap when we arrived at a rental house, and I've definitely learned my lesson about bringing or buying my own soap in the future!
 
The dish washer may contribute to the problem. I know of people who won't put anything they drink from in a dishwasher for this very reason.

For myself - If I had a religion, a dishwasher would be my deity.
 
I've never had an issue with our dishwasher and the detergent we use in it (Finish tablets), although I always rinse the bottles thoroughly when they come out of the dishwasher to remove any residual detergent.

I HAVE had issues with some liquid/gel detergents and other dishwashers when we're travelling, though, and it's possible I exacerbated the soap problem by running the bottles through the dishwasher with a liquid detergent.
 
If there's a chance you might never be able to use the bottles again, my suggestion is to write or call the manufacturer and explain the issue in detail.
I have had a lot of success with getting parts or complete replacements for several items when similar things have happened to me.
Oftem, the manufacturer will simply replace an item rather than risk bad reviews.

Just a thought :)
 
I've had a few water bottles, including this one. They don't replace products that have been 'damaged' a a result of cleaning. You can use a professional bar wash, but it costs as much as a new bottle.
If it helps, I got a set of two for pretty cheap at Costco, which makes replacing them less painful.
 
Find their Facebook page and start telling your story... I did this with an energy company and they got nervous VERY fast. Instead of an overseas call centre I was dealing directly with local representatives. The issue was over $4000 and I won with so many apologies.
 
GiggLeGasm said:
I've had a few water bottles, including this one. They don't replace products that have been 'damaged' a a result of cleaning. You can use a professional bar wash, but it costs as much as a new bottle.
If it helps, I got a set of two for pretty cheap at Costco, which makes replacing them less painful.
Click to expand...

Could I take them back to Costco and get a full refund? Absolutely. But honestly, it's not Costco's or Contigo's fault that the bottles reek of soap, so I don't feel that would be an ethical move on my part. We've probably had about 15 of these Contigo bottles over the years, and I've never had a problem like this, so it's definitely a soap-specific issue. And that soap is a store/generic brand from Fred Meyer (a Kroger company), so I figure the onus is on Fred Meyer or the actual soap manufacturer to make it right.

Anyway, while we're on the issue of water bottles, has anyone found a good, leak & spill proof bottle for toddlers/preschoolers? My son is rough on water bottles, frequently forgets to close them, opens and spills the kind with lids that just snap closed, chews on the mouthpieces of sippy cups and such until they leak...
 
SweetErika said:
Could I take them back to Costco and get a full refund? Absolutely. But honestly, it's not Costco's or Contigo's fault that the bottles reek of soap, so I don't feel that would be an ethical move on my part. We've probably had about 15 of these Contigo bottles over the years, and I've never had a problem like this, so it's definitely a soap-specific issue. And that soap is a store/generic brand from Fred Meyer (a Kroger company), so I figure the onus is on Fred Meyer or the actual soap manufacturer to make it right.

Anyway, while we're on the issue of water bottles, has anyone found a good, leak & spill proof bottle for toddlers/preschoolers? My son is rough on water bottles, frequently forgets to close them, opens and spills the kind with lids that just snap closed, chews on the mouthpieces of sippy cups and such until they leak...
Click to expand...
We used Avent Magic Cup when ours were toddlers and then changed to Sigg with spillproof sport top when they were old enough to remember to close them.

As for getting the smell out, have you tried soaking in oil or cream or something like that. Might be worth a try.
 
I wasn't suggesting that you take them back to Costco..I was suggesting that you buy new water bottles..

For kids cups, I avoided the entire issue (by my third child) and just used regular cups. He knew how to drink out of it. He just needed to put it on a coaster. (Had I gotten my husband trained as well.. yanno.. )

Good luck!
 
What was the brand of dish soap that gave you all these headaches? I'd like to know so that I can avoid it.
 
Vanilla

I had a cooler that got a bad smell, and used some liquid vanilla in it, worked good, I also have used vanilla in my thermos jug, that someone put milk in and forgot about it. ewe.. but the vanilla worked.
 
SweetErika said:
Anyway, while we're on the issue of water bottles, has anyone found a good, leak & spill proof bottle for toddlers/preschoolers? My son is rough on water bottles, frequently forgets to close them, opens and spills the kind with lids that just snap closed, chews on the mouthpieces of sippy cups and such until they leak...
Click to expand...

I haven't seen the design adapted to water bottles, but I have a couple of old Powerade(tm) bottles with a top that is as close to spill-proof as I've ever seen. It has a diaphram-like closure that requires suction or squeezing to allow liquid through, but even holding it upside-down and shaking doesn't spill more than a few drops.
 

Attachments

  • 100_2462.JPG
    100_2462.JPG
    61.9 KB · Views: 16
  • 100_2463.jpg
    100_2463.jpg
    28.8 KB · Views: 15
  • 100_2464.JPG
    100_2464.JPG
    79.8 KB · Views: 16
stickygirl said:
Just a thought, but charcoal is good for taking the taste of of treated water, so I'm thinking finding some activated charcoal in water and letting it soak. Not too sure if it would trap the smell-carrying chemicals but you can buy it cheaply
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/question209.htm
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea, and I have a jar of that already. I've put a little container of it in the fridge to absorb strong odors in the past. It works far better than baking soda.
IrisAlthea said:
We used Avent Magic Cup when ours were toddlers and then changed to Sigg with spillproof sport top when they were old enough to remember to close them.

As for getting the smell out, have you tried soaking in oil or cream or something like that. Might be worth a try.
Click to expand...
I'll look into those cups/bottles. :)

I haven't tried oil of any sort. Are you thinking the scent might be fat-soluble, which is why the vinegar and washing isn't working? Chemistry is the one subject I failed miserably in high school. :eek:
 
GiggLeGasm said:
I wasn't suggesting that you take them back to Costco..I was suggesting that you buy new water bottles..

For kids cups, I avoided the entire issue (by my third child) and just used regular cups. He knew how to drink out of it. He just needed to put it on a coaster. (Had I gotten my husband trained as well.. yanno.. )

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying. I dropped by our local Fred Meyer tonight (not the one the soap was purchased at), and asked if they might be willing to replace the soap and bottles with comparable products. The manager said it was something he would consider, but I'd have to ask the store director where the soap was purchased. I'll figure out who that is, put in a call this week and bring the soap and bottles into the store this weekend when I'm back in that town.

Allowing my kiddo to use even a lidded cup w/ a straw on the go is out of the question because he has some pretty serious fine motor, body awareness and attention deficits (plus some other issues). At our dinner table or in the bathroom, he certainly uses a sturdy cup, but spills are still frequent. At nearly 4 1/2, he still eats and drinks much like a young toddler. :(

jehoram said:
What was the brand of dish soap that gave you all these headaches? I'd like to know so that I can avoid it.
Click to expand...
HomeSense by Kroger. I looked to see if the Fred Meyer I stopped by tonight still carried it, but I couldn't find it. Hopefully it's been discontinued.

liz33nd said:
I had a cooler that got a bad smell, and used some liquid vanilla in it, worked good, I also have used vanilla in my thermos jug, that someone put milk in and forgot about it. ewe.. but the vanilla worked.
Click to expand...
That's an interesting thought.

Weird Harold said:
I haven't seen the design adapted to water bottles, but I have a couple of old Powerade(tm) bottles with a top that is as close to spill-proof as I've ever seen. It has a diaphram-like closure that requires suction or squeezing to allow liquid through, but even holding it upside-down and shaking doesn't spill more than a few drops.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the idea and pics, Harold. :rose:
 
SweetErika said:
I haven't tried oil of any sort. Are you thinking the scent might be fat-soluble, which is why the vinegar and washing isn't working? Chemistry is the one subject I failed miserably in high school. :eek:
Click to expand...

Yup, that was what I was thinking.
It works with stubborn fat-soluble stains sometimes, so it might be worth a try in this case too, perhaps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Altissimus
A soap opera
Replies
16
Views
431
Comshaw
Comshaw
C
Clone-A-Willy Guide
Replies
2
Views
2K
Treeview
Treeview
A
Men seeking to write women better
6 7 8
Replies
191
Views
4K
ArdentHemingway
A
FGB
Eating Pussy And /Or Sucking Dick For The First Time.
2
Replies
48
Views
7K
joe_schmonyc
joe_schmonyc
princesssexci
A Taste of the Forbidden (Closed for Homerun2611)
Replies
23
Views
1K
Homerun2611
Homerun2611
Back
Top