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It seems like everyone carries a reusable water bottle around with them these days, which is good for the environment and personal health. Hydration is key, after all. But when you bring that water bottle everywhere you go, you’re bringing bacteria, mold and mildew home with it.
Bacteria and mold are attracted to moisture. Mold releases microscopic cells called spores to reproduce. Those spores then spread through the air and water, often settling in moist environments.
Bacteria, meanwhile, is attracted to the moisture in our mouths, which are home to roughly 700 species of microbes that include germs, bacteria and fungus. Some microbes are helpful, according to the National Institute of Health, while others can cause problems like tooth decay and gum disease.
Your water bottle only attracts more potentially unwanted microbes if it’s not cleaned thoroughly and often. And drinking out of a dirty water bottle can make you wonder about water bottle bacteria symptoms and symptoms that arise from having mold in your water bottle.
How can my water bottle make me sick?
Individuals who are sensitive to mold may experience allergy flare-ups and respiratory problems based on the mold growing inside their water bottles, underneath the caps, inside the straws and even on the rubber ring that goes around the bottom of many stainless-steel models.
Various microbes can transfer to water bottles and produce a slimy biofilm, which contains waterborne germs like bacteria, fungi and amoebas that clump together and live in moist places like water bottles.
Germs inside our water bottles aren’t often visible and they may not affect the taste of our water, but they could potentially cause us to experience symptoms like food poisoning, according to a new Cleveland Clinic report.
Dirty water bottle symptoms
Symptoms of having water bottle bacteria or dealing with mold in your water bottle could include:
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Congestion
Aside from the obvious transmission of bacteria from your water bottle to your mouth, if you’re constantly setting your bottle down in different places, including tables and floors, you’re transferring the germs and bacteria from those surfaces to your hands and body.
Mold in your water bottle might look like black, brown or greenish-colored patches that may appear fuzzy or slimy with a raised texture. Mildew might be gray, white or light brown color and generally rests flat on the surface of a damp, moist area.
