Many bottles have particular shapes or colors. If you want to reuse them to store other drinks or for decorative purposes, you need to clean them first. You can remove the viscous residues and wash them with a bottlebrush and dish soap, gravel and dish soap, vinegar and salt or aspirin tablets.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Using a Bottle Cleaner
Step 1. Pour dish soap and hot water into the bottle
Disassemble the bowl if it has a lid, pacifier or other removable parts. Pour a few drops of regular dish soap into the bottle, then fill it roughly halfway (or slightly past halfway) with warm or cold water.
Don't soak it in the sink, or you risk contaminating it. If soaking is necessary, put it in a basin to be used exclusively for washing the bottles
Step 2. Insert the pipe cleaner into the bottle and scrub it from the inside
Make sure you use a pipe cleaner that is narrow enough to fit into the bowl opening and wide enough to reach the bottom. Press it on one side of the bottle and rub it all over the inside to clean it thoroughly. Rub it up, down and sideways.
Step 3. Empty the bottle and rinse it several times to remove any detergent residue
After washing the bottle, throw the solution down the sink and fill it with clean water. Empty it again and repeat the rinse. Do this 2 or 3 more times to make sure you remove all the detergent.
Repeat the process or try another option if the bottle still looks dirty
Step 4. Let it air dry upside down
Turn the bottle upside down on a clean towel or clothesline. Do not try to dry the inside with a towel, otherwise you risk contaminating it.
Method 2 of 4: Using Gravel or Rice
Step 1. Pour the gravel or rice into the bottle less than ¼ full
If you have chosen rice, use it raw. If you have decided to use gravel, choose a fine or sand-like size. It is necessary that the gravel or rice reach every single corner of the bottle.
- This method is very effective for irregularly sized bottles, as gravel or rice can reach places that would be difficult to clean otherwise.
- Make sure the gravel has no sharp edges to avoid scratching the inside of the bottle. If you fear it will happen, use rice instead.
Step 2. Add three to four drops of dish soap
Any type of product will do, and you won't need much to clean the bottle. The detergent helps remove residue left by drinks, dust or dirt.
If the bottle is not particularly dirty, you can only use detergent, without rice or gravel
Step 3. Add the water
Fill the rest of the bottle (almost to the top) with water. Hot water is more effective at removing sticky residue.
Step 4. Shake the bottle
Make sure you cover the opening with your finger or hand to prevent the solution from leaking. Shake it vigorously in all directions - up, down, and to the side. Also, rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise to make the solution work better.
Step 5. Empty the bottle
Discard the solution and check the bottle to see if there is any residue of gravel or rice left. Repeat the process if necessary.
Don't throw gravel down the sink: strain it through a colander, or pour the contents of the bottle into a bucket or bowl
Step 6. Rinse well
Fill the bottle with tap water and empty it. Repeat the process several times. Rinse the opening (paying particular attention to the grooves, if any) and the outside. Make sure you get rid of all gravel / rice and detergent residue.
If you're going to use it for drinking, wash it with antibacterial detergent, or use a drop or two of bleach. Rinse it well before refilling it
Step 7. Dry the bottle
Air-drying it is the easiest method. To start, place the bottle on a tea towel by turning it upside down. If necessary, support it with an object to prevent it from falling and breaking. After a few hours, turn it back on the towel and wait for it to finish drying.
Method 3 of 4: Using Vinegar and Salt
Step 1. Pour lukewarm water into a saucepan until it is about ¾ full
Do not fill it further, or the water will run out of the edges when you immerse the bottle. Perform the procedure on the stove, as you will need to heat the water later.
This method can only be used for glass bottles. Plastic ones melt on contact with heat
Step 2. Pour the vinegar into the pot
Use a couple of generous spoonfuls. White vinegar is best suited for this procedure. Stir or shake the solution to make sure it is well mixed.
Step 3. Put the bottles in the pot
Before soaking them in the solution, fill them with water to make sure they go to the bottom.
Step 4. Heat the water
Don't bring it to a boil. Just heat it over low heat to allow the vinegar to disinfect the bottles. You can leave the pot on the stove for up to a couple of hours, then turn off the gas.
Step 5. Leave the bottles to soak
Leave the bottles in the pot overnight on the unlit stove. This will allow the vinegar to remove viscous stains or residues. In addition, the bottles and the solution will be able to cool down.
Step 6. Empty the bottles
Remove the bottles from the pot and empty them. It is not necessary to dry them because you will have to fill them with water.
Step 7. Pour a pinch of salt into the bottle
Coarse salt will work for this step. You won't need much. Its function will be to rub the inside of the bottle and remove the last residues of dirt.
Step 8. Add a small amount of water
The ideal would be to use cold or lukewarm water. You will need enough to get an aqueous saline solution, without the salt dissolving.
Step 9. Shake the bottle vigorously
Make sure you cover the opening of the bottle with your finger to make sure the solution doesn't splash out. Shake it in all directions, i.e. up and down and side to side.
Step 10. Rinse thoroughly
Empty the bottle and rinse it with lukewarm tap water. Rinse both the inside and the outside, paying particular attention to the opening and the grooves.
Wash it with antibacterial detergent or a couple of drops of bleach and rinse it well before refilling it if you intend to use it for drinking
Step 11. Let it dry
Place it upside down on a tea towel or towel. It may be necessary to support it with an object to make sure it does not fall. After a couple of hours, turn the bottle over and wait for it to finish drying.
Method 4 of 4: Using Aspirin Tablets
Step 1. Pour the water into the bottle and fill it halfway
If you fill it more than necessary, the foam generated by the aspirin will come out of the bottle.
Step 2. Put one or two aspirin tablets in the bottle
Choose an effervescent variant. The bottle will be cleaned thanks to the action of the foam, so the non-effervescent variants will have no effect.
Step 3. Leave the solution on overnight
The aspirin will thus have all the time necessary to act and remove various stains and residues from the bottle. It is best to leave it in the sink to make sure it does not dirty the kitchen surfaces.
Step 4. Rinse thoroughly
Rinse the bottle with lukewarm tap water. Make sure you fill and empty it several times to remove all traces of aspirin. Pay particular attention to the corners and grooves on the bottle opening.
If you plan to use it for drinking, wash it with antibacterial soap or a couple of drops of bleach to make sure you disinfect it well
Step 5. Let the bottle air dry
Place the bottle upside down on a tea towel or towel. If necessary, support it to prevent it from falling or cracking. After a few hours, turn the bottle over and wait for it to finish drying.
