Should you be worried about the bacteria in your water bottle?

Should you be worried about the bacteria in your water bottle?

Without getting up, I just see seven water bottles on my desk. Maybe I'm being extreme, but I think it's fair to say that water bottles are the type of gear that seems to be proliferating. You get one for free when you join a gym, you buy a fancy BPA-free one, you buy a replacement when you realize you forgot to bring either one with you on your vacation. Then suddenly there are seven water bottles festering on your desk. (See also: The Best Water Bottle for Every Workout)

Unfortunately, that adds up to a shocking amount of bacteria. According to a recent study commissioned by Treadmill Reviews, the average athlete's water bottle contains 313,499 CFU (colony forming units) of bacteria per square centimeter. For comparison, the average pet toy only has 2,937 CFU. The average household toilet seat has 27 CFU. Puke.

The study found that slide-top, squeeze-top, and screw-top bottles contained many more bacteria than straw-top bottles, which had just 25 CFU per square centimeter. This may be because you don't need to use your hands to use bottles with straw caps. “Your hands can pick up viruses when you touch different surfaces, which are then transferred to the bottle and ultimately to your mouth,” says Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona. What's more, while the germs that come from your own mouth probably won't make you sick, the ones that get transferred from your hands to bottles will.

Sure, you could just switch to disposable bottles, but that's not the most environmentally friendly option. Instead, try washing your water bottles after each use. If you can't put it in the dishwasher, wash it by hand with warm, soapy water and, for narrow-mouth bottles, with a scrub brush. Leave it open and dry completely to prevent mold from growing, another problem you don't want to worry about.