How to Clean Your CustomKings Water Bottle (The Right Way)
Keep your personalised bottle fresh, hygienic, and looking brand new without ruining your custom design.
Your CustomKings bottle is designed to last. But like anything you drink from every day, it needs a little love. This guide covers daily cleaning, deep cleaning, straw troubleshooting, and the things to avoid so your bottle (and your engraving) stays perfect.
Why Cleaning Your Bottle Actually Matters
We get it. It’s just water, right? But here’s the thing: moisture plus warmth plus a sealed lid equals a party for bacteria. Studies have shown that reusable water bottles can harbour more bacteria than a kitchen sink if they’re not cleaned regularly.
And it’s not just about germs. A neglected bottle starts to smell. That funky, musty odour? That’s biofilm, a thin layer of bacteria clinging to the inside of your bottle. Not exactly the vibe you want with your morning coffee or gym water.
The good news is that keeping it clean takes about 60 seconds a day. Let’s walk through it.
Watch: Quick Cleaning Guide
More of a visual learner? We’ve put together a short video that covers everything below.
Your Daily Clean (60 Seconds, Tops)
This is the one you should do every single day, or at least every time you refill. It’s fast and genuinely easy once it’s a habit.
Pull It Apart
Take off the lid, remove the straw if you’ve got one, and separate any silicone seals or gaskets. These little nooks are where bacteria love to set up camp.
Warm Water + Mild Dish Soap
Fill the bottle halfway with warm (not boiling) water and add a small squirt of regular dish soap. Nothing fancy needed here.
Give It a Scrub
Use a soft bottle brush and get into the inside properly. Pay extra attention to the bottom because that’s where residue builds up. For the lid and straw, a smaller straw brush works a treat.
Rinse It Properly
Rinse every piece under running water until all the soap is gone. Soap residue tastes awful, so don’t rush this bit.
Air Dry Upside Down
Pop the bottle upside down on a clean towel or drying rack. Leave the lid off so air can circulate. This is the bit that stops that musty smell from creeping in overnight.
Quick Tip
If you’re out and about and can’t do a full wash, at the very least give your bottle a rinse and leave the lid off when you get home. Airflow is your best friend here.
The Deep Clean (Once a Week)
A daily rinse handles the basics, but once a week it’s worth going a bit deeper. This gets rid of any stubborn odours, stains, or biofilm that regular soap might miss.
Option A: Bicarb Soda + Vinegar
This is the classic combo and honestly, it works brilliantly.
Add 1 Tablespoon of Bicarb Soda
Drop it straight into the bottle. Easy.
Pour in White Vinegar
Add about a quarter cup of white vinegar. It’ll fizz up and that’s exactly what you want. The fizzing action loosens grime and kills bacteria naturally.
Fill with Warm Water and Soak
Top it up with warm water, give it a gentle swirl, and let it sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
Scrub, Rinse and Dry
Give it a scrub with your bottle brush, rinse everything out properly, and air dry upside down.
Option B: Denture Cleaning Tablets
Sounds a bit odd, but hear us out. Denture tablets (like Polident or any supermarket brand) are designed to remove bacteria and stains from hard-to-reach places, which is basically what the inside of a water bottle is.
Drop a Tablet In
Fill your bottle with warm water and drop in one denture tablet.
Let It Fizz for 30 Minutes
Walk away and let the tablet do all the work for you.
Rinse and Dry
Empty it out, rinse well, and air dry. Your bottle will smell like absolutely nothing, which is the whole goal.
Coffee and Tea Stains?
If you use your bottle for coffee or tea, the bicarb and vinegar method is your best bet. Coffee tannins cling to stainless steel, and the fizzing action lifts them beautifully. For really stubborn stains, leave the mixture in overnight.
Things You Should Never Do
Your CustomKings bottle is tough, but it’s not invincible. Here are the things that will damage it, or worse, ruin your personalised engraving.
- Don’t put it in the dishwasher. The high heat and harsh detergents can damage the vacuum seal, warp the lid, and fade or damage your engraving over time. Hand wash only, always.
- Don’t use bleach or chlorine-based cleaners. These are way too aggressive for stainless steel. They can corrode the interior and leave a chemical taste that’s nearly impossible to get rid of.
- Don’t pour boiling water directly in. Warm water is totally fine. Boiling water can damage the vacuum insulation and warp the plastic or silicone parts in the lid.
- Don’t use abrasive scrubbers or steel wool. These will scratch the inside (and outside). Stick to a soft bottle brush or a non-scratch sponge.
- Don’t leave liquid sitting in there for days. Especially milk, juice, or smoothies. If it’s been more than 24 hours, give it a deep clean before using it again.
- Don’t store it with the lid sealed on. When it’s clean and dry, leave the lid off. A sealed, slightly damp bottle is exactly how mould gets started.
Seriously, Skip the Dishwasher
We know it’s tempting. But the number one reason people damage their bottles (and their engravings) is the dishwasher. Your future self will thank you for the 60 second hand wash.
Looking After Your Engraving
Your personalised engraving is laser-etched directly into the surface of the bottle. It’s durable and made to last, but a little care goes a long way.
- Clean the outside with a soft, damp cloth. A gentle wipe down keeps it looking sharp.
- Avoid abrasive cleaners on the exterior. Anything gritty can dull the finish around the engraving.
- Don’t soak the outside in vinegar. The interior is fine, but leaving vinegar on the exterior for a long time can affect the finish.
- Handle with normal care. It’s metal, not glass. But dropping it on concrete repeatedly isn’t going to do anyone any favours.
How Often Should You Clean It?
Here’s a simple schedule that keeps things fresh without being overkill:
| Task | How Often | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Quick rinse + air dry | Every day | ~60 seconds |
| Full wash with soap and brush | Every 1 to 2 days | ~2 minutes |
| Deep clean (bicarb/vinegar or tablet) | Once a week | ~5 mins (plus soak time) |
| Lid and seal deep clean | Once a week | ~3 minutes |
| Full inspection (check seals, gaskets) | Once a month | ~2 minutes |
Quick Fixes for Common Issues
“My bottle smells weird”
This is almost always caused by storing it with the lid on while it’s still a bit damp inside. Do a bicarb and vinegar deep clean, rinse well, and make sure to air dry it with the lid off. The smell should go away completely.
“There are brown stains inside”
Totally normal if you’ve been using it for coffee or tea. Make a bicarb paste (bicarb soda plus a tiny bit of water) and apply it with a soft brush. For stubborn stains, soak overnight with bicarb and warm water.
“The lid feels sticky or stiff”
Pull out all the silicone seals and gaskets, soak them in warm soapy water for 10 minutes, then rinse and dry. This usually fixes it straight away. If a gasket looks cracked or worn, it might be time for a replacement.
“It tastes like soap”
You just need to rinse more thoroughly. Soap loves to hide in straws and lid mechanisms. Rinse each piece individually under running water for at least 15 seconds.
Ice Cubes Are Fine
In case you’re wondering, yes, you can absolutely put ice cubes in your bottle. They won’t damage the interior. Just don’t smash them in aggressively (you’d be surprised how many people ask about this).
Why Won’t Water Come Through the Straw?
This is one of the most common questions we get, and the good news is that it’s almost never a fault with the bottle. There are a few things that can stop water from being pulled through the straw properly, and they’re all easy to fix.
The Seal Isn’t Sitting Right
This is the most common cause by far. Your bottle lid has silicone seals and gaskets that create a vacuum. If one of them is slightly out of place, twisted, or not seated properly, the suction won’t work. Take the lid apart, check that every seal is sitting flat and snug, and reassemble it carefully. This fixes the problem about 90% of the time.
The Straw Is Blocked
If you’ve been drinking anything other than water (smoothies, cordial, coffee), residue can build up inside the straw over time and partially block it. Run a straw cleaning brush through it, or soak the straw in warm soapy water for 10 minutes and then flush it out under the tap.
The Straw Isn’t Pushed Down Far Enough
Sounds simple, but sometimes the straw isn’t fully inserted into the lid mechanism. Make sure it’s clicked or pushed all the way down into the connector. If it’s sitting loosely, it won’t create the seal it needs to draw water up.
Air Lock
Sometimes a vacuum forms inside the bottle and there’s no way for air to get in to replace the water you’re trying to drink. This creates a suction that stops the straw from working. Open the lid fully, let some air in, then close it again and try. Some lids also have a small air vent, so make sure that isn’t blocked with dried liquid.
The Lid Needs a Proper Clean
Gunk builds up inside the lid mechanism more than you’d think, especially around the button and hinge. Take the whole lid apart, soak every piece in warm soapy water, clean out any residue with a small brush, and put it back together. A clean lid is a happy lid.
Still Not Working?
If you’ve tried all of the above and water still won’t come through, get in touch with us. Send a photo of your lid disassembled and we’ll help you figure out what’s going on. Sometimes a seal just needs replacing and we can sort that out for you.
The Bottom Line
Your CustomKings bottle is built to be your daily companion for years. A quick daily wash and a weekly deep clean is all it takes to keep it hygienic, fresh, and looking as good as the day it arrived.
The golden rules are simple: hand wash only, air dry with the lid off, and stay away from the dishwasher. Do that and your bottle (and your engraving) will last.
Got questions about caring for your bottle? Reach out to us anytime. We’re always happy to help.
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