How often do you throw out straws because they are dirty and you don’t know how to clean them?
Each morning before school, my daughter fills her backpack with her school books, homework, lunch bag, and her water bottle.
She has two bottles we keep in rotation, so they can be washed or in case one gets left in her school locker or desk the day before.
Need some yummy drinks or smoothies to fill those clean water bottles? MOMables has tons of ideas and a weekly meal plan that can give you just that!
All that use, even on the weekends, can really take its toll. The mouthpieces eventually wear out, or if your kids are like mine, they also seem to chew on them… “ahem,” so they need to be replaced more often then they should. ;)
So what’s the best way to clean those teeny tiny straws inside? And where can you quickly find replacement pieces for them?
The MOMables store is packed with great drink containers we all use and recommend for our own families. Personally, we use the CamelBak Kid’s Eddy Water Bottles at our home.
One way to keep the straws clean is to keep a baby bottle brush on hand. This is a great tool for reaching in those tough-to-reach spots in the straw and give it a thorough cleaning by hand.
Another great solution is to soak them in equal parts vinegar and water. This serves as a natural cleaning and sanitizing agent. After soaking, wash as normal and let dry.
Many can be run through the dishwasher, but just be careful! If the parts and pieces fall, they can melt on the heating element. Ugh! That’ll be one of the days you hope you’re not the one in the family responsible for unloading the dishwasher. ;)
What about replacement pieces?
Amazon is amazing for finding replacements. That’s where I order mine! With my Prime account, I get fast and free shipping, so I have my replacement pieces in two short days.
Isn’t the Internet amazing?!
Keep your kids hydrated and their bellies full thanks to these tips and our lunch plans here at MOMables!
rana
i have a little daughter i am very careful Parent me and my husband very helpful this blog thank’s
Kara
I’ve been using q-tips for a while now. The regular ones, and the special “baby” ones that are thicker. Just dip them in dish water and push through with a chop stick or kabob stick.
Sarah D.
I actually found a brush made specifically for cleaning those tiny straws. It wasn’t that expensive and saved me a lot of time (I don’t have a dishwasher, so anything that saves time is a plus). Pipe-cleaners sounds like a good idea, too. =)
nancy
I use pipe cleaners to clean the inside of those straws, sometimes I twist the pipe cleaner for more oomph
Lisa
I use chopsticks to clean the inside of the straws, but I love that pipecleaner idea too! After I run the chopstick thru the straw to clean it, I throw the chopstick in my dishwasher to get it clean and use it again.