Ensuring the Purity of Your Bottled Water

Purity is a big reason people buy bottled water for home dispensers. Often overlooked, though, is maintenance of the dispenser and the bottles.

Bottled-water suppliers recommend cleaning the water reservoir and the drip tray every six to 12 months on cold water and crock-type dispensers. (They suggest customers call the company to exchange hot-and-cold water models rather than clean them.)

To clean the reservoir, first unplug electric models and empty the reservoir.

Mix a gallon of tap water with one half teaspoon of household bleach and pour it into the reservoir. Clean the inside using a sponge or towel; let the solution stand about 10 minutes. Drain the solution and rinse thoroughly before replacing.

To clean the drip tray, separate the screen from the tray and wash both in mild detergent. Rinse and replace.

Replacing a new bottle carefully can also help keep water pure.

First, wipe the top of the uncapped new bottle with a clean, damp paper towel. After removing the empty bottle, wipe the top of the dispenser with a clean paper towel. Don’t touch the neck or top of the new bottle when placing it on the dispenser.

Sources: Sparkletts, Yosemite Waters.