How to Clean Your Nalgene

“How do I clean my Nalgene?” It is one of the most popular and easiest answered questions the brand gets from the public (except for maybe “How do you make such an AWESOME bottle?”). 

It’s Not Rocket Science. It’s Dishwasher Safe!

Truth is cleaning a Nalgene is as about as easy as it gets and it’s one of the reasons that Nalgene continues to be a favorite among those with busy active lifestyles. Cleaning a Nalgene is effortless. No small parts and no hand-washing required!

Just screw off the cap, empty the bottle’s contents, and place your Nalgene bottle and cap on the top shelf of your dishwasher (away from the heating element).  Press the start button, then kick back and relax!

Too tall for the top rack? Our Silo bottles are 48 ounces tall admittedly making for tricky placement. The simple two-part engineering of a Nalgene allows the cap to go on top where it is safe from the heating elements. The bottle can handle the bottom rack and a high temperature sanitizing cycle, no problem!

At the end of the cycle, your Nalgene is once again ready for any adventure. Even if you’re a “drop the gym bag and forget it” kind of person cleaning a Nalgene is within reach!

How to clean your Nalgene

Some Adventures Require an Extra Clean.

Maybe you’re that family who drives around with ten Nalgene bottles rolling around the backseat or you forgot about the Nalgene you used to make pancakes on last week’s epic camping trip? It’s true at times food or liquid remnants left to fester in bottles can take on a nasty smell.    

Here’s an insider Nalgene hack to achieve a deep clean. 

  1. Fill your bottle about 2/3 full of very warm water and a few drops of bleach. 
  2. Put the cap on, shake well, then let it sit for an hour. 
  3. You can use a bottle scrubber to scrub out the cap and bottle. 
  4. Rinse well and vóila! Your Nalgene is just like new.

Even Kids’ Bottles Clean Up Quickly

As part of its leak-proof design, but also easy for little mouths to hydrate, the On-the-Fly and Grip-N-Gulp kids bottles do have a removable valve in the cap that pops in and out for easy cleaning. These parts do not need to be removed for every cleaning, but when they need an extra scrub, you can toss into the silverware basket or wash by hand. 

Nalgene makes it easy to clean your water bottle and save time for what matters most in life. Which bottle will you choose for your next adventure? 

Interested in more frequently asked questions? Visit our FAQ page.

Cleanup from your next adventure is even easier with the OTF Lock-Top bottle.

A slim shape and fortified cap make On-The-Fly ideal for care-free storage in work bags, gym bags, backpacks and cup holders. Opens easily for convenient one-hand refreshment on the fly. Locks to prevent spills.

Buy Now!

Read Now ›
NALGENE OUTDOOR HITS THE ROAD WITH ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT, REVERB
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Celebrates 75 Years with Two Exclusive Designs
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Named EF Go Ahead Tours’ Official Water Bottle for Sustainable Travel
Read Now ›
Nalgene Drops New Collection of Eye-Popping, Color Block Water Bottles 
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor’s New Limited-Edition Psychedelic Bottles Offer a Fun and Functional Break from Everyday Reality
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Donates $10K to Dig Deep’s Navajo Water Project on Giving Tuesday
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Introduces Epic Water Filters’ Everywhere Bottle Filter to Its Line Up
Read Now ›
Customized Nalgene water bottle with the name "Tyler" and dog sticker handing from classroom coat hook.
Nalgene’s Best Bottles and Hacks to Keep the Return to School (and Routine) Simple!
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Converts Manufacturing to 50% Certified Recycled Material 
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor’s Iconic Water Bottle Drops in Fashion-Inspired Monochrome Hues
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Introduces Second Bottle to Support the Navajo Nation
Read Now ›
A Sit Down with Diné  Designer Jaden Redhair
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Strengthens Commitment to Navajo Nation Water Crisis Through Additional Donations to DigDeep and COPE
Read Now ›
Flint Community Lab Accelerates Efforts for Residential Water Testing
Read Now ›
10 Clean Water Projects We’re Inspired By
Read Now ›
@anjamoyeli
Built to Last: 17 Wild & Rugged Places Where Your Nalgene Bottle Can Withstand The Forces of Nature
Read Now ›
Digital Nomad Revolution: How to Become Part of the New Traveling Workforce
Read Now ›
Why We Should All Drink More Water
Read Now ›
7 Times Our Plastic Containers Saved the Day
Read Now ›
Three people sitting on a picnic blanket and holding up their Wide Mouth Nalgene bottles in a "cheers" motion
8 of our Best Selling Wide Mouth Water Bottles
Read Now ›
This World Water Day: Make a Ripple in the U.S. Water Crisis By Supporting the Nalgene Water Fund
Read Now ›
Two girls standing in front of the ruins of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece
On the Road: How I Went from Working a Desk Job to Traveling the World
Read Now ›
Image of a rocky beach with people enjoying the view
Fun Outdoor Activities You Haven’t Tried (Yet)
Read Now ›
Custom Water Bottles That Make Everyone Smile
Read Now ›
Where the Wildflowers Are: Cycling Tips for the New Bike Rider
Read Now ›
Thirsty? Take a Sip! Where Does Water Come From?
Read Now ›
Blue Silo
Staying Hydrated: On Hikes, On Bikes, and With Teeny, Tiny Tykes!
Read Now ›
The Most Inspiring Recycled Materials Projects Designed This Year
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Helps Benton Harbor, MI Students Start School Year with Clean Drinking Water
Read Now ›
The Environmental Benefits of Buying Water Bottles Made in the USA
Read Now ›
Back to School Essential
Read Now ›
Why You Should Care: What BPA Free Means to Your Body and the Environment
Read Now ›
Hiker holding a Nalgene water bottle in front of a mountain lake
Rylee Made It Hers
Read Now ›
The image features a young child, visible from the back, holding a blue Nalgene water bottle. The child is dressed in a bright orange shirt and a black apron, standing at a kitchen counter. The background has a decorative tile wall, enhancing the cozy, domestic setting. The scene captures a moment of the child either preparing to fill up the bottle or having just filled it at the kitchen sink.
How to Clean Your Nalgene Bottles
Read Now ›
Dig Deep Donation Announcement
Read Now ›
Affiliate Content_1
We Made It Simple… Michelle + Kenya Made It Theirs
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor and Jill & Ally Partner on Limited Edition “Tell Me Everything” Bottle
Read Now ›
Colorful Nalgene Bottles
This Earth Day: Nalgene Commits to and Celebrates A More Sustainable Future
Read Now ›
NWF Featured Image_ Navajo Times
Water is Life. Sharing Navajo Nation with the World.
Read Now ›
2020_11_16_PB_Nalgene_WaterFundBottle_WakeTopDown_Wide
The U.S. Water Crisis by the Numbers: Help Nalgene Close the Gap this World Water Day
Read Now ›
Sarah Eggplant Purple Water Bottle with Dog
Sarah Made It Hers.
Read Now ›
Thermofischer scientists in a lab making nalgene bottles
Community Water Lab Opens in Flint, Michigan
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Navajo Bottle
Nalgene Water Fund Pledges Support to Combat Water Crisis on Navajo Nation
Read Now ›
Nalgene Maintenance Archives | Nalgene

Free Shipping on Orders of $20. Contiguous US only.