If you are going hiking or camping, your canteen is an essential piece of equipment. You need it to make sure you are well hydrated. Despite your best efforts to keep it clean and fresh-smelling, your canteen can get pretty funked up in between outings. No one wants to crack open the cap to find out they have their very own swamp water at hand. Sometimes the stank is more musty than moldy, but neither one of these types of aromas are very pleasant.
Despite your best efforts to air out your canteen, it’s entirely possible for the wet interior to create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Giving it a good cleaning is an excellent strategy to keep it clean, fresh, and sweet-smelling. Some plastic bottles can have a nasty stink that you will want to get rid of so that your water doesn’t taste “off” when you take a swig. Clean your canteen regularly with one of these suggestions and you will be able to keep the stank factor to a minimum.
How to Get Smell Out of Canteen
1 Denture Cleaning Tablets
Start by filling the canteen with hot water. Drop in two denture cleaning tablets. You can find them at a pharmacy or grocery store. They will fizz up and remove any crud that is contributing to the stank factor in your canteen. Allow them to work in the same manner as if your canteen was a set of dentures. Check the package to find out how long you should let them work. Rinse the canteen with clean water.
2 Wet Coffee Grind Shake
Try placing some wet coffee grinds in your canteen and shake well. Rinse thoroughly. Coffee has odor-absorbing qualities and may get the stink out of the canteen.
3 Pour Some White Vinegar on the Problem
White vinegar is another common remedy for getting rid of odor issues. Fill up the flask and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse well. You could try following this step with some coffee grounds for an extra deodorizing punch.
4 Baking Soda and Hot Water
If you are dealing with a musty smell from your canteen, try this solution to freshen it up: Dissolve some baking soda in hot water and pour it into the canteen. Leave it in place for a couple of hours. Rinse it out with more hot water and leave the top off so it can dry.
5 Bleach and Water Solution
Mix up a mild (1/2 and 1/2) solution of bleach and water. Pour it into the canteens. Let them soak overnight. Rinse well and allow them to dry.
6 Add a Drop of Peppermint Spirits
Peppermint spirits are available from health food stores or online. Add a drop to the canteen and replace the cap. Leave in place for a few hours and rinse with baking soda and water.
7 Listerine or Scope Mouthwash the Smell Out
Use a minty mouthwash like Listerine or Scope to get the smell out of your canteen in a pinch. Pour a Tablespoon into the top and put the cap on it. Shake the canteen and then dump it out. Let it air dry.
8 Add a Dab of Toothpaste
Another solution on the oral care products theme is to put a small dab of toothpaste into the canteen. Add some water, seal it and leave it for a day or two. Rinse it out and fill it with clean water. Then let it with for a few more days. It may smell minty when you use it, but that is a better alternative than letting it stay all funked up.
9 Dishwasher Soap and Boiling Water
Add a bit of powder dishwasher detergent to the canteen. Pour in some boiling water. Shake well and allow the mixture to sit for a day or so. Rinse well.
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