7 Ways to Care for Your Reusable Straws

Using your lips are better than sucking straws when it comes to quenching your thirst.  But if your favourite drink is iced bubble tea or an avocado smoothie, then reach out for a reusable straw instead of the disposable ones. 

There are a variety of reusable straws that can help you on your zero waste journey - the stainless steel straw, borosilicate glass straw and the bamboo straw. Cleaning the straw is not particularly hard, it’s making them last longer that’s the key. Here are 6 tips that will keep your reusable straw going strong.

1.    Give it a good old scrub - all you need is a good straw brush. Insert a little dish soap into your straw, and scrub it vigorously from either of the ends. If you’ve been drinking a milk-based drink or a smoothie, a good scrub will rid the straw of any food particles. 

2.   Baking soda to the rescue: Stubborn stains? Bits still stuck inside? Sprinkle some baking soda powder on your bottle brush and push it through the straw multiple times.

3.  Don’t forget to rinse: Don’t forget to let the water run through it a few times to dislodge any bits that may harbour bacterial growth, and flush out any remaining soap or water. 

4. Dry them thoroughly - dry them upright in a drying rack but if you have bamboo straws, dry them flat instead.

5. Storage them the right way:  once dry, make sure you store them in a safe place. For bamboo straws, a well-ventilated place will suffice, and never in air-tight containers or jars

6.  Deep cleanse:  if you own a bamboo straw, Bamboo Straw Girl recommends soaking them in a pot of hot water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar for a few minutes every month or so. 

7. Don’t lose them: They are the size of pencils, and it’s easy to misplace them. Just remember to put them in the same place all the time, and you won’t go wrong.

What are your tips to making your reusable straw last longer?