How to Get Your Reusable Straws Clean Every Time

Reusable straws are increasingly popular, but keeping them clean is a constant concern. With just a few easy steps, you can keep your favorite straws sparkling clean and free of residue and mildew.

Most washable, truly reusable straws are made from a durable material designed to take plenty of wear and tear over their lifetime. While they’re a fantastic and food-safe alternative for single-use plastics, they also need to be washed carefully to avoid residue, moisture, mildew, and other buildup deep inside the super-narrow tubes. All you really need, though, is a little patience and one very important tool.

How to Clean Silicone Straws

Silicone straws are arguably the most versatile among the available types of reusable straws. Since they’re durable and long-lasting, their sustainability value goes way up, but they’re also the only type of washable straw that has any real flexibility.

Add to that the fact that well-made silicone straws are temperature-resistant and can come in every color under the sun, and you’ve got a great option that will last you for a long time. Choose a high-quality, BPA-free straw like the Flathead Reusable Silicone Drinking Straws for colorful, flexible straws that wash well (and come with a straw brush for even easier cleaning).

Most silicone straws are dishwasher safe, so you can run them through a normal load. Washing by hand, however, is probably your best bet for getting them squeaky clean.

Just follow these easy steps:

1. Rinse through the straw completely, as soon as possible after use.
2. Put a little bit of your regular dish soap on a straw brush, then push and pull the brush through the straw.
3. Rinse the brush, and repeat Step 2 from the opposite side of the straw.
4. Wash the outside of the straw.
5. Rinse thoroughly.
6. Let air dry completely.

How to Clean Metal Straws

Metal straws are some of the most durable out there. As long as you’re getting quality, food-grade stainless steel straws, you don’t have to worry about the metal giving your food a metallic taste—just beware of cheaply-produced, poor-quality products.

Grab a variety pack, like the Hiware 12-Pack Reusable Stainless Steel Drinking Straws, for multiple length options and for both bent and straight straws in one pack.

Keeping steel straws clean is fairly straightforward, just like other types of reusable straws. The key is taking full advantage of those cleaning brushes by following these steps:

1. Rinse through the straw completely, as soon as possible after use.
2. Put a little bit of your regular dish soap on a straw brush, then push and pull the brush through the straw.
3. Rinse the brush, and repeat Step 2 from the opposite side of the straw.
4. Wash the outside of the straw.
5. Rinse thoroughly.
6. Let air dry completely.

How to Clean Glass Straws

One of the best things about glass straws is their literal transparency. Because the material is see-through, unlike with metal or silicone straws, you can actually see if there are any stains, spots, mold, or other residue on the inside of the straws. That’s definitely more convenient than peering down a narrow, opaque straw to try to make sure you’ve cleaned it thoroughly.

Still, being able to see the buildup is only half the battle. Once you can see it, you still need to clean it. The first critical point is ensuring that you purchase good glass straws to begin with. Lower-quality ones are likely to be thinner and more fragile, making them prone to breakage—which is both inconvenient and unsafe. Look for a solid set like the Bollovi Reusable Glass Drinking Straws. The set also comes with a cleaning brush included, for extra ease of cleaning.

For most high-quality, sturdy glass straws (like the ones recommended here), you can pop them in the dishwasher and let them get cleaned there. Once a week, run through these steps for a full disinfecting cycle to avoid mold and mildew buildup:

1. Use a cleaning brush to remove any large pieces of residue inside the straw before putting it in the dishwasher. This will allow the washing cycle to fully penetrate through the entire straw.
2. Run through the dishwasher in a normal load.
3. In a clean sink or tub, make a solution of 3 tablespoons white vinegar per 1 cup of hot water.
4. Submerge the straws in the mixture for 15 minutes.
5. Rinse with clear hot water.
6. Let air-dry completely.

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Taking care of your reusable straws means you get more use out of them, and that’s a win for your bank account and for the environment too. With these easy tips, you can take one more step towards making your household greener and more wallet-friendly!