| Stainless steel water bottles are durable, | | | | suffered an internal rupture that would allow fluids |
| non-leaching and non-reactive to most drinks. Most | | | | to enter the space between the walls and |
| are designed to last for years and many are | | | | thereby render the bottle useless. |
| designed to provide a lifetime of service. A few | | | | The Third Tip is exactly the opposite of number |
| are even rugged enough to be placed in campfires | | | | two. Never put a metal bottle into the microwave. |
| and used for heating soup or beverages. Still, | | | | Again, all of us are used to dealing with plastic |
| there are some things that can damage even a | | | | bottles and ceramic or glass cups, so this is a |
| top quality bottle. Some of these are common | | | | precaution that many might not think of, |
| knowledge items and some are things that people | | | | especially if the bottle is surrounded by a insulated |
| might never think of. For the record, here are | | | | jacket that hides the metal. While some stainless |
| some tips to help make any water bottle last as | | | | steel bottles are rated to handle an open flame, |
| long as it can. | | | | for use on a campfire, none are made for the |
| First, get a sleeve for the outside of the bottle. | | | | microwave. |
| Yes the graphics on the outside of the bottle are | | | | The Fourth and last Tip is one for cleaning. |
| beautiful, but normal wear and tear will soon | | | | Stainless steel bottles can be cleaned using a |
| scratch that pretty finish. To make it last, get | | | | standard denture tablet, or a bit of baking soda |
| either a neoprene or insulated cover made from | | | | and vinegar. The warning here is to remember to |
| another material like quilted cotton or nylon. There | | | | leave the bottle uncapped after placing these |
| are a couple of added benefits from covers: they | | | | types of foaming products inside. The odds are |
| act as insulators to help keep beverages hot or | | | | that nothing would happen to the bottle, but |
| cold longer, and second, they often come with a | | | | anyone removing the stopper after the contents |
| shoulder strap that makes carrying some of the | | | | had foamed and pressurized might get a messy |
| larger bottles much easier. | | | | and potentially dangerous surprise. |
| The Second tip is to never try to freeze anything | | | | All of us want to reduce our reliance on plastics, |
| inside the bottle. Many of us are used to putting | | | | and with the recent scares about chemicals |
| plastic bottles into the freezer to produce a very | | | | leaching into food and beverages from certain |
| cold beverage. Stainless steel water bottles are | | | | plastic products, many of us are finding that |
| different and much less forgiving of the freezer. | | | | stainless steel water bottles are an excellent |
| Water or other fluids will expand when frozen and | | | | choice to protect both ourselves and our families. |
| that expansion can be enough to burst a metal | | | | But these bottles are not like plastic ones, and |
| bottle. In fact, a double-walled bottle may show | | | | they require just a tiny bit more care. |
| no outward signs of bursting, but may have | | | | |