Here’s a little task for you. Go to the kitchen and grab one of your favourite bidons from the cupboard. Yep. Right now. Have a good squint down inside. If it happens to look anything like this…

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope!

…you’re in trouble. Take that bidon and slap yourself around the face with it. The inside (and outside for that matter) should be SUPER clean. Spotless. No dirtiness, no flaky grime, no funky looking growth. Have a look inside the lid and mouthpiece too. You’re bringing that part to your lips and sucking on it countless times during a ride. You don’t want to be swallowing potentially harmful mould.

Every so often I like to take all my bidons and give them a thorough clean. First I take the lids apart and soak everything in disinfectant, then thoroughly scrub the insides with a non-scratch scourer (my wife likes the all-natural coconut husk ones) before washing in hot soapy water. A final rinse and they go on the rack to dry.

A few from the collection ready for the drying rack.

PRO TIP #1: Ensure the insides are totally dry before putting them away. Warm, moist conditions are a haven for mould and bacterial growth.

If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, chuck them all in that on a nice hot wash. That’s usually enough to do the trick, although a scrub of the insides may be needed first if your bidons are particularly bad. Disassemble the lids (if they come apart) so the water and steam can penetrate into all the crevices. Again, ensure everything is 100% dry before putting them back in storage.

PRO TIP #2: Wash your bidons out as soon as you’re done with your ride, especially if you’ve filled them with anything besides straight water. The longer any sugary liquid sits in the bottom, the longer any nasty growth has to take hold.

So if you happen to find yourself at home with some extra time on your hands this weekend. Go and give all your bidons a good old fashioned scrubbing.

Clean bidons are healthy bidons, and healthy bidons won’t harm you. You can thank me later. Stay healthy, stay safe!