Cleaning your new protein shaker to make it hygienic for use is one thing, but getting rid of the ‘plastic’ taste of a shaker bottle so that it doesn’t taint your shakes, can be a real challenge.
Cleaning your new protein shaker properly to remove unpleasant synthetic odours can be a harder than you expect. So you want a reliable solution that leaves your shaker smelling fresh from the start.
And if you’d like to know more about some of the best protein shakers available in Australia at the moment, please read our reviews of the best here.
We take you through some options.
There are 2 main reasons to for cleaning your protein shaker:
- Your protein shaker is new and you want to sterilise it and get rid of the strong plastic smell.
- Your protein shaker is gross, with residue from previous drinks making it smell really bad.
We are going to take a look at the first issue – cleaning your new protein shaker.
Cleaning your New Protein Shaker to Kill the ‘Plastic’ Smell
Obviously, when you buy a new protein shaker bottle you need to give it a good wash to sterilise it before you use it.
But take a look online at fitness forums and product review sites and you’ll find plenty of consumers complaining that their new shaker cup still smells strongly of plastic – and worse, sometimes even tastes of plastic – after numerous standard washes and uses.
One of the biggest selling protein shakers on the Australian market, the Blender Bottle SC01307 Classic Loop Shaker Bottle, has thousands of positive reviews but there’s the occasional customer who has struggled to get rid of the new ‘chemical’ smell.
Interestingly, BlenderBottle are clearly aware of the problem that unwanted odours can cause and on their website they recommend a version of the same cleaning techniques outlined below.
What’s the Solution?
- Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and white vinegar – this dynamite mixture is sterilising (thanks to the vinegar – and if you’d like to know more about the cleansing properties of white vinegar, see here), cleaning and deodorising, all in one.
Place 1 tbsp of bicarbonate of soda into your protein shaker, then pour in 1/4 cup white vinegar. It will froth up, then settle down. Top your shaker cup up with water and leave it to sit for at least an hour, but ideally overnight. Empty, rinse and wipe out with a paper towel.
- Damp coffee grounds – if you have a coffee machine at home and use freshly ground coffee beans, those grounds are cleaning gold.
Fill your protein shaker bottle with damp coffee grounds, pop on the lid and leave it overnight. It will need emptying and rinsing with soapy water the next morning to get rid of any remaining coffee, but those coffee grounds will have absorbed the plastic odour and your bottle will be good to go.
- Vanilla extract – vanilla is very effective at eliminating unpleasant smells whilst leaving its own far more acceptable scent instead.
Put a couple of drops of vanilla extract on a paper towel, screw it up, place it your protein shaker and fix the lid on. Leave your protein bottle overnight, or even 24 hours, then remove the paper. Your shaker should smell delicately of vanilla rather than offensive plastic.
Tips for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Protein Shaker
If you look after your protein shaker, it should last you years.
And if you’d like some tips on choosing the right protein shaker for you, please see here.
Here are some useful hints for cleaning your new protein shaker and maintaining its general hygiene over multiple uses:
- Never leave your protein shaker sitting around unwashed.
There are few things in life as unpleasant as opening up a shaker bottle that has the remains of a 2 day old protein shake in it. The smell is atrocious and getting rid of it can be even tougher than neutralising that original, new plastic smell.
And don’t get me started on the bacteria that may be forming! We’ll talk more about this in our next article.
- Air your protein shaker whenever you can.
Don’t wash it, bung the lid back on it and leave it on the kitchen side until you next use it. Odours will get trapped in the confined space and those unpleasant manufacturing smells may start to develop again. If you can, wash your protein shaker and then leave it to sit with the lid off until you next need a liquid protein fix.
- Wash with bicarbonate and white vinegar regularly.
A thorough de-stink and sterilise every fortnight will make your protein shaker a pleasure to use and extend it’s life (you’d be amazed how many people chuck out their old shaker cup once it starts to smell bad).
When I had a retainer for my teeth, my orthodontist recommended leaving it in a glass of bicarb and white vinegar every couple of weeks for hygiene purposes and if it’s good enough for my braces, it’s good enough for my protein shaker!
Most people use their protein shaker as a receptacle for their protein powder and water. If you are trifle bored with your shakes and would like to change things up a bit, take a look at our easy-to-follow and convenient-to-prepare Best Protein Shake Recipe. It’s home-made, delicious and is a favourite of all my family.
Don’t Buy Plastic
Of course, the issue of cleaning your new protein shaker to get rid of a plastic odour will never been problem if you choose to buy a shaker bottle made of steel.
The Free Soul Protein Shaker Bottle 700ml is made from stainless steel and the makers advise simply rinsing it in hot water. You can’t get easier than that.
Some designs, like the popular BlenderBottle Strada Shaker Cup Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle and the Contigo THERMALOCK Shake & Go Fit Stainless Steel Bottle are insulated as well, also you can maintain the chilled temperature of your fitness drink as well as side stepping the issue of cleaning your new protein shaker for nasty smells.
Buy Plastic, But Clean Properly
The fact of the matter is that most people are more concerned about breaking up those troublesome lumps of protein powder and getting a nice, smooth protein shake than worrying about chemical smells seeping into their supposedly healthy drink.
This means that the majority of consumers will buy protein shaker bottle based on reviews of how well the shaker mixes. And this means that thousands of plastic-based shaker cups, like the VOLTRX Premium Electric Protein Shaker Bottle and the ShakeSphere Shaker Bottle sell each year.
Well now you have some reliable techniques for cleaning your new protein shaker, whether you choose to buy it in steel or plastic is up to you. You can focus on finding the protein shaker that blends your protein shake to perfection knowing that you have the synthetic smell covered!
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