DAVID N Washing the bottle is a little tricky. I think they sell effervescent tablets for cleaning it that you can just throw in there every week or so. You're supposed to hand-wash it, because it has a thin inside liner that can be damaged by high temperatures. This doesn't stop me from putting it in the dishwasher though, and I haven't noticed any problems. Actually, I generally just pour boiling water into it every week and shake it around hard to kill the bacteria, then rinse it out a few times (to hopefully get any BPA that was released out of there.) It tastes/smells/looks clean after that, so I just continue drinking out of it without giving it a real wash. The thing you really have to worry about though is the mouthpiece. The rubber bite valve will grow stuff inside after a month or two. Take it off and look every few days after it hasn't been cleaned for a month. You can buy replacement bite valves for pretty cheap if you don't want to bother cleaning it. You can also take it off and wash it separately, but you want to use a brush that will get in there and really clean it out. Don't use toothpaste! I tried cleaning it with a brush and toothpaste, and my water tasted like toothpaste for the next few weeks. Also, this bottle is for drinking WATER. If you fill it with anything sugary/creamy/proteiny (you can probably get away with tea without milk or sugar), you're going to get growth pretty fast, unless you clean it frequently.
Good luck! Despite the difficult cleaning protocols, I take mine with me everywhere, and I've bought it for friends and family and they all love theirs.
Becke O Thank you. I already have 2 bottles with the bite valves but not the liners. I love mine and take it every where as well. I bought these for my two young nephews. I will pass this information along to there mom.