Water coolers are a convenient way to offer clean water in offices, gyms, homes, etc. Although the water we run through them is clean bottled water, germs and unwanted growths quickly occur in these moist environments. It’s important to clean your water cooler each time you change the bottle or every six weeks, whichever comes first. Keeping your cooler clean will ensure all those that benefit from it will be free from germs and dangerous bacteria as well.
Table of Contents:
Cleaning your water cooler can be completed fairly easily and quickly if done on a regular basis. The Brookhaven National Laboratory offers a thorough guide to clean your water cooler.
You Will Need:
- Bleach
- Sponge or scrub brush
- Buckets
- Water
- Rubber gloves
The Cleaning Process:
- Begin by mixing a bleach solution of 1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water. (unused portions of this solution can be stored for up to 30 days)
- Unplug the water cooler. It’s important to NEVER clean the unit while it is still plugged in.
- Remove the water bottle. It’s most convenient to complete this cleaning when switching bottles and the bottle empty.
- Drain any remaining water from the reservoir through the faucet into a bucket.
- Fill the interior reservoir with the bleach solution. Let it set for about 3 minutes.
- Use the scrub brush or sponge to scrub away any build-up from the walls of the interior. If there are additional removable parts in the interior, remove them, clean either in the bleach solution or with a mild dish detergent and replace.
- Drain the water by emptying it through the faucets into a bucket. This allows the faucets to be disinfected as well.
- Rinse by filling the interior reservoir with clean water and emptying it through the faucets into a bucket at least FOUR times or more until the water no longer has a bleach taste.
- Remove the drip tray and screen.
- Wash both of these items in the bleach solution or with a mild detergent.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water and replace on the unit.
- Next you will prepare the new water bottle to be inserted into the cooler.
- Put rubber gloves on and wipe the top of the new water bottle with the bleach solution.
- Insert it in the cooler and let it fill the reservoir.
- Use paper towels and the bleach solution to wipe the exterior of the cooler along with the faucets.
- Plug the unit back in and allow about 30 minutes for it to bring the water back to the desired temperature.
Additional Tips and Advice
- It’s helpful to designate a specific individual in the office or at home who is responsible for cleaning the water cooler on a regular basis.
- Be sure to store unused water bottles in a clean area that is cool and well ventilated.
- Be cautious not to touch cups or personal water bottles to the spigot when filling. This is a prime way to spread germs.
- If you have a hot/cold tank, plug the hot tank so no bleach solution can enter. This area is sanitized because of the heat and does not need to be cleaned with the bleach solution. If bleach enters this area, it will take several days for it to be removed completely.
- Be cautious not to get the air filter wet during the cleaning process.
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I have cleaned out the cooler and drained it many times but still taste the bleach. What can I do to get rid of the taste and smell?
Try running a mild baking soda through the tanks. Drain the tanks.
First, mix the solution in a bottle (a 2 liter soda bottle will do). Add about 1 tsp. Position the bottle so it drains into the cooler’s reservoir. If the bottle empties before the reservoir is full, mix up another batch and repeat.
Then repeat the above procedure. Then replacing the bottle, allow the water to fill in the reservoir. Wait 20 minutes then drain Sold reservoir till the water is no longer cold, and that should do it.
Also remember to disconnect the hot water . the baking soda would not be good for the hot water tank.
I’ve seen suggestions that vinegar should be used instead of bleach. Both would leave an odor. Which one is easier to remove?
My booklet tells me to use water with lemon juice and now I have noticed that there is some build up inside of the system. It tells me to not use bleach because I have a hot water and cold water?
The issue of using vinegar is that even though it is slightly acidic, it will not disinfect as well as bleach and being an acid, will tend to attack the seals in any valves in the system.
The key to disinfecting with bleach is to use the proper dilution ratio (1 tbsp/gal water) being careful to mix the solution thoroughly before running it through the water cooler. Those that have a residual taste or odor probably did not mix the solution properly or have an internal reservoir holding the cleaning solution and will take longer to dilute it enough until the taste is no longer present.
I am trying to clean my Sunbeam Water Cooler; I have tried the vinegar and it did not work. The easiest way for me to describe the taste is to tell you it tastes like hose water from outside. It is gross!
I have tried everything to clean this. I am not sure if I should try the bleach or not; I have soaked the parts and cleaned each one individually. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
You can buy a water cooler cleaning kit. It works good..
I have white flakes that come out of my water cooler while dispensing water. I do have an older cooler and I wondered what it might be and how to clean the cooler and get rid of these. Any feedback would be appreciated!
Oh dear. Never use bleach. Your water will taste awful and it is a pain to keep rinsing through; same goes for vinegar. Lemon may taste OK, but it’s not going to clean very well!
Buy a CoolerClean home kit. It contains a cleaning chemical that is flavorless, odorless, and does not need to be rinsed out afterwards. Google it.
Note: I am in no way connected to the makers of CoolerClean, I just hate seeing bad advice on the net.
Rick, I have the same problem. I got my cooler from a physician’s office who was remodeling. It sat up for a while. I have done the vinegar/water solution as well and even wasted a five gallon bottle. I figured after five gallons ran through, it would all be gone. I guess I am going to try the bleach solution and see if it gets me anywhere. If it works, I will post and let you know.
The white flakes are a form of algae called water mold. It grows in dark wet places. I’m in the swimming pool industry and water mold is quite common in pools; they use non-chlorine sanitizers. Chlorine is the only sure-fire way to kill water mold. If you are seeing the white flakes, that means that it has clogged the plumbing walls so that it is actually shooting out because it may be closing up the plumbing tubes. Just do the cleaning with bleach several times and that should take care of it.
I have the same problem as Rick. What are these little white flakes?!
I just bought a used water cooler off craigslist. Per my manual, it says to remove the removable parts first and wash them. Then pour warm soapy water into the reservoir. Drain through the faucets – repeat three times. Rinse with clean warm water through the faucets – repeat three times. Remove the drain plug from the back and drain all remaining water; rinse a couple times this way as well.
Seeing that this was a used product, I proceeded to sanitize. The manual says mix two teaspoons of bleach to one gallon of water. Go through the same process as above with the bleach mixture.
I misread tablespoons for teaspoons so I had to rinse a few extra times. My water does not taste like bleach and is perfect. If your unit has a drain plug on the back, make sure you completely drain the reservoir.
What’s the best way to get rid of the white flakes that appear in the water??
Dear All,
What is the correct procedure for cleaning a water cooler if the water cooler is stainless steel?
I am surprised no one has mentioned simply pouring boiling water through the cold water spout. Is there any reason this would not effectively clean the water cooler? I found this page while looking for a way to clean my cooler, but based on other comments, I am a bit afraid to use bleach or vinegar.