How to wash your gourd well?

If Greta Thunberg travels in sailboat and composts his peelings for the good of the planet, on your side, you have the merit of having invested in 2021 in the purchase of a gourd.Small or large format, with flowery or minimalist patterns...The commercial offer is indeed attractive, to the point of making you forget the sentence felt when the loss of your thermos Mickey in green class.Unfortunately, the self-lavery option is not yet available.In the towel or brush?With dishwashing liquid or elbow oil?How to be sure to eliminate residues and potential bacteria?

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Rinse your gourd after each use

Just unblock a plastic water bottle so that it is no longer sterile.The same thing happens with a gourd."When opening it, bacteria will return automatically via air, saliva and the skin of the mouth," explains Marc-André Selosse, microbiologist and professor at the National Museum of Natural History.That addicts with hydro-alcoholic gel relax, these bacteria represent no danger to health, insists the specialist, author of ever alone: these microbes which build plants, animals and civilizations (1)."The bacteria put in the mouth are quickly trained towards the stomach, a very acidic organ that will quickly damage them," explains Marc-André Selosse.

If the health risk is excluded, some precautions for use allow the most recalcitrant.To start, we rinse your gourd every day in tap water after use in the evening when you get home, suggests the microbiologist.Then let the bottle dry in the open air, throughout the night for example."Rinse removes soluble bacteria and drying eliminates others," observes Marc-André Selosse.

Not everyone carbury in the water all day.Sweet bees sometimes add syrup or fruit juice.What give eating bacteria and promote their development, according to the microbiologist."In this case, cleaning will be more active: two rinsing with hot water will overcome unwanted," said the teacher.

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Vinegar and baking soda to disinfect

The only downside of a bad or a cleaning of cleaning is to leave a bad taste."Some bacteria can come together in a kind of fine crust, called" biofilm ", which, if it is not well eliminated will leave a slight rancid, contained, almost earthy flavor," reports Marc-André Selosse.In order to remedy this, we are inspired by the usual techniques of the food industry which uses an acid like vinegar, then a base of baking soda to clean their installations."These are very good disinfectants, provided that they macerate at least five minutes with one of these components or with one after the other by rinsing between the two," says the microbiologist.

At the French brand of eco -responsible qwetch gourdes, this reflex is recommended."Before the first use of the bottle to eliminate potential factory deposits and from time to time, for in-depth cleaning," said Lilia Renaud-Goud, project manager in the company.This meticulous wash can be carried out once every two weeks, in the event of regular use.

The advantage of stainless steel

The composition of the gourdes also helps to better hunt these biofilms.The Qwetch brand offers for example stainless steel bottles, "a healthy material without risk of material migration" according to Lilia Renaud-Goud.The microbiologist confirms: "Most of the time, metal prevents microscopic plates from bacteria from settling, is less the case for plastic and glass.»»»»

Especially rub well

Beyond the disinfectant and the composition, the best way to overcome bacteria remains ... rub."This is the most effective way," says Marc-André Selosse.Dentists give this same advice to overcome dental plaque.»»"In practice, the sponge is not the simplest accessory to scour in every corner inside the bottle. «On utilisera plutôt cette longue brosse appelée goupillon (ou écouvillon, NDLR), qui est utilisée souvent pour laver les biberons»»»», conseille la chef de projet de Qwetch.

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Watch out for hygienist reflexes

Finally, to keep this gourd clean as a new penny and avoid the spread of other microbes, we will refrain from lending it to a person suffering from oral infections like herpes.Apart from this mild risk, the microbiologist still invites you to slow down on hygienist reflexes."By dint of cleaning too much, we eliminate good and bad bacteria," emphasizes the specialist.It's time to get back in touch with the right microbes around us.»»»»

(1) Marc-André Selosse is the author of Never alone, these microbes that build plants, animals and civilizations, published by Acts Sud editions, 368 p., € 24.50.

*Initially published in November 2019, this article was the subject of an update.