If you have a Hydro Flask bottle or tumbler that accompanies you on your outdoor adventures, chances are, it’s going to need a good clean to keep it in good shape.
If you are looking for the best way of cleaning it (or the method that requires the least effort) you may be wondering if you can simply put it in the dishwasher.
In this article, we take a look at whether your Hydro Flask is dishwasher safe or if you need to put in a bit more effort and clean it by hand.
Are Hydro Flask Bottles and Tumblers Dishwasher Safe?
The simple (but slightly confusing) answer to this is both yes and no – depending on what Hydro Flask product you have.
Hydro Flask states in their frequently asked questions section that “All Hydro Flask powder coated bottles are dishwasher safe. Hydro Flask Coffee Mugs are not powder coated, and they are not dishwasher safe.”
What About Pre-2020 Hydro Flask Models?
When it comes to the older models of Hydro Flask (pre-2020) the answer is no, they are not dishwasher safe and must be washed by hand.
The main reason for this is that these older models do not have a powder coating on them which means the color can fade or, in worst-case scenarios, your Hydro Flask can lose its grip and have damage caused to it while in the dishwasher.
Another issue with putting insulated bottles and tumblers in the dishwasher is you can cause damage to the double-wall vacuum insulation used to keep your hot drinks hot or your ice-cold water cold.
Even the smallest amount of damage caused to the vacuum seal will severely reduce the effectiveness of your water bottle so you need to be 100% sure which model of Hydro Flask water bottle you have so you can check if it is dishwasher safe or not.
Are Hydro Flask Lids Dishwasher Safe?
While there seems to be a good amount of conflicting information out there on whether or not Hydro Flask lids are dishwasher safe, Hydro Flask actually states on their website that “All Hydro Flask caps and lids are top-rack dishwasher safe.”
It appears that some of the lids causing issues to this question are no longer being made by Hydro Flask so now all lids and caps are dishwasher safe.
That being said, if you are in any doubt about how to best clean your Hydro Flask lid, make sure to follow all instructions that come with your water bottle.
If you want to play it safe (or you don’t have access to a dishwasher), Hydro Flask recommends using warm soapy water and their own straw and lid cleaning set to help keep your lids clean.
How Should You Clean Your Hydro Flask Bottle or Tumbler?
When it comes to cleaning your Hydro Flask water bottles and tumblers, the Hydro Flask website says that you have a few options.
If your Hydro Flask water bottle or tumbler is one of the newer models (post-2020) and is powder-coated, then it will be dishwasher safe and can be safely placed inside your dishwasher for cleaning.
However, you may not have a dishwasher, or you may not want to put your Hydro Flask bottle in the dishwasher just in case it has a detrimental effect on it. In this case, Hydro Flask recommends using warm water and dish soap along with their bottle brush, straw, and lid cleaning set.
If you are looking for the easiest way of cleaning your Hydro Flask that requires minimal effort, then Hydro Flask has their natural cleaning tablets to help clean your water bottle.
To use these tablets, all you need to do is fill your water bottle up with warm water and put one natural cleaning tablet per 32 ounces of water.
You can then leave your bottle alone for 15-30 minutes before emptying and rinsing.
What Other Insulated Bottles Are Dishwasher Safe?
Yeti Bottles
Yeti water bottles are dishwasher safe.
We have already gone into a lot of detail about this in our “Are Yeti Cups Dishwasher Safe?” article, but to summarize – Yeti cups and tumblers are dishwasher safe.
Like with the Hydro Flask water bottles, there is still a good amount of conflicting information online about using a dishwasher to clean your Yeti bottles, but this is mainly due to Yeti themselves suggesting only handwashing their products prior to 2015.
However, after they tested their bottles, they came to the conclusion that they were more than tough enough to handle a dishwasher cycle as well as the rigors of the wild.
Even though there have been concerns raised about how dishwashers impact the insulating properties of this type of bottle – Yeti’s thorough testing showed that putting your Yeti in the dishwasher is nothing that its vacuum seal can’t handle.
It is worth mentioning here that it is advisable to dismantle your Yeti bottles before putting them in the dishwasher to make sure all the components get cleaned properly.
The same can be said for your Hydro Flask bottles as some of the lids such as the stainless steel flat cap, wide straw lid, hydro flip lid, and others may have gaskets that need to be removed before cleaning takes place.
Klean Kanteen
Klean Kanteen is another well-known brand that makes water bottles with very impressive insulation properties.
Any stainless steel water bottle from Klean Kanteen that is non-insulated i.e., single-walled is dishwasher safe.
On their website, Klean Kanteen recommends handwashing all of their insulated and color-coated products to prevent any issues.
To do this, they recommend you use warm, soapy water and a bottle brush. They also suggest mixing water and baking soda to make a deep cleaning paste for your water bottle.
To clean the lid or cap of your Klean Kanteen bottle, you can use white distilled vinegar by soaking your lid in it overnight. The exception to this is the Stainless Unibody Bamboo Cap which should not be soaked or fully immersed.
However, all Klean Kanteen lids and caps (apart from the Stainless Unibody Bamboo Cap) are dishwasher-safe if you prefer an easier method of cleaning.
Klean Kanteen offers a good variety of lids for your water bottles including the stainless steel loop cap as an alternative to the standard loop cap if you want to reduce your plastic usage. This is important to know as each lid may have slightly different cleaning requirements.
Whether you go for a Hydro Flask, Yeti, or Klean Kanteen water bottle, you should make sure you read the care instructions carefully to find out if your chosen product is dishwasher safe.
If it isn’t then warm water, dish soap, a bottle brush, and some effort will make the hand wash process as painless as possible when trying to remove stubborn stains from the inside of your water bottle.
One final thing to note is you should also consider whether your entire flask is safe to go in the dishwasher or whether some parts can and others will need to be hand-washed.