How to Clean a Hydrojug Traveler, Sport, or Pro Lid

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Cleaning specialist Jonathan Tavarez explains how to keep your HydroJug lid clean

Co-authored by Jonathan Tavarez and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: January 26, 2026 Fact Checked

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Disassembling & Cleaning It

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How Often to Wash

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Is the lid dishwasher-safe?

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Disinfecting

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Deodorizing

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Video

When you're cleaning your HydroJug Traveler, Pro, or Sport cup, don't forget about the lid! The lid has small components with openings that can collect moisture and hold germs. They can also facilitate mold growth, and you definitely don't want that in your mouth! We talked to cleaning specialist Jonathan Tavarez to learn how to disassemble and clean your HydroJug lid, as well as how to disinfect and deodorize it. We'll also answer if you can wash a HydroJug lid in the dishwasher. Let's go!

How to Take Apart a HydroJug Lid & Clean It

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An illustration of the steps to taking apart a HydroJug lid, including removing the flip straw and the silicone straw piece.

Cleaning specialist Jonathan Tavarez recommends these steps for cleaning a HydroJug lid:

Take the lid fully apart, including removing rubber gaskets or seals.
Wash the lid with warm water and dish soap.
Use a small brush to get into the crevices, spout openings, and threading.
For a deeper clean, soak the lid in warm water with a splash of vinegar for 15-30 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly.
Let everything air-dry completely before reassembling.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Take Apart & Clean a HydroJug Lid

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1
Remove the long straw and soak the lid in hot water for 2 minutes. Gently tug the long straw off the bottom side of the lid and set it aside.^{[1]
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Research source} Then fill a heat-safe container (such as a glass Pyrex measuring cup or a soup bowl) with hot water. Put the lid in the hot water and let it soak for 2 minutes.
- Soaking the lid in hot water while it's still assembled softens the plastic parts slightly, so they're easier to remove.
Meet the wikiHow Expert

Jonathan Tavarez is a cleaning specialist and the founder of Pro Housekeepers, a premium cleaning service founded in 2015. He’s also the founder of Germaphobix, a hygiene and sanitation product company.
2
Remove the flip straw. To remove the smaller flip straw from the top of the lid, flip it straight up and hold it between your thumb and index finger. Still holding the flip straw, set the lid bottom-down on a flat, sturdy surface. Then, with your other hand, grab a washcloth and press it firmly down on the flip straw in the opposite direction of the way it folds to close. The flip straw should pop right out of the slots on either side of it.
- This TikTok by @hilaryp90 shows exactly how to do it!
- The washcloth functions as a layer of padding, so you can press down on the flip straw without hurting your hand.
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3
Remove the silicone straw piece from the lid. Use the hard, non-brush end of a thin bottle brush or straw brush to pry the silicone straw piece out of the lid from the top. You can also push the piece up and out from the bottom with the bottle brush or your finger.
- “Take the lid fully apart if possible,” recommends Tavarez, “including removing any gaskets or seals. Those areas trap moisture and bacteria.”^{[2]
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- If you're short on time, skip removing the flip straw and the silicone piece. Instead, push the bristles of a tiny bottle brush down around the sides of the flip straw where it sits in the lid. You won't get as deep a clean, but this method is faster and easier for everyday washing.^{[3]
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Clean and dry the separate pieces of the lid in warm, soapy water. Tavarez says to wash the lid and all of the pieces “with warm water and dish soap using a small brush or straw brush to get into crevices, spout openings, and threading.”^{[4]
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Jonathan Tavarez
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Expert Interview} Rinse everything in clean water when you’re finished.
- Scrub inside the narrow openings of the straw, the flip straw, and the silicone piece.
- “For a deeper clean, soak the lid and gasket in warm water with a splash of white vinegar or baking soda for 15–30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly,” recommends Tavarez.^{[5]
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- “Let everything air-dry completely before reassembly to prevent moisture buildup,” says Tavarez.^{[6]
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Reassemble the lid after it's dry. Insert the silicone piece into the lid from the top, using the hard end of the bottle brush or your finger to push it down into place. Next, pop the flip straw back into the slots by pushing on it firmly with the washcloth. Finally, press the long straw into the silicone piece on the bottom of the lid.
- Wash the lid with soap and water at the end of the day, after you're done using it.

Section 2 of 5:

How often should you wash a HydroJug lid?

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Wash the lid of your HydroJug every 1–2 days. Tavarez says, “HydroJug lids are convenient, but regular cleaning is key to keeping them fresh and odor-free.” He adds, “Ideally, wash the lid daily if the bottle is used every day, especially if it’s used for anything other than plain water.”^{[7]
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- Tavarez points out that HydroJug lids “collect saliva, condensation, and bacteria much faster than the bottle itself.”^{[8]
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Section 3 of 5:

Is the HydroJug lid dishwasher-safe?

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The Traveler, Sport, and Pro HydroJugs and their lids are top-rack dishwasher-safe. You don't have to completely disassemble the lid to wash it in the dishwasher. Just remove the long straw and lay it between the tines on the top rack. Then lay the lid bottom-side down between the tines, as well.^{[9]
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- HydroJug recommends laying larger Traveler, Sport, or Pro cups sideways (handle-down) on the top rack between the tines, as well, since they're too tall to stand upright.

Section 4 of 5:

How to Disinfect a HydroJug Lid

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Soak the lid pieces in hot water with equal parts baking soda and vinegar. Take the lid apart and soak the pieces overnight in the distilled white vinegar, water, and baking soda mixture. The next day, take the pieces out of the vinegar bath and scrub them with a bottle brush or a straw brush. Rinse all the soap off, then let the pieces air dry before you reassemble them.^{[10]
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- Disinfect your HydroJug lid once a week to get rid of germs, mold, and mildew.
- Check out our article on "How to Clean a Moldy Water Bottle (& Prevent More Mold)."

Section 5 of 5:

How to Deodorize a HydroJug Lid

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Used coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which is known to neutralize odors.^{[11]
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Research source} Leave the lid on the HydroJug overnight, then check its smell the next day. If the lid or the HydroJug still stinks, move on to the next solution.
Let the distilled white vinegar and baking soda mixture sit in the HydroJug with the lid on overnight. The next day, rinse it out in the sink and wash it with warm, soapy water. Rinse it a second time to remove the soap, then check the smell. If it still stinks, try the deodorizing method below.^{[12]
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Use pure vanilla extract, not the artificial kind. Crumple up the paper towel, put it in the HydroJug, and screw on the lid. Then let it sit for 24 hours. The vanilla extract should mask whatever odors the HydroJug lid absorbed.^{[13]
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