Guide - Bottle Washing, Capping & Storage
- Bottles must be washed prior to every filling, at 84°C or above.
- Use within 3 days of filling for both still and sparkling water.
- Store sparkling bottles refrigerated, standing upright – never laid down.
BOTTLES MUST BE WASHED PRIOR TO EACH FILLING.
Pre-Wash Checks
- Check bottles for chips and recycle any damaged bottles.
- Swing-top bottles: check the swing top for hard-water scaling or damage and replace as necessary.
- Visually check inside the bottle for foreign bodies – remove any found, then wash the bottle thoroughly.
Washing Method
- Wash immediately prior to each filling in a commercial dishwasher/glasswasher with a clean water supply.
- Ensure the machine is clean and set to 84°C or above.
- Place bottles in the washing tray upside down (open end to the bottom), with flip tops open and pulled back from the mouth as appropriate.
- After washing, leave bottles upside down in the trays until cool before filling and capping.
- Always handle clean bottles with washed hands and disposable gloves.
Bottle Capping
- Decant screw-caps (supplied in bulk) into a clean, lidded plastic container to avoid contamination – EcoPure Waters can supply these.
- Keep the container near the system and clean it regularly.
- Before filling, while wearing disposable gloves, decant the approximate amount of caps needed into a clean dish/bowl.
Storage After Bottling
- There is no set shelf life for water bottled securely in sanitary conditions (though we recommend 3 days), but fill one bottle at a time and cap/seal it straightaway to preserve purity and carbonation.
- As a housekeeping rule, use filled bottles within three days for both still and sparkling water. If in doubt, empty, clean and refill – it costs only your time.
- Do not store water in direct sunlight.
- Still water may be stored at room temperature (e.g. for bedroom water provision), with the same three-day turnaround.
- Sparkling water tastes best served chilled – the warmer it gets, the faster carbonation depletes. Refrigerate bottles standing up, never laid down, to optimise carbonation.