When you switch2bamboo for any of your clothing, bedding or household items, it’s common to wonder if they need any extra care.
Being made of, or from, bamboo can have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to cleaning.
So, how do you clean a bamboo travel mug?
(Looking to buy a new mug? Skip to our favourite seller here)
How do you clean a bamboo travel mug?
Bamboo is a great insulating material to use for travel mugs.
Highly sustainable and incredibly durable, bamboo is a great, practical addition to a travel mug.
Being grass and not wood means that the structure of the material is very different and withstands water much better than wood does.
Bamboo is also much stronger than wood which means it’ll easily survive being knocked around in the cup holder of your car or rolling around at the bottom of your bag.
Easy Daily cleaning
Use a mix of warm water and dish soap to rinse and wipe your mug keeping it clean and hygienic.
Deep cleaning
Add 50ml of white vinegar (a cup) with a litre (a quart) of warm water for a deeper, antibacterial clean.
Alternatively, mix one teaspoon of bleach with one litre (a quart) of water for a suitable disinfecting cleaning solution.
Restoration cleaning
Dampen a soft cloth with either lukewarm water on its own or a cleaning solution as mentioned above.
Have a bowl of normal table salt and dab your damp cloth into the bowl.
Use the cloth to really lift the grime taking advantage of the abrasive action of the salt.
Once clean, rinse in clean water and allow to dry naturally.
Can you put your bamboo travel mug in a dishwasher?
No. Bamboo is incredibly moisture resistant but, just as with any bamboo items, you wouldn’t want to soak it for any length of time.
However, some bamboo composite mugs may be able to be washed this way.
These composite mugs have a look more like plastic than bamboo so check the label or pop on the manufacturer’s website and check first.
How to care for your other bamboo items
The washing and drying of bamboo clothing and bedding, including baby items and towels, can be approached in similar ways.
Manufacturers should say whether their fabric is 100% bamboo viscose or rayon, or if it has a mix of fibres it should state this on the label and packaging.
Other bamboo fabrics, such as Lyocell and bamboo linen, have been mechanically ground, pulped with natural enzymes and spun, and are therefore more eco-friendly and a better choice when switching to bamboo.
Lyocell is a soft, semi-synthetic fabric which uses a closed-loop manufacturing process making it more eco-friendly than its distance cousin, Rayon.
It looks and feels soft and will be marketed as bamboo fabric, sometimes mixed with lycra or spandex in order to maintain its shape.
Bamboo linen has the feel of linen. A little rougher around the edges but this is due to the 100% natural, mechanical and chemical-free way it has been processed.
Washing
Bamboo fabric keeps the strength of the bamboo plant and is incredibly durable, outlasting cotton equivalents when cared for properly.
When washing your bamboo items they should be washed in a gentle detergent just as you would wool or other delicate items, on a gentle, cooler cycle of your washing machine.
Washing at a cool temperature or a cold wash helps to maintain the shape of the fabric and reduce possible shrinkage.
Drying
Good
Using a drier on very low heat is okay, but using too high a heat can damage the bamboo fibres or shrink the fabric.
Better
Drying your bamboo items indoors with artificial heat (radiators and air vents) is better but try not to leave them directly on the heat source.
Best
Drying your socks outside is by far the best method. There’s no risk of over-drying which can damage the fibres, the moisture is carried away rather than collecting in your home and you get the added benefit of having that gorgeous outdoors aroma.
The best cleaning solutions for bamboo furniture, floors and household items.
- Household dish soap and lukewarm water make a perfectly suitable solution to wipe down floors, furniture and utensils. Just don’t leave it to soak in and never use the dishwasher for utensils, cutlery or bamboo straws.
- For a deeper clean, mix 50ml of white vinegar (a cup) with a litre (a quart) of warm water and use as above.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of bleach with 1 litre (a quart) of water for a suitable disinfecting cleaning solution for items such as cutting boards or bathroom flooring.
Using a soft-bristled brush in addition to the solutions listed above will not damage your bamboo items and may improve the result, especially on furniture which has been neglected for a while.
For truly ingrained dirt on bamboo furniture try dabbing some normal table salt onto your damp cleaning cloth (along with one of the solutions above) and use the extra abrasive quality of the salt to really lift the grime out.
Looking to switch2bamboo for your travel mugs?
Perfect for the office, camping or hiking, this compact reusable travel mug is crafted from sustainably sourced organic bamboo with a secure lid and insulated interior to keep your coffee hot.
The handle adds a touch of style to a classic zero-waste coffee cup, plus the convenience of grabbing a hot drink on the go, without any pesky spills.
If you’re a caffeine addict like us, you’ll be interested to know your WAKEcup will pay for itself in just a week… Saving you a whopping £1000 a year just by switching to a homemade brew.
Many cafes also offer discounts in-store for bringing your WAKEcup.
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