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How to Clean a Drinking Water Fountain

Randall Shatto

A drinking water fountain has germs and bacteria. This can cause minor illnesses like a cold, or it can transmit harmful conditions. Public drinking fountains are usable by hundreds of people every day. To avoid catching any type of illness, cleaning a fountain everyday is vital.

Tip

Remember to accomplish step 1 daily. Do Steps 2 to 4 to clean a drinking water fountain weekly.

Warning

Take special care when using chemicals to clean a drinking water fountain. Always cleanse the area thoroughly with hot water. If any smell of the chemical is still present, wash again. Use another cloth to dry if necessary. Read the warning label on all chemicals. The label will explain if the certain mixture would be harmful to use on a drinking water fountain.

Accomplishing a deep cleaning of the drinking water fountain every week will maintain its sanitary state. Everything that you need to clean a drinking water fountain is obtainable at a local grocery or department store.

  1. Use sanitizing wipes every day. Rub the mouthpiece and bowl. Use two of three wipes to remove the bacteria. Doing this at least once a day is mandatory. Doing so twice a day is a better bet since it will alleviate more germs.

  2. Fill up a small bucket with hot water. Dip the first cloth into the water. Rub the bowl of the fountain as well as the mouthpiece. Remove the dust and grime.

  3. Pour a quarter-size amount of bleach around the bowl and mouthpiece. Evenly spread it around. Let the bleach sit for around 5 minutes. Use the soft bristle brush to scrub the drinking water fountain. Pay close attention to the mouthpiece.

  4. Use your second dry washcloth to rub the bowl and mouthpiece. This will wipe away any left-over stuck on grime. Go over the drinking fountain again with a wet cloth.

  5. Pour the bucket of hot water over the drinking fountain. Concentrate mostly on the mouthpiece. This will wash away any left over bleach. Complete this step in separate stages. Let the water swish around the fountain. Then pour more water in.