Cleaning
Disinfect your jugs every 4-6 weeks using one teaspoon of regular laundry bleach. Put the chlorine into the jug with some water, put the cap on and shake thoroughly. Rinse out at least 3-4 times. It will be normal for the jug to have a slight chlorine smell. Leave the cap off, turn the jug upside down and allow it to air dry. Follow the instructions on the bleach container for proper first aid in case of any emergency.

Transportation
Try not to let your filled water container sit in the hot car or hot trunk of the car, especially during the summer months where the temperatures can reach 140 degrees inside a closed vehicle. Extreme heat can reduce the shelf life of the water. If you are running errands you might try to schedule your visit to our store as the last stop of your trip.

When transporting empty bottles be sure to loosen or remove the caps from the bottles before you put them into the car. Extreme heat can cause a plastic bottle to begin bulging in as little as 30 seconds. Even a partially loosened cap can reseal itself as the air inside the container expands very quickly.

Usage
When placing a bottle onto a cooler or other dispenser, be sure to wash your hands and wipe off the neck of the bottle beforehand. Dust in the air and unclean hands can contaminate the water and the dispenser causing taste and odor problems. Do not place plants or other objects on top of an inverted bottle, as dirt can fall down into the dispenser. Don't place dispensers in direct sunlight. You might purchase a cover for your water bottle to keep the area cleaner and safer.

Storage
Always store your bottled water in a cool, dark location, with the cap firmly in place away from chemicals or cleaning supplies. Do not store your bottled water in a garage where elevated temperatures during the day may reduce the shelf life of the water. One-gallon dairy style jugs (the milk jug) actually allow some transfer of air through the plastic. If water is stored near chemicals, the chemical can transfer through the plastic causing taste and odor problems such as storing the water bottle in a closet with mothballs.

Shelf Life
Maximum freshness is achieved if the bottled water is used within 2 weeks of filling. However because of the high quality of our water, we have not found taste or odor problems with water that has been shelved for weeks or even months.

Please refer to our section on the JUG CLUB for more information about our water vending specials.