How To Stop Your Protein Shaker From Smelling
Most fitness fanatics who have used a shaker to up their protein intake have probably found that there’s one side-effect that lingers long after the aches of your workout have subsided – the smell. If you’ve not been able to give your shaker a wash straight away then there’s a chance that you’ve had the nasty whiff of leftover shake greeting you, and once the smell is in the bottle it’s very difficult to get out.
Why it smells
Simply put, it’s bacteria. Protein is great for us as it helps supplement a healthy diet to promote strength or muscle growth but bacteria also thrive on the same protein, which can lead to a rapid growth in a short space of time.
The moist and protein rich environment is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and when coupled with any bacteria transferred from your saliva when drinking can start to kick up quite a stink if left unwashed overnight or for a couple of days.
How to clean it
Ideally, you’d clean and wash out your shaker with hot water and washing up liquid as soon as you’ve finished drinking your shake to remove any leftover mix.
But if you’re at the gym, chances are you’re not going to have access to a washing up bowl, so the best approach would be to rinse it out with hot water until you get a chance to wash it properly.
If you’ve any residue leftover it can become glue-like and hard to clean up if left to sit for too long, increasing the bacteria build up. Filling the bottle with hot water and washing up liquid before leaving to soak for about 20 minutes should be enough to loosen any leftover mix.
After you’ve washed your shaker it’s important to dry it thoroughly as other types of bacteria can thrive in any excess water or moisture leftover so dig in with a clean tea-towel or kitchen paper and make sure it’s completely dry.
If you’ve not been able to get rid of the smell then try adding a teaspoon of baking powder or a cup of vinegar to some hot water and leave to soak in for an hour before washing as normal.
And if that doesn’t do the trick then it’s probably time for a new shaker.
The Kingline solution
As the smell in your shaker is produced by a build-up of bacteria, the ideal scenario would be to remove the bacteria from forming in the first place and stopping the stink as a result.
Kingline antibacterial technology can be added into plastics, like protein shakers, and can help inhibit the growth of bacteria by up to 99%. While you’ll still need to clean it as usual, you can at least be safe in the knowledge that your smelly shaker days are over.
