Is it dangerous to put hot drinks in plastic water bottles?

Question

I like to make ice tea and to store it in 1.5L plastic water bottles. Is it safe to drink the tea if I put it in the bottle while the tea is still hot? Also, can I make sun tea in bottled water bottles?

Answer 1

Nope, I think my mom saw somewhere that it's bad to re-use the bottles, and if you do, you have to wash them out with soap like regular dirty dishes..

Answer 2

This is going to sound weird but I think plastic releases something because whenever I make tea there's always something better about putting it in a plastic cup. First off all I noticed it would bubble a lot more. It even makes a small noise while bubbling. But I can always taste the difference. The plastic makes it taste better for some people (it also depends on the tea). Some bottles have a better quality than others. So of course studies are going to come out different. It only proves that there is some variable (probably quality of course) that changes everything and has yet to be officially proven that it exists. So I always say better safe then sorry. Brain cells or plastic?
Hard choice, I know (kidding).

Answer 3

I drink tea like that, just gotta make sure its not hot enough to melt the bottle. If the sun can get into the water bottle I bet that would be an easy way, essentially, the sun heats the water up a little to steep the tea anyways.

Answer 4

Let it cool off at an appropriate temperature, then you can put it in-it is okay to put the tea in the bottle when it's hot, but it might melt the plastic.

Answer 5

According to an article I just read http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200311/lol5.asp
water bottles can be made from several different types of plastic. It sounds like some of them can leach chemicals (and I am assuming would leach them worse with hot water and tannic acid, which is in tea). I would try to make it in glass bottles, or at the very least make it in glass, like a big measuring cup, then let it cool and poor it in once it is cool.

Also, I tried the Lipton cold brew bags and am sold. they make really good tea and you don't have to use hot water at all.

Thanks for the interesting question and making me think, I never really thought about it before.

Answer 6

well the reason you don't put hot liquids in a plastic bottle is because the bottle can melt/break resulting in a very big mess or even dangerous burns!

let it cool before pouring into a plastic bottle.

make sun tea in a glass pitcher instead.

Answer 7

Sun Tea Dangers

Answer 8

Like everyone else said, it could melt the plastic bottle. If you choose to use plastic bottles, only reuse them twice.

If you want something even safer, yet still portable, try glass bottles. I have a friend who drinks Snapple religiously and saves all the bottles for me. I wash them, and then boil them on the stove in distilled drinking water and reuse them. I still only use them for up to 5 uses, but my friend drinks so much Snapple, I don't see how I will ever run out of those bottles!

(FYI, if you use glass bottles with metal caps, be sure to boil the caps too. ;) )

Answer 9

Just cool it before you transfer it. If it is cool enough to drink then it should be fine for the bottle. Remember though people usually don't thoroughly wash water bottles when th reuse them. I am not a germ freak or anything, but some people are, So I think it is not recommended for germ freaks to reuse the bottle.

Answer 10

Ok.. I read somewhere I dnt remember, the bottled water bottles is not good, The plastic is a bad quality & it releases some chemicals in the long run & also if u might have noticed. It smells weird after some use.

dnt pour hot liquids in pla.. bottle, as they crumble when hot liq.. poured, also its harmful, as it releases some toxicns when hot poured... Hope this helps!!

Answer 11

yes it is very dangerous. But it depends on the type of plastic bottle that you have ....Why? because at any moment the plastic bottle can just melt in your hand and trust me it HURTS you are hearing this from experienced