To clean reusable straws, rinse them as soon as you finish a drink, then push a soapy straw brush through from each end, twisting as you go so the bristles sweep the whole inside wall. Rinse with warm running water and let the straw air dry, standing on end or hanging, until no water is left inside. Dried smoothie, coffee or juice residue needs a soak in warm soapy water before you brush.
The brush has to fit. A straw only gets clean where the bristles actually touch the wall, so a brush that slides through loosely does little. Our straw cleaner brush set has 10 brushes with nylon heads from about 2 mm to 24 mm across, each about 8.2 in (21 cm) long on bendable wire, so thin, standard and wide straws each have a match.
What are straw cleaners called?
Most people call them straw brushes, straw cleaning brushes or straw cleaner brushes. In kitchen and lab supply terms they’re tube brushes or pipe brushes: a twisted wire handle with a short head of bristles at one end and often a loop at the other for hanging. Sets that mix several head sizes are also sold as tube brush or bottle brush sets.
They aren’t the same thing as craft pipe cleaners, the fuzzy chenille stems used for kids’ crafts and pipe cleaner flowers. Searches for straw cleaner crafts usually mean those stems. A chenille stem can stand in for a brush in a very thin straw, but it has soft fibers rather than scrubbing bristles.
How to clean reusable straws, step by step
- Rinse right away. Run water through the straw as soon as you finish. Stubborn buildup usually comes from residue that was left to dry, especially from smoothies, milk drinks and juice.
- Pick a brush that fits snugly. It should push in with a little resistance and still turn.
- Add soap and scrub from one end. Put a drop of dish soap on the bristles, push the brush all the way in, then twist as you pull it back out.
- Repeat from the other end. This gives both openings a good scrub and handles straws that are longer than the brush.
- Rinse through. Hold the straw under warm running water so the stream runs through the tube, then look through it toward a light.
- Dry it completely. Stand it on end or hang it with both ends open so air moves through.
If you still see a film, specks or a cloudy line when you look through the straw, soak it and brush again.
How to use a straw cleaner brush
Hold the brush by the handle end and feed the head in gently; forcing a brush that’s too wide bends its bristles flat. Short back-and-forth strokes with a twist do more than one long push. For a bent straw, shape the wire into a gentle curve that matches the bend before you feed it in, then straighten it after use. Avoid sharp kinks, which weaken any wire handle over time.
Our brushes are about 8.2 in long from loop to tip. A tall tumbler straw can be longer than that, so clean it from each end; the two passes meet in the middle of any straw up to about twice the brush length.
What size straw brush do you need?
A common rule of thumb: choose a brush head slightly wider than the straw’s inside opening, so the bristles bend against the wall instead of floating in the middle. If the brush won’t go in, or you have to force it, go one size down. If it slides through with no drag, go one size up.
| What you’re cleaning | Brush to try first | Fit check |
|---|---|---|
| Thin and cocktail straws, lid holes, small spouts | The thinnest heads (the set starts at about 2 mm) | Light drag all the way through |
| Standard reusable straws and tumbler straws | Small to mid-size heads | Goes in with slight resistance and still twists |
| Wide smoothie and boba straws | Mid-size to larger heads | Bristles touch the wall on every side |
| Sippy cup valves, bottle nipples, juicer spouts | Match the opening; start small | Don’t stretch soft silicone parts |
| Narrow bottle necks, funnels, espresso baskets | The widest heads (up to about 24 mm) | Reaches the bottom of the neck |
The set lists the overall range, not each brush’s diameter, so test a few in your narrowest and widest straws and remember which ones fit.
How to clean metal, glass, silicone and bamboo straws
Reusable straws are usually made of stainless steel, glass, silicone, hard plastic or bamboo. The basic routine is the same for all of them; what changes is how much heat, soaking and scrubbing each material takes. Check the care label from the straw’s maker first.
| Straw material | Watch for | Cleaning tips | Drying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | You can’t see inside, so residue hides | Brush every time; bend the brush wire to follow a bent straw | Shake out drops, then stand on end |
| Glass | Chips at the rim; sudden temperature changes | Brush gently; don’t move it straight from very hot water into cold | Dry upright where it can’t roll off the counter |
| Silicone | Oily film and lingering smells | Soapy soak, then brush; the soft walls flex, so don’t force a wide brush | Hang or stand on end so water drains out |
| Hard plastic (many tumbler straws) | Scratches that turn cloudy | Nylon bristles, not scouring pads; follow the dishwasher label | Stand on end; long straws dry slower |
| Bamboo | Water soaking into the natural fibers; cracks | Hand wash quickly; avoid long soaks | Dry fully and promptly in open air |
With glass you can see whether it’s clean. With steel and colored silicone, look through the straw toward a window or lamp after rinsing; a film or blockage shows up as a shadow. The nylon bristles in our set are medium-firm and suit plastic, glass, metal and silicone.
Can you wash reusable straws in the dishwasher?
Many metal and glass straws, and some silicone and plastic ones, are labelled dishwasher safe, so follow that label. The catch is that dishwasher spray mostly hits the outside. Water doesn’t reliably run through a narrow tube, so the inside can come out with residue still in it.
If you use the dishwasher, brush the straws first, then stand them upright in the utensil basket or lay them in a top-rack holder so they can’t slip through the rack. Look through each one after the cycle. Bamboo straws and anything labelled hand wash only stay out of the dishwasher.
How often should you deep clean reusable straws?
Brush after every use, especially after smoothies, milk drinks, juice and anything sweet. As a rule of thumb, give each straw a longer soak about once a week, or whenever you notice a film, specks or a smell that a normal wash doesn’t clear. Three simple soaks:
- Warm soapy water. Submerge the straws for 15 to 30 minutes (again, a rule of thumb) so dried residue softens, then brush and rinse.
- Baking soda. A spoonful stirred into a glass of warm water helps lift smells from silicone. Brush and rinse well afterward.
- White vinegar and water. A diluted soak loosens the cloudy mineral film that hard water leaves on glass and steel. Rinse thoroughly.
Keep soaks short for bamboo. If you want to go beyond washing with heat, such as boiling, do it only when the straw’s maker says that material can take it, and brush first either way: heat doesn’t scrub off what’s stuck to the wall.
How do you dry and store reusable straws?
Water left sitting in a tube leads to musty smells and spots, so a straw should be completely dry inside before it goes into a drawer, case or bag.
- Shake each straw firmly a few times, or blow through it, to clear the drops trapped inside.
- Stand straws on end in a utensil cup or dish rack, or lay them on a rack where air reaches both open ends. Don’t leave them lying in a puddle on a towel.
- Give long, narrow straws extra time; they dry slower than short, wide ones.
- Store them dry in an open cup or a ventilated case. A pouch is fine for carrying, but wash and dry the straw before it goes back in, and let the pouch dry too.
If your tumbler straw wears a cover, take it off before washing. Our silicone flower straw toppers are hand rinsed and air dried on their own, then go back on once both cover and straw are dry, so no water is trapped under the flower. Fit details for those 10 mm toppers are in our straw toppers and coffee stirrers guide.
How to clean a straw without a straw cleaner
No brush on hand? These methods get you by, though none scrubs the wall as well as a brush that fits.
- Flush it. Hold one end under a strong stream of warm water with a drop of dish soap in the straw, then plain water, until it runs clear from the other end.
- Swish it. Fill a tall glass with warm soapy water and plunge the straw up and down so water surges through, then rinse.
- Pull a cloth through. Tie a thin strip of clean cloth or paper towel to a length of string or dental floss, drop the string through the straw and pull the strip through a few times with soapy water.
- Use a pipe cleaner. A chenille stem fits thin, straight straws. Wet it, add soap, push it through and rinse well afterward in case any fibers came loose.
If the residue has dried, soak first; a flush alone won’t carry it out.
How do you clean straw cleaner brushes?
A brush only helps if it’s clean itself. After each use, rinse it under running water while you work the bristles with your fingers, shake it hard to clear the water and hang it to dry. Our set’s detachable storage ring lets you hang all ten from a hook by the sink, or hang one by its own loop.
Now and then, swish the brushes in hot soapy water to loosen anything caught in the bristles, then rinse and hang them again. Don’t store them damp in a closed drawer, or standing in a cup with water pooled at the bottom. If you also use brushes for funnels or espresso baskets, keep those apart from the ones for drink straws.
Replace a brush when the bristles splay out, stay flattened or start falling out, or when the wire has a sharp kink that won’t straighten.
When should you replace a reusable straw?
Cleaning can’t fix a damaged straw. Retire it when you see:
- a chip or crack in glass, even a small one at the rim;
- a split, tear or tacky surface on silicone;
- cracks, splinters or dark spots that won’t wash out of bamboo;
- deep scratches or warping in plastic;
- a smell that comes back after a full soak and scrub.
Two practical notes: metal straws pass heat from a hot drink, so sip carefully, and rigid straws of any material are safer used sitting down than while walking. Children using them should be supervised.
For more sink-side helpers, browse our kitchen and baking section, or see the full specs of the 10-brush straw cleaner set.
Step by step
- Rinse right after drinking
Run water through the straw as soon as you finish so smoothie, milk or juice residue doesn't dry inside.
- Choose a brush that fits snugly
Pick a brush head slightly wider than the opening: it should go in with a little resistance and still turn.
- Scrub with soap from both ends
Add a drop of dish soap, push the brush through, twist as you pull back, then repeat from the other end.
- Soak if residue remains
If you still see film or specks, soak the straw in warm soapy water to soften it, then brush again.
- Rinse through
Hold the straw under warm running water so the stream runs through, then check it against a light.
- Air dry completely
Shake out the drops and stand the straw on end or hang it so air reaches both open ends; store it only when fully dry.
- Rinse and hang the brush
Rinse the brush under running water, shake it out and hang it by its loop or the storage ring to dry.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a craft pipe cleaner to clean a reusable straw?
For a thin, straight straw, yes, as a stopgap. A chenille stem has soft fibers rather than scrubbing bristles, so it won't lift dried residue as well as a straw brush that fits. Rinse the straw afterward in case any fibers came loose.
How do I clean a tumbler straw that's longer than my brush?
Work from both ends. Push the brush in from the top as far as it goes, twist and pull back, then do the same from the bottom. With a brush about 8.2 in long, the two passes overlap on straws up to about 16 in.
Why does my silicone straw still smell after washing?
Silicone can hold onto oils and strong flavors such as coffee or flavored drinks. Soak it in warm water with a spoonful of baking soda, brush the inside, rinse well and let it dry completely. If the smell keeps coming back, replace the straw.
What size brush do I need for a boba or smoothie straw?
One whose bristles press against the wall all the way around, which for a wide straw means one of the larger heads. If the brush slides through with no drag, move up a size; if you have to force it, move down.
How do I sanitize reusable straws?
Start with a full clean: brush with dish soap from both ends and rinse. For anything beyond that, such as boiling or a hot dishwasher cycle, follow the straw maker's care label, because steel, glass, silicone, plastic and bamboo take heat differently.
Do straws used only for water need brushing?
They build up less, but moisture left inside a tube still leads to musty smells. Rinse and dry them after each use, and as a rule of thumb give them a brush with soap at least every few days.
How should I store straw cleaner brushes?
Dry and with air around them, ideally hanging. Our set comes on a detachable ring that hangs from a hook or drops into a drawer, and each brush has a loop at the end for hanging on its own.
