How to Clean a Hip Flask

Whether you want to rinse out the inside of a flask or need to clean up the exterior, there are several options that will give you great results. To rinse out your flask, choose a cleaning liquid and pour it into the flask, capping and shaking the flask thoroughly before rinsing it out. Depending on the material of your flask, you can use a cloth to clean the surface or purchase a polish that will help get rid of markings.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing the Inside of the Flask

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Try to avoid letting alcohol or other liquids besides water sit in your flask for several days. Even if you can’t get around to thoroughly washing it immediately, rinse the flask out with clean water to make the cleaning process easier.
2
Fill the flask ¾ of the way up with soap and water. Uncap the flask and pour water into it, adding 2-3 drops of a dish soap. Be careful not to fill it all the way up, leaving roughly ¼ of the flask empty so that the liquid has room to move around.^{[1]XResearch source}
- If you’re not sure when the flask is filled up ¾ of the way, fill it all the way to the top and then pour a little bit of liquid out.
- You can use other liquids besides soap and water, including vinegar or boiling water.
- Avoid using chlorine bleach to clean the flask as this may damage it.
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Screw the cap onto the flask tightly enough so that liquid won’t seep through, and then vigorously shake the flask for at least 20 seconds. This helps ensure the interior is being thoroughly cleaned.^{[2]XResearch source}
4
Use a soft bottle brush to clean the inside, if desired. If you want your flask to be super clean, use a bottle brush with soft bristles to clean the inside of the flask. You may need to pour out a bit of your cleaning liquid to make the process easier.^{[3]XResearch source}
- A bottle brush with soft bristles is important so that the brush doesn’t scratch the flask. Baby bottle brushes are a good option for this.
5
Rinse the inside of the flask with warm water. Uncap the flask and pour out all of the liquid cleaner that was inside. Fill the flask up with clean warm water to rinse out the cleaning liquid. You may want to rinse it out several times to ensure it’s completely clean and the cleaning liquid isn’t lingering.^{[4]XResearch source}
- A good way to know that all of the cleaning liquid is out is to put the open flask under running water and let it fill up. Once the flask starts overflowing, it’s likely that it’s clean.
6
Flip the flask over to let it dry. Leave the flask uncapped and place it on a clean towel. Leave it upside down overnight to let it dry completely.
- You can also twist a paper towel and stick it in the flask overnight, as the paper towel will absorb the moisture.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Choosing a Rinse

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1
Fill the flask with boiling water to sterilize it. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and use a funnel to carefully pour the water into the flask. Use a towel or oven mitt to hold the flask so that you don’t burn your hands while handling the water.^{[5]XResearch source}
- The boiling water will help rinse the flask of any other liquids or dirt.
2
Add a few drops of mild detergent to warm water for a quick fix. Fill the flask ¾ of the way with warm water, and then add 2-3 drops of a mild dish detergent. These two liquids will mix together and clean the flask once it’s capped and shaken.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Make sure you wash out all of the soap when rinsing the flask.
3
Rinse the flask out with vinegar and water to get rid of any smells. Vinegar is an excellent cleaning solution, and it also eliminates any lingering odors. Create a solution with 1 part water and 1 part white vinegar, mixing it together before pouring it into the flask.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you want a stronger solution, alter the proportions so there’s more vinegar than water.
4
Create cleaning friction by using salt, rice, or baking soda. Choose one of these ingredients and mix it with water. Once you pour the mixture into the flask and shake it, it will act as a mild abrasive and clean the interior of the flask well. There isn’t a right or wrong proportion to use, but consider using ¾ water and ¼ of the abrasive.^{[8]XResearch source}
- For example, pour a couple spoonfuls of rice into a flask halfway full of water and shake it up once capped.
5
Opt for an alcoholic sterilizer by using vodka. Either add some water to the vodka before shaking, or go with straight vodka for a more pure clean. If you do opt for straight vodka, there’s no need to fill the flask ¾ of the way full--⅓ of the way full will work.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Make sure you rinse the vodka out immediately, otherwise your flask will keep the strong smell.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning the Exterior

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1
Use polish to clean a flask made of silver or pewter. Make sure you purchase a silver polish for silver flasks and a pewter polish for pewter flasks. Follow the instructions on the polish, often only using a small dab placed on a clean towel, to rub the flask clean.^{[10]XResearch source}
- These polishes can be purchased at a home improvement store, big box store, or online.
2
Purchase a special polishing cloth to clean up surfaces easily. These cloths don’t require any water and can clean markings on flasks made of silver, gold, pewter, and other metals. Rub the exterior of the flask using the cloth; the darker the cloth gets, the better it’s working.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Purchase a polishing cloth from a home improvement store, big box store, or even online.
3
Clean a stainless steel flask using soap and water. Stainless steel is designed to be very durable and easy to clean, so any dirt or markings should come off with warm water and a mild detergent. Use a soft sponge to clean the surface, if desired.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Be careful not to use abrasive cleaners or brushes, as they may scratch the flask.
4
Avoid getting leather flasks excessively wet. The water will damage the leather or cause spots to appear. If your leather flask gets dirty, look into purchasing a leather cleaner or try to spot clean the leather using a damp paper towel.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Avoid rinsing the leather under running water.

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Question
How do I remove oil residue on my hip flask?
Alessandra Mendes
Cleaning Specialist
Alessandra Mendes is a Cleaning Specialist and the Founder of Cleaning Glow. With ten years of experience, Alessandra and her team specialize in providing residential cleaning services in the San Francisco Bay Area. All members of the Cleaning Glow team have completed thorough background checks.
Alessandra Mendes
Cleaning Specialist
Expert Answer
To effectively clean and remove oil residue from a hip flask, start by rinsing it with warm water to loosen any loose residue. Then, add a small amount of dish soap or mild detergent into the flask and fill it halfway with warm water. Close the lid tightly and shake the flask vigorously for about 30 seconds to create a soapy solution inside. Afterward, open the flask and use a bottle brush or a long-handled sponge to scrub the interior surfaces, paying close attention to areas with visible oil residue. Once scrubbed, thoroughly rinse the flask with warm water to eliminate any soap and oil residue. If stubborn residue persists, you can make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the affected areas, and scrub with a brush or sponge before rinsing again. Finally, allow the flask to air dry with the lid off before storing it for future use. These steps ensure the hip flask is thoroughly cleaned and free of oil residue.
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Avoid using chlorine bleach to clean the flask, as it can be corrosive.
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Wash a new flask before using it.
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