4 ms·

Our company cafeteria has metal straws for sale for 50 cents, and a thing to wash them out with. Works pretty well other than getting the ocasional sideways qu

Our company cafeteria has metal straws for sale for 50 cents, and a thing to wash them out with. Works pretty well other than getting the ocasional sideways question about what the metal straw I keep in my bag is for.

joecool1029 7y ago
>Our company cafeteria has metal straws for sale for 50 cents, and a thing to wash them out with. Hygienic issues are the main concern I have with metal straws (e.g. when cafes have them for reuse). I'm assuming the one sold to you came with something like a pipe brush to run through it. For public locations it's really going to be on the staff to clean this thoroughly as I doubt a dishwasher is going to be enough. Wood for me would be worse in this regard, more opportunities for things to get stuck on them (or soak into the wood if lacquer fails)
- mattigames 7y ago
  I think you and people with similar points are exaggerating, dipping the straws in a pot full of water until it boils and then using straw-cleaning tools such as this one is more than enough https://i.imgur.com/OeRC2Gz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/OeRC2Gz.jpg
  - joecool1029 7y ago
    > I think you and people with similar points are exaggerating I hardly think I am exaggerating by stating this concern. The development of one-time use cups (like dixie cups) was primarily to address sanitary issues. I can see lipstick on a glass, I can't see funky residue inside a straw. I've discussed issues with soap use at some cafes that use reusable ceramics (as it can leave a residue and affect the flavor). One owner of a higher end cafe told me that they chose rather to sanitize their cups with a high temperature commercial dishwasher. This violates their local health code but is practically acceptable. Anyways, I know it's possible to disinfect straws, but if it proves to be more complicated or requires a lesser known process (like boiling them), the odds if it not being done properly or not at all go up.
    - mattigames 7y ago
      At some point in history washing dishes WAS a lesser know process, what happened? Well, it stopped being a lesser know process once it became the cultural norm, the same could happen with cleaning straws -or any other sanitation-.
- fredophile 7y ago
  Here's a reusable straw that comes apart for easy cleaning. Once it's apart I don't see why the dishwasher wouldn't be able to clean it as well as any other dish. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/rain-straw-the-reusable-slide-apart-straw-for-easy https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/rain-straw-th...

joecool1029 7y ago

>Our company cafeteria has metal straws for sale for 50 cents, and a thing to wash them out with. Hygienic issues are the main concern I have with metal straws (e.g. when cafes have them for reuse). I'm assuming the one sold to you came with something like a pipe brush to run through it. For public locations it's really going to be on the staff to clean this thoroughly as I doubt a dishwasher is going to be enough. Wood for me would be worse in this regard, more opportunities for things to get stuck on them (or soak into the wood if lacquer fails)

mattigames 7y ago
I think you and people with similar points are exaggerating, dipping the straws in a pot full of water until it boils and then using straw-cleaning tools such as this one is more than enough https://i.imgur.com/OeRC2Gz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/OeRC2Gz.jpg
- joecool1029 7y ago
  > I think you and people with similar points are exaggerating I hardly think I am exaggerating by stating this concern. The development of one-time use cups (like dixie cups) was primarily to address sanitary issues. I can see lipstick on a glass, I can't see funky residue inside a straw. I've discussed issues with soap use at some cafes that use reusable ceramics (as it can leave a residue and affect the flavor). One owner of a higher end cafe told me that they chose rather to sanitize their cups with a high temperature commercial dishwasher. This violates their local health code but is practically acceptable. Anyways, I know it's possible to disinfect straws, but if it proves to be more complicated or requires a lesser known process (like boiling them), the odds if it not being done properly or not at all go up.
  - mattigames 7y ago
    At some point in history washing dishes WAS a lesser know process, what happened? Well, it stopped being a lesser know process once it became the cultural norm, the same could happen with cleaning straws -or any other sanitation-.
fredophile 7y ago
Here's a reusable straw that comes apart for easy cleaning. Once it's apart I don't see why the dishwasher wouldn't be able to clean it as well as any other dish. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/rain-straw-the-reusable-slide-apart-straw-for-easy https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/rain-straw-th...