A 19-year-old college student from Athens, Georgia, Kae, has issued a warning about the importance of properly cleaning reusable water bottles after she fell ill due to mold in her Owala water bottle. Kae, who goes by the username Kaebrie on TikTok, shared her experience in a video that has since garnered over 3.3 million views in just five days.
Kae’s ordeal began when she fell ill in August with what seemed to be a minor cold. However, the cold persisted, leading to a diagnosis of bronchitis. Despite receiving treatment, her illness lingered longer than expected, and she soon developed a sinus infection. After a brief period of respite, she fell ill again, this time with a severe sore throat that led to her fourth visit to urgent care in a single semester.
During her recovery, Kae decided to clean her water bottle and made a disturbing discovery. She admitted to not cleaning the bottle as frequently as she should have, and upon further inspection, she found that the silicone stopper was infested with mold. She had not been aware that the stopper was removable and required cleaning.
After removing and replacing the moldy stopper, Kae’s health improved. She believes her recurring illnesses were due to mold poisoning from her water bottle. Owala, the manufacturer of the water bottle, sells cleaning tablets and brushes specifically for their products. They also provide cleaning instructions on their website, recommending daily cleaning and detailing how to clean the bottle’s various parts.
Despite these instructions, Kae’s video has resonated with many, with several viewers sharing their similar experiences. One user commented about having a swollen lymph node for six months while using an Owala bottle, while another lamented the difficulty of cleaning water bottles. A third user shared a surprising story of finding a lemon seed sprouting a leaf in their straw.