How To Clean A Yeti Tumbler Cup Properly Every Time

Even though Yeti Tumbler cups are dishwasher safe, simply placing them in the dishwasher doesn't mean your dishwasher cleans them properly. In fact, most people are drinking out of Yeti cups with hidden mould in them.

So how do you clean your Yeti Tumbler Cup properly every time so you can ensure there is no mould and that they are completely clean.

To clean a Yeti Tumbler Cup properly the main body of the cup can go in the dishwasher. However, to clean the lid properly you must remove the rubber gasket from the lid and scrub both the rubber gasket and the lid to prevent any grime or mould from building up. Failing to do this often leads to hidden mould growth in the lid and health problems.

First we are going to look at how to clean the main body of the Yeti Tumbler Cup. This is the easier part to clean and difficult to get wrong. The lid however is more complex and needs more attention to detail so we will come back to take in a minute.

How To Hand Wash Your Yeti Tumbler Cup

Yeti Tumbler Cups can be hand washed quite simply.

Step 1: Rinse

Make sure you tip out the content of the cup (whether it be old water, soda, coffee, tea or whatever) and then give it a good rinse with hot water.

Hot water is better than cold water for dissolving any residue or leftover drink that may be stuck to your cup. But cold water can work also.

If it's been a while and you have items caked onto your tumbler (eg. You drank a smoothie in your Yeti tumbler then left it in the car for a week and it dried out) then you can fill your cup up with hot water and leave it to sit for 10-20 minutes.

The dried residue will absorb the water and will come off much easier this way.

Step 2: Wash Well

Once you've rinsed it out give it a good solid wash with a cloth or dish cleaning wand.

You can use detergent to help you or some people like to use a more natural cleaning product like vinegar or even baking soda.

Whatever you regularly use to clean normal cups and dishes should be fine.

Step 3: Wash Out and Dry

Once thoroughly cleaned simply rinse out any remaining detergent/cleaning product and leave to dry or dry with a tea towel.

Above you can see me washing and drying my Yeti Lowball. I love this cup as the 30oz is often too big for me. See Yeti Lowball Cup on Amazon (affiliate link)

Are Yeti Tumblers Dishwasher Safe?

Yeti Tumblers are in fact dishwasher safe so you are able to put both the main body of the cup as well as the lid in the dishwasher and run it through.

Read the full article: Are Yeti tumblers dishwasher safe?

However, the dishwasher will NOT effectively clean the lid. This is due to the fact that the lid has a rubber gasket which collects moisture and can grow hidden mould.

How To Clean Your Yeti Tumbler Cup Lid

If not cleaned properly the lid of your Yeti Tumbler Cup will start to grow hidden mould under the rubber gasket.

Truthfully, I believe this is a design flaw of the cups and this part of the cleaning process can be quite tedious.

Unfortunately mould can also build up in these areas quite quickly as well and so this is something you need to do on a regular basis.

Step 1: Remove Rubber Gasket With A Knife (Be Careful Not To Cut It)

To clean the lid properly you'll first need to remove the rubber gasket from the lid.

These rubber gaskets are not really designed to come off easily so removing them with just your hands can be quite difficult but it is possible.

You can use a knife to pry it open if you need to but if you do take extra care to not break the rubber.

Step 2: Scrub The Plastic Lid Making Sure You Remove Mold From All The Grooves

If it's been a while you will be able to see some black build up on the plastic lid.

This will mostly occur on the area of the lid that has been hidden underneath the rubber gasket, but may also be on other areas of the lid.

Make sure you scrub this well to get rid of all mould.

Step 3: Clean The Inside Of The Rubber Gasket

The rubber gasket is where the majority of the mould will build up.

Start by rubbing the inside of the rubber gasket. You can use a cloth or you can use something like a paper towel.

When wet the mould should come off quite easily.

Step 4: Clean The Outside Of The Rubber Gasket, Making Sure To Get In Every Crevice

This is where you need to take a bit more time. Because the rubber gasket is shaped with some parts sticking out more than others you will need to make sure you clean out every crevice.

Step 5: Remove Mag Slider and Clean That

If you have a Yeti lid with a MagSlider then this is really easy to clean.

You can simply pull off the MagSlider with your fingernail. It is designed to come off and is only held on with magnets.

Then clean the part of the lid that was under than MagSlider and clean the MagSlider separately. Once dry replace the MagSlider by placing it back on and it will magnetically connect.

Step 5: Dry Then Place Gasket Back Onto Lid

Leave the lid and the rubber gasket to dry separately and once dry simple place the rubber gasket back onto the lid and you are good to go.

What Cleaning Products Not To Use On Yeti Tumbler Cups

Yeti Tumbler cups are made from stainless steel and while this is a very durable substance there are some chemicals and cleaning products you should NOT use on these cups.

Rough Steel Wool or Steel Brushes

Using rough steel wool or steel brushes, especially on the exterior of the cup, is highly likely to causes scratches to your Tumbler Cup. Fine steel wool can be good for removing stains but be careful of the coarser types.

Abrasive Cleaners Will Scratch The Stainless Steel

Some cleaning products, especially ones designed to remove hard stains, have abrasive cleaners in them.

Just like the steel wool these could potentially scratch your Yeti cup. This isn't a big deal on the inside of your cup but be very careful on the exterior.

Bleach Will Stain or Damage Stainless Steel

Which bleach can be a great cleaning product, stainless steel is susceptible to corrosion when exposed to harsh chemicals.

Bleach can cause permanent damage to your Yeti tumbler cup, so just try not to use it.

The stainless steel will react to the bleach and it will get completely stained.

So definitely avoid bleach at all costs.

How To Remove Stains From Your Yeti Tumbler Cup

Lastly let's talk about how to remove intense stains from your Yeti Tumbler Cup.

I have personally owned my Yeti Lowball for over 3 years and from time to time I have left tea or smoothies in it for longer than I like to admit. Over the years this means the interior has a bit of a stain to it.

But because Yeti Tumbler's are made from stainless steel you can actually bring them back to a near perfect shine with the correct cleaning procedure.

Step 1: Use Window Clean and 0000 Steel Wool

Use window clean to lubricate the tumbler and then use 0000 steel wool to rub away any dirt, grime or stains that have built up.

0000 steel wool is an ultra-fine steel wool. If you use a coarser steel wool that isn't as fine you do run the risk of scratching the tumbler.

This is not a giant deal if it is just the interior of the tumbler you are cleaning, but if you are cleaning the exterior you don't want it to be scratched.

Step 2: Take Your Time And Do It Well

Take your time with the steel wool making sure to go over every area of your tumbler. Spend a few minutes making sure you removed all the stains.

Step 3: Clean Well and Dry

Once complete simply rinse it, clean it well and dry it and your Yeti tumbler should look as good as new.

Can You Get Replacement Lids For Yeti Cups?

If your lid gets damaged, or if you feel like your lid is dirty and mouldy and is beyond saving then you can buy replacement lids.

There are 3 different types of replacement lids for Yeti Tumblers.

Yeti Rambler MagSlider Lid

This are the current lids that are sold with all new Yeti Rambler Tumblers.

It is a plastic lid with a rubber gasket and the mag slider on top so you can open and close the lid to protect it from spilling.

Just make sure you get the correct size. Click the price link below to purchase this replacement lid on Amazon:

Yeti Rambler MagSlider Lid:

Yeti Rambler Original Replacement Lid

Just make sure you get the correct size. Click the price link below to purchase this replacement lid on Amazon:

Yeti Rambler Original Lid:

Yeti Rambler Lid With Straw

Just make sure you get the correct size. Click the price link below to purchase this replacement lid on Amazon:

Yeti Rambler Lid with Straw:

Buy Yeti Tumbler Cups On Amazon

If you're interested in purchasing a Yeti tumbler for yourself you can do so using the links below:

Yeti Tumblers (all sizes)

Yeti Low Ball 10oz

Yeti Tumbler 20oz

Yeti Tumbler 30oz

RTIC Tumblers

Yeti Coolers