Ruining a shaker bottle with crusty three-day-old protein powder is like a rite of passage for every gym goer. I mean, if you haven’t gotten hit in the face with the smell of rancid protein powder after forgetting it in your car or gym bag, are you even into fitness? 

It may seem like a silly “oops” that happens to every athlete and lifter, but forgetting to wash your shaker bottle isn’t just gross. It’s also expensive and even potentially dangerous, as forgetting to clean your shaker bottles can expose you to harmful bacteria that put you at greater risk of getting sick. 

Since a mouthful of bacteria probably doesn’t sound like the protein shake add-in you had in mind, you might now be wondering what to do if you’re notorious for forgetting to clean your shaker bottles. 

How To Stop Ruining Your Shaker Bottles 

Step 1:

Throw your plastic protein shaker in the trash. 

‍Step 2:

Upgrade your protein shaker to this kitchen-grade stainless steel option from Ice Shaker. 

What Is An Ice Shaker? 

Unlike regular shaker bottles that are made with plastic that absorbs and holds onto smells, tastes, and bacteria, the Ice Shaker’s premium-grade stainless steel won’t absorb odors or flavors from past protein shakes, BCAA blends, or coffee or tea. It’s also double-wall vacuum insulated to keep your drinks cold for over 30 hours (yes, that means you can forget your drink for a day or two and it won’t turn into a smelly protein mess). 

The innovative shaker bottle was developed by NFLer-turned-entrepreneur Chris Gronkowski after he got sick of dealing with standard protein shakers. 

“It was 2016 when I thought of the idea,” Gronkowski says. “I was at the gym here in Texas, and it was hot. I had a plastic shaker bottle with me, and it was sweating. I took a sip of it and it tasted off, and my drink was warm. I was just like, ‘There has to be something better than this out there.’”

Gronkowski then set off on a journey to remake the shaker bottle, fixing everything he didn’t like and keeping everything he already loved. 

“We threw a handle on there so we have an easy-to-hold handle that snaps down; an easy-open pop-top; kitchen-grade stainless steel, and it’s all third-party tested,” says Gronkowski about his line of shakers. “We also added a silicone base on the bottom, so it won’t chip or dent or make a bunch of noise when you put it down.”

Speaking of a bunch of noise, Gronkowski even came up with a new solution to those irritating little mixer balls. 

“If you take a metal ball and put it inside a metal cup, it’s probably the most annoying thing in the world,” Gronkowski says when discussing how the Ice Shaker had to develop a new way to blend protein. “We made this patented twisted agitator that breaks up the powders, but it also works as a strainer,” he says. 

The nifty strainer feature means you won’t get stuck sifting through ice, but it also means you can use your Ice Shaker for so much more than protein shakes. Gronkowski says he’s heard of customers using the shaker bottle for everything from fruit-infused water to cocktails. 

But the real question is: what happens if you accidentally leave it in the car for a few days? 

“If you leave that plastic shaker in your car, then you're pretty much toast,” says Gronkowski. “If you leave ours in the car, depending on how long you leave it in there, eventually it's gonna smell because it's protein – protein's going to break down, and it’s going to smell awful no matter what. Luckily for the most part, it's so well insulated that if you leave it in there unless you leave it in there for weeks at a time, it's fine when you open it. It still doesn't even really smell at that point.” 

If you do forget your Ice Shaker in your car or gym bag, Gronkowski notes that the “kitchen-grade stainless steel won’t absorb the odor. So you can pretty much wash it with just water. I'll make a shake, I'll rinse it with water, and I'll refill it, and it's fine.” 

The Ice Shaker CEO also mentions that “if you leave it in the car for a couple weeks and it absolutely reeks, you’re going to have to throw it in the dishwasher, but the bottle itself isn’t going to absorb that odor.” We love an indestructible protein shaker. 

Ditch your nasty old plastic shaker and shop the Ice Shaker here.