Wash Bottle, Plastic

Quick Answer: A plastic wash bottle is a flexible squeeze bottle with a delivery tube and narrow jet, used to direct a controlled stream of distilled water or solvent onto glassware, precipitates and filter papers. Pressing the sides delivers liquid; releasing stops the flow at once.

Applications

• Transferring a precipitate quantitatively from beaker to filter funnel
• Rinsing the stirring rod and beaker into a volumetric flask when making a standard solution
• Washing down the walls of a conical flask during titration
• Rinsing electrodes and thermometers between samples

The Squeeze Bottle on Every Bench

Rinsing in quantitative chemistry has to be precise: enough liquid to carry every particle or drop into the right vessel, and no more. A squeeze bottle gives that control. The stream can be a gentle trickle down the inside of a beaker or a firm jet that dislodges a precipitate, and it stops as soon as the hand relaxes.

The title says plastic without naming the resin. Squeeze bottles are usually low-density polyethylene, chosen because it flexes easily and resists water, dilute acids and alkalis and common alcohols. Polyethylene softens well below autoclave temperature, so these bottles are washed rather than sterilised.

LabEquip also lists a general wash bottle and a new type wash bottle; this listing is specifically the plastic squeeze pattern, which has largely replaced the older mouth-blown glass design for safety.

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Refill only with the liquid named on the label; start a new, labelled bottle for each solvent.
• Hold the bottle upright while squeezing so that liquid, not air, reaches the jet.
• Replace a bottle whose jet has split or whose body has hardened or cracked.

Why Choose LabEquip

Every bench in a teaching or analytical lab needs its own wash bottle, so schools and colleges order them by the dozen. LabEquip supplies them with the rest of its chemistry lab equipment; send quantities and capacities through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What liquid should a wash bottle contain?

Usually distilled or deionised water. Bottles for ethanol, methanol or acetone are kept separately and clearly labelled, often with coloured caps, because the wrong liquid can dissolve a product or spoil a precipitate.

How do I wash a precipitate onto filter paper?

Tilt the beaker over the funnel, guide the liquid down a glass rod and direct a gentle stream from the wash bottle around the inside of the beaker. Repeat with small portions until no solid remains.

Why use a squeeze bottle instead of pouring from a beaker?

The jet delivers a small, aimed stream exactly where it is needed and stops instantly, so there is less excess liquid and less risk of overshooting a mark on a volumetric flask.

Can hot water be used in a plastic wash bottle?

Warm water is acceptable, but hot water softens polyethylene and makes the stream unpredictable. For washing precipitates with hot water, a heat-resistant glass wash bottle is the traditional choice.

How often should the water in a wash bottle be changed?

Empty and refill it regularly, for example weekly, rather than topping it up indefinitely. Standing water picks up dust and carbon dioxide, and microbes can grow in bottles left for long periods.

Why is my wash bottle spurting air?

The end of the tube inside the bottle is above the liquid, either because the level is low or because the bottle is tilted. Refill it, or hold it more upright while squeezing.

Last Updated: September 2026