Plastic Concerns

Black mold can be treated with a few solutions including bleach solution and vinegar. It seems easier to kill than MAC on nonporous surfaces. AI on a google has easy instructions to sanitize the dishwasher.

Wow, I don't like to be overly anxious about everything that could possibly be harmful as I have to continue to live and enjoy life but this appears to be an important issue that I will need to address. Thank you to @beejenigma, @blm1007blm1007 and everyone else who offered their input. This site is absolutely invaluable and I am so grateful for everyone who takes the time to share their thoughts, experiences and what they have learned along the way. I learn more here than from all my doctors combined.

Affresh Dishwasher cleaner? Would that help to use regularly?

I couldn’t find the ingredients in a quick search but would guess citric acid in part. Per the Affresh website - Cleans what you can’t see: your machine’s tub, racks, pump and valve, drain and recirculation hoses

Powers away limescale and mineral buildup

Descales dishes and glassware, leaving them sparkling.

Seems like it’s a good idea in general and hopefully tackles any mold.

https://www.affresh.com/knowledge-hub/what-is-in-affresh-cleaner-tablets-ingredients-list/

blm1007, I have the large plastic water bottles delivered monthly. We got started through Costco and get the Primo water. They have combined with another company, so the name may have changed.

I do not use the stand. We just place a bottle in the kitchen counter. I ordered bottle covers from Amazon in a set, and we removed the top from the bottle and then use the tops we bought.

When I boil water, I bring the large pot over to the water jug and just tip the jug to pot water into the pot.

Do not use the water dispenser stand. The tubing that runs down from the bottle area to the spout is a source of pseudomonas and other nasties. It has to be regularly flushed, etc… It is not worth the risk. Imagine how many people use water from these dispensers- even in doctor’s offices.

We have been using this for 3 years, and we have had no issues. The company has you place the used bottles outside your door, and then they put them through a sanitizing process to be reused. They do not add to the plastic garbage, like the small bottles do.

There are different options for the water. We order the spring water. I hope this helps.

There is a company that produces a product called Benefect. Go to their website.

Their products are completely non-toxic. Their wipes come in a bucket (not a large one, like for mopping). They are sturdy and outstanding. They also have another product that comes in a gallon jug. You do not dilute it. I put it in a spray bottle. That one can even kill TB.

They have products that kill mold and that are often used for professional clean up.

Go to their website for Benefect. By the way, I order the wipes and the gallon size super disinfectant (all non-toxic) from Amazon.

I periodically remove the sprayer nozzle and its tubing and run it under hot water because I think that the plant oil that is included in the formula can, after some time, clog the sprayer.

I highly recommend this product over the traditional wipes. It is so safe, that it can be used on food prep areas.

Also, I meant to say that we actually place the bottle on the floor in a kitchen corner. That way, we don’t need to lift the bottle to pour water into the large pot for boiling. We just tip the bottle over and pour. When we need to bring another bottle to the kitchen, we just push it because we have ceramic plank floors that don’t scratch. You could also use a small luggage dolly or such to transport it. No need to lift.

I was curious how we would know if pseudomonas accumulates in a water cooler tube that runs from the bottle to the dispenser? This is a concern for me since I have this kind of water dispenser stand.

I would assume that lots of things grow in that nice, cozy environment. There are a number of things you can do.
One would be to change the tube regularly - most tubing comes in pretty standard sizes, and a coil of 50-100' can be bought cheaply and cut to size. Then it either presses or clamps on.
Another would be to find out if you can get a dispenser with a UV light focused on the tubing to disinfect it.
Finally, you could change from a dispenser to a pump. The pump part could be sanitized weekly or monthly in bleach water, and the tubing changed out as I described above.