Well, that sucks.
Tribe Skincare founder Kayla Houlihan said yes was horrified to search out a flood of mold inside a chrome steel straw for her Frank Green reusable bottle, documenting her great discovery in TikTok which attracted 1.6 million views this week.
Houlihan, 32, says she had been ailing on and off for nearly three years, noting that her illnesses coincided with the use of the bottle.
She said it wasn’t until her sister asked if she had cleaned the straw that she considered what is likely to be lurking inside.
“I’m absolutely shocked by what I just saw,” the Australian admits in the clip. “I do not know whether to laugh or cry.”
![A screenshot of a blonde from TikTok.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000009269459.jpg?w=640)
Houlihan, who launched her vegan beauty brand in 2017, admitted she never considered cleansing a straw because she “only drinks water out of it.”
She wasn’t prepared for “chunks of black mold” inside.
The skincare founder assured viewers that nobody else was responsible for this sick revelation.
She confessed that she was not using “common sense” and took note the manufacturer recommends washing the bottle frequently in your website.
“I understand it’s 100% my fault” she said in the next clip. “It’s normal knowledge that you simply clean the soda bottle straw, but I think I missed the note.”
The Post contacted representatives of Houlihan and Frank Green for comment.
![TikTok screenshot.](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/NYPICHPDPICT000009273626.jpg?w=925)
Discovering unwanted extra flavor in a bottle is just not as rare as you may think.
A recent study by the American company Waterfilterguru.com showed that reusable bottles can contain 40,000 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat – comparing them to a “portable petri dish”.
But don’t be concerned yet. University of Reading microbiologist Dr Simon Clarke said that while reusable bottles can harbor numerous germs, it’s “not necessarily dangerous”.
“I’ve never heard of anyone getting sick from a water bottle,” he told News Corp Australia. “Similarly, taps aren’t an issue: when was the last time you heard of somebody getting sick after pouring a glass of tap water?”
Experts recommend washing water bottles a minimum of once a day with hot soapy water.