How To Clean A Water Cooler With Bleach. The container you use should be easy to handle. The mix of hot water and bleach is a deadly combination.
Clean the moldy spots and let sit for 10 minutes. If you choose to use bleach, we recommend adding 1 tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach to every gallon of water. Then, mix 1 tablespoon of bleach into a gallon of water, and fill the inner reservoir of the cooler to the top with this mixture.
Use a sponge to wipe down the top of the water cooler.
Wipe down the cooler, the lid, and the faucets. Use the hose to wash out all the soap from inside the cooler. That means if you are using 1 gallon of water, you need to use 5 1/3 cups of white vinegar. You can also add one or two tablespoons of lemon juice after making the vinegar solution.