How do you drink water if you hate it?
Make water cold, give it a little flavor, keep it in one bottle you like, and sip small amounts often instead of forcing big glasses. That's the short version, and it lines up with public advice: the NHS (2023) suggests sparkling water or a slice of lemon or lime if you don't like the taste, and the CDC (2026) suggests citrus, a reusable bottle you carry, and freezing water in freezer-safe bottles for ice-cold water all day.
The hard part isn't knowing the tips. It's doing them on day 9 when you're busy. So here's a 14-day plan, split by the reason you dislike water, that changes one small thing every few days.
How the 14-day water challenge works
- Name the reason. Bland, off-tasting, warm, forgotten or too much at once. Each one needs a different fix.
- Change one thing at a time. Four short phases: days 1-3, 4-7, 8-10 and 11-14.
- Keep what worked. By day 14 you have a bottle, a temperature and a flavor you'll reach for.
One reason, one bottle, one small change every few days.
Your 14-day plan
Showing the plan for: It tastes like nothing. Change it with the buttons at the top, or here:
| Days | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Lemon or lime in every bottle. Same bottle, same spot on your desk. |
| 4-7 | Rotate: cucumber, berries, orange. One new flavor every two days. |
| 8-10 | Try sparkling water with a small splash of 100% juice for the 3 p.m. slot. |
| 11-14 | Halve the fruit. Notice whether plain-ish water is now fine. |
Flavor, cold-water and bottle ideas come from the NHS (2023), the CDC (2026) and CDC (2026) (berries, citrus or cucumber; a splash of 100% juice in sparkling water). Counting tea, coffee and food comes from Mayo Clinic (2026).
Honest limits
- This plan is about liking water more. It is not a hydration target, and neither is Dropkin: the app tracks a goal you choose and is not a medical device.
- Flavor syrups and juice drinks are a trap for some people. The CDC (2026) lists a 12-ounce regular soda at 155 calories and a fruit juice drink at 186; plain water is 0.
- More is not better. Mayo Clinic (2025) says thirst and urine color are usually the best guides, and to not overdo it.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician, especially if you have kidney or heart problems or were told to limit fluids.
Water-hater questions
Why do some people hate the taste of water?
Common reasons are that it tastes flat, it picks up a taste from pipes or plastic bottles, or it's lukewarm. Cold water and a slice of citrus fix a lot of it. If water suddenly tastes strange to you, mention it to a doctor.
Does flavored water count as drinking water?
Yes. Adding lemon, lime, berries or cucumber is still water, and the NHS (2023) and CDC (2026) both suggest it. Watch out for sugary flavor syrups and juice drinks, which add calories.
Do tea and coffee count toward water intake?
Yes. The NHS (2023) says water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. Mayo Clinic (2026) also counts tea, coffee and milk.
How much water should I drink a day?
The NHS (2023) suggests about 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day, more in heat, exercise or illness. Mayo Clinic (2026) notes about 20% of daily water comes from food. Your own needs vary, so ask a clinician if you have a health condition.
Can I drink too much water?
Yes, though it's rare outside endurance events. Mayo Clinic (2025) says drinking too much can lower blood sodium and that thirst and urine color are usually the best guides. Don't force huge amounts.
Does Dropkin make water taste better?
No app can. Dropkin makes the habit easier: one-tap logging of your favorite bottle, reminders that stop when you're on pace, and a water world you can watch fill. The flavor part is up to you and a lemon.
A made-up day 9
It's 2:40 p.m. on day 9. The lemon slices ran out on Monday. The old you would grab the vending machine.
But the bottle on the desk is the one that worked in phase one, and it's cold because it spent the night in the freezer. Two sips. A reminder comes at 3:10, only because you're a little behind your own pace, and it goes quiet again after you log the half bottle with the ½ button.
Nothing dramatic happened. That's the point. Liking water is mostly removing the small reasons not to drink it.
We designed Dropkin's reminders to get quieter, never louder, if you ignore them. A water-hater who gets nagged learns to swipe notifications away, and then the habit is gone.
Who this plan is not for
If you already drink water happily and want to drink more, skip the flavor phases and go straight to a bottle and reminders. If you were told by a doctor to restrict fluids, follow that advice, not a challenge. And if you want an app that tracks every kind of drink with calories and caffeine, Dropkin is the wrong pick: it logs amounts of water you choose to count, nothing more.
Get Dropkin free
The full water tracker is free: unlimited logging, saved vessels, reminders, Hydration Pace, widgets and Apple Watch. Optional Pro adds more worlds, styles and longer history.
Get Dropkin free on the App Store · Updated November 2026
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