You’re supposed to do something other than just throw them in the dish washer? I’ve been using the same 4 metal straws for about 6 years and never doing more…maybe that’s why my immune system is awesome.
Are there places with real 拉面 in Taipei? The ones where they knead it and separate it by hand in front of you? I loved those places and haven’t seen one here despite half-heartedly looking for years.
I’m not really much of a ramen fan, but I hear there are a few places that do it right. There’s probably a thread on it around here somewhere.
The water probably doesn’t get inside very well, so that’s a bit gross. 
Though I suppose it depends what you’re drinking and how soon you wash them after using. With thicker stuff like smoothies, a fair amount of gunk comes out when you use the wire brush, especially if you’ve left them to dry. I clean them like that every time, although it’s a bit of a hassle.
If you’ve just been using the dishwasher for 6 years though, maybe you could continue like that until they get blocked and something chewy and teeming with life plops into your mouth during use. 
3 years from now you’ll be able to buy those in the supermarket with a WEF logo on the packet.
