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joefryfry
02-04-2020, 18:52
At home, what would you use to clean water filter tubes. I have a Katadyn filter, which I love. Vinegar, bleach? hydrogen peroxide? There is no apparent mold in my tubes. Thx.

theoilman
02-04-2020, 20:06
I clean my Sawyer Squeeze with the bleach solution in the instructions, first. Then use vinegar to backflush to dissolve minerals. I have had one that had enough mineral deposits that it almost didn't flow at all. Cleaning with vinegar solved it. When storing I clean it first, then when I get it back out I rinse it thoroughly with clear water.

rhjanes
02-05-2020, 00:46
I got a very long bottle brush from an auto parts store. 1/4 inch circumference on the bottle bristles. After a hike, I run that in from both ends of any hydration tubes and such. You can use that with bleach or vinegar or what ever you need.

NJHiker
02-10-2020, 07:42
I backwash my Katahdyn base camp filter (bag) before each season...take out the cartridge, soak the bag, filter and hoses in hot water then run cold water through in reverse for 3 minutes...replace the filter in the bag, then run one bag of cold water through the reassembled filter bag and hoses.



You get more mileage from a cheap pair of sneakers...

Starchild
02-10-2020, 10:14
I just backwash it (sawyer). What does the manufacturer recommend, I would tend to go with that unless there is a reason to disobey.

Alligator
02-10-2020, 12:38
The long skinny brush is handy for tubing https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/165243/platypus-cleaning-kit?CAWELAID=120217890007735367&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=16301317480&CATCI=pla-845920931959&cm_mmc=PLA_Google_Outlet&product_id=1652430001&ad_type=pla&channel=online&partition_id=845920931959&target_id=pla-845920931959&brand_flag=&adgroup_id=16301317480&campaign_id=184376080&location_physical=9008971&cid=55518619600&network=g&network_type=search&device_type=m&merchant_id=1209243&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=Cj0KCQiAm4TyBRDgARIsAOU75sr-Gn4uwrcp1VgVdIj41UuNCibCIVyasilTw--zoy-hbrJOxe1XK1AaAnxkEALw_wcB

Another Kevin
02-10-2020, 17:24
For the tube on my Camelbak, I use the long skinny brush. I clean the bladder with the disinfection tablet that the manufacturer recommends - I think it's actually Polident ;) - and drain the bladder through the tube before rinsing them both, so the tube gets exposed to the disinfectant also.

My Sawyer Squeeze, I replace once a season anyway, since there's no good way to test the filter integrity and the things are just twenty bucks or so.

I have an MSR pump filter, but I haven't used it in quite a while - the Sawyer is lighter, and I don't find that the convenience of throwing the hose in the stream rather than dipping the water out of it is worth the extra weight. Maybe the balance would shift if I were treating the water for more than just me.

When I'm Out There, I make sure that I use Aqua Mira at least every few days, which does a good job at inhibiting biofilm growth on the bladder and hose. Water freshly treated with Aqua Mira isn't too bad for backwashing the filter - it gets at least some chlorine in there.