Section Hikers - Bladder systems - Tiered of cleaning?

[Wise Old Owl]

Well how about this? fill the bladder with $1 a gallon distilled water. When you come home hang it to dry.... With a clean Platty, black bacteria won't have as much of a chance to get started.

Also when using tap water with its "touch" of chlorine or other additives - I noticed on the trail my throat gets dryer. Distilled and Spring water doesn't appear to have the same affect.

Best tip!

[Pedaling Fool]

I've never had a problem and never had to clean my bladder other than when I did forget and leave it closed with moisture in it, but that takes a while to form. I just used it the other day on a run after it has been sitting for over a month with water in it; it somewhat looked like it had a funny "tint" to it and it tasted a little funny but that could easily have been psychological, but it didn't hurt me. However, maybe next time I just just use it to water my plants and get some fresh water:D

I never mix chlorine in my water, figure it already has enough. And I never filter my trail water, because there are inoculants in there:);)

[Smooth & Wasabi]

Good idea. I have been keeping my platys and soft nalgene in the freezer. They grown nothing funky and taste fresh for years.

[QiWiz]

I use aquamira in a small amount of water to rinse out my platypus bottles (don't use a bladder, but the concept is the same); then just cap it and store till my next trip. No problems after years of doing this. Freezer also seems like a good idea to me.

[Wise Old Owl]

Good idea. I have been keeping my platys and soft nalgene in the freezer. They grown nothing funky and taste fresh for years.

Is that with the bite tube?

[dale1627]

I rinse my bladder and tube then shake dry. Store the bladder with tube and bite valve in the freezer. No issue yet.

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[Smooth & Wasabi]

Bite tube and all, never had a durability concern. I have been doing this for at least 5 years and the platy I started with is still going strong.

[rocketsocks]

Bite tube and all, never had a durability concern. I have been doing this for at least 5 years and the platy I started with is still going strong.bery interesting.

[theoilman]

Tiered

A "Tier" is a level or row or rank. What does a tier have to do with a bladder?

[Pro Se]

I don't even bother to empty my Camelbak bladder...just throw the whole thing with whatever water is left in the crisper (or whatever it's called) drawer in my fridge. That way it's ready for a day hike, bike ride, or section hike. Had the same one for 4+ years and have only cleaned it once. Didn't clean it because it tasted funny or had anything growing in it but simply because I didn't want to respond "never" if anyone ever asked me how often I clean it :)

[5th]

I rinse my platy and tube, shake the water out, and let it dry. Then I shove it back in my pack for next time. Been doing that for 15 years. No yuck, no problems.

[tiptoe]

I usually just rinse out my water containers and dry them thoroughly in the sun. Never had problems.

[WolfCBP]

I use denture cleaning tablets (plain, not minty) every 2-3 months to keep mine fresh. http://walking.about.com/od/hydration/tp/camelbackclean.htm

[RockDoc]

I have at least four of these, different sizes, etc.
The black crud grows unless you disassemble and soak in clorox solution. That effectively sterilizes everything.
I even bought the snake brush to clean the hoses. Otherwise run a string through and tie on a piece of cloth, then pull back through to clean out all grunge.

[Navy Salad]

Since I have seen black mold grow in some of the nooks and especially the crannies, I clean mine maybe every week or so, washing with soapy water, rinsing out, letting dry out thoroughly. Maybe every 2 weeks I put in a tablespoon of bleach mixed with a quart of water, slosh it around, drain some through the hose & mouthpiece.

[Odd Man Out]

I put my bladders out in the sun to dry after rinsing them out with tap water. I figured the UV light helps sanitize. Heat drys them out quickly. Once dry, nothing grew.

[Walkintom]

I drank out of a Camelbak bottle daily for over a year without cleaning it. Then one day I noticed a little film appearing so I finally washed it.

The stuff used to build most water bottles and bladders seems to be pretty unfriendly to bacteria.

[Wise Old Owl]

So long as you didn't get sick.

[Traveler]

A "Tier" is a level or row or rank. What does a tier have to do with a bladder?

Use it in a sentence maybe, "Ahm tiered a cleenin".