Cleaning the Water Bladder... Yuck.

[Wise Old Owl]

I have to say I like them - cleaning and drying is awful.

I use a full Walmart brush kit, boiling water and Clorox. Its still a big chore, but the stuff that comes out is worth it, both black and white bacteria from the cracks and crevises of the bladder. You just can't come home, toss the pack in the corner and flop on the couch. You half to empty and dry. Even clorinated water goes bad.

I found spring water less drying to the throat.


Just venting here....


Woo

[Mrs Baggins]

As soon as I get home I pull the bladder from my pack, fill up the sink with hot water, a little bit of dish soap and Clorox, and swish the bladder and hose and bite valve all around in it. Then I run the hottest water I can stand to rinse it all thoroughly, lay it all out on a towel on the counter and let it dry. I use a clear Platypus bladder, so I can see how clean and well rinsed it is. And if it's been laying in the gear room for a long time between uses, I'll do that all again before using it just to make sure it's still very clean.

[Torch09]

I went 5 months on the trail without cleaning mine. When i got home, i swear there were things living in there. I tried to clean it, but decided to throw it out instead (it also had a spot where it was almost punctured)

[Toolshed]

I clean mine with water and a tbsp of bleach, rinse it a few times and let it stand upside down and ballooned open for a couple of days and then roll it up, put a rubber band around it and put it in the freezer.

[bigcranky]

I finally gave up on using a water bladder because of this issue.

[Bags4266]

Billy Mays here... Oxi clean!!!!!

[camojack]

I keep mine in the dark; not too much growth to worry about.

That being said, I have cleaned the tube a time or three...

[sherrill]

Serious question - is it worth it? From what I hear from other folks while I'm hiking with them, they have a lot of issues.

Seems to me to be more work than reward...I don't mind reaching for the water bottle. Those can either be cleaned a hell of a lot easier, or in the case of the soda bottle, recycled.

[10-K]

I drain mine and throw it in the freezer as soon as I get home.

So far, so good - except for that thing growing out of my right ear I'm fine.

[Wise Old Owl]

Billy Mays here... Oxi clean!!!!!

Billies moved on to a better place where yelling goes UN-noticed,,,



How do you use Oxi clean to get the bladder clean?

[Bags4266]

I could see if your throughing (sp) with one it might be a problem with cleaning. But for section hikers we are able to clean and dry so they are not a problem. I still carry a quart gatorade bottle along with a platy. The gatorade bottles are easy to grab, fill, and drink from.

[Bags4266]

About a tablespoon of Oxi clean with some hot water and let soak then rince w/ warm water. I use Oxi clean with all my Beer Brewing cleaning and it works great.

[rhjanes]

I have 2 camelbak's and bought their cleaning kits. they include a hanger and a thing to prop open the bladder so it air dries. I use one of the bladders once a week. I empty it, remove the bite valve, dry it with a small wash cloth, hang it and the plastic thing-a-ma-bobs from the clean kit, hang it, invert it and hold it open. I also stick the small hose scruber up and down in the hose to help dry it. I toss the bite valve into the hung-up bladder and hang them in the closet. No gunk growing even after a year. Never have used the Camelbak cleaning chemical.

[10-K]

Seriously, I just drain mine and put it in the freezer and it looks good as new a year later. I've never formally cleaned it figuring the freezing temperature killed whatever might be in there.

Are you guys putting drink mixes or something in yours?

[sbhikes]

If you empty it out and leave it to dry it will stay clean without a lot of scrubbing and chemicals.

If you're on a thru-hike, just bounce the bottle brushes and clean it once in a while. The mold isn't going to kill you anyway. At least it hasn't killed my boyfriend yet and he likes to wait until the hose is black and red. Eww.

[10-K]

I don't carry one in the winter because of freezing issues and I don't carry one in the summer unless it's a short (a few days) hike because on a longer hike I don't want the weight. So it's always back in the freezer within a few days of leaving.

Maybe I just haven't used mine in the right environment for it to get yucky.

[Wise Old Owl]

Seriously, I just drain mine and put it in the freezer and it looks good as new a year later. I've never formally cleaned it figuring the freezing temperature killed whatever might be in there.

Are you guys putting drink mixes or something in yours?

No, and freezing does't kill, it justs puts growth on hold.

But that works for you - thats ok

[hikerinnc]

efferdent tablets! cheap, 1 per liter. buy em at sams, costco even cheaper

[Forever North]

I drain mine and throw it in the freezer as soon as I get home.

So far, so good - except for that thing growing out of my right ear I'm fine.

Forgive me for asking but I got to know....what brand do you use and why in the heck would you put it in the freezer?????????

[perrito]

I usually just put a few drop of antibacterial dish soap in a half filled bladder and give it a good shaking. Then I rinse it about 5 times or until it doesn't smell like the soap. Then I dry it like Jason here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S7XOyX1zyo