Cleaning the Camelback bladder

[flyinelvis]

If someone can lead me to an old thread I'd appreciate it but if not, what's the BEST method for cleaning? New Mule late last fall and after 8-10 fills it's starting a faint after- taste.
Thanks folks...

[EVIL BOTA]

Mouth wash.. Put in a 1/4 cup and give it a good 3-5 minute shake.

rise well and off you go.

[flyinelvis]

Nice! I had heard the stuff on the market leaves some funky tastes so this is the way to go. Thanks again!

[AA]

I find the best way to get the after taste out of my camelback bladder & water bottles is to use a few tablespoons of baking soda, fill with water and let sit overnight. For a bottle I use 2 tablespoons, for the bladder 4 tablespoons. The next day I rinse them out and no funny plastic taste. It is good to clean out the bladder every so often with bleach. The baking soda works to get rid of the bleach taste as well.

[MTBME]

Baking soda and water. Shake well and let soak for awhile. Rinse well.

If your getting some dark spots starting to form, then I use a little bleach and water. Shake, soak, rinse, rinse again, rinse again...

[AA]

Baking soda and water. Shake well and let soak for awhile. Rinse well.

If your getting some dark spots starting to form, then I use a little bleach and water. Shake, soak, rinse, rinse again, rinse again...



hmmmm that sounds familiar ::)

[MTBME]

"hmmmm that sounds familiar "

Actually your post wasn't there when I started to respond. After I posted it, I saw that we were on the same wavelength. Freaky.

[BG]

Hydrogen Peroxide instead of clorox as a routine cleaner with a b.s. rinse. Clorox if youv'e left it to turn to fungus for a couple months.

BG

[AA]

"hmmmm that sounds familiar "

Actually your post wasn't there when I started to respond. After I posted it, I saw that we were on the same wavelength. Freaky.



Great minds think alike

[truckboy]

I try to keep mine as air-free as possible and have not had any little black moldies appear in 3 years. I fill it up then hold it upside down and squeeze/suck the air out. Makes it easier to stuff back into the pack too. When I know it's going to be a while, or if I'm taking it on a trip, I do empty it out and put a 1 liter bottle with the bottom cut off in the bladder to keep it open. This past winter I rode maybe 4 times from December to April and kept water in it ok. So I guess I try to keep air and water seperate, not completely air-free. Seems to work for me. Mixing bleach with drinking water just scares the bejeezuz out of me.

[flyinelvis]

"Mixing bleach with drinking water just scares the bejeezuz out of me."

Thanks for sayingt that; Hydrogen peroxide also doesn't ring my bell although I'm sure these all work. I like the mouthwash idea best at the moment..

[Quo Fan]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.

[slapheadmofo]

If you use it a lot, throw it in the fridge between rides- helps keep things fresher.
If the black spots cover more than 30% of the inside of the bladder, put a suckafish in it for a week or so. If you can't find one small enough to swim in and clean the tube too, there's a camelback cleaning kit that has a sort of bottle brush and a small brush on a long wire wand for the hose. There's also something called a hang-dry that is like a clothes hanger for bladders - it's like a little tent frame thing that slide in and holds the walls apart so it can dry completely.

[huff'npuff]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.


Darn! I was just going to post that! I thought it was an old person's trick,but I guess not. :)

[talisman]

I keep my camelback bladder in the freezer wrapped in a zip lock bag between rides to keep water tatsting fresh and the mold away without using chemicals. The bleaching, baking soda, efferdent, brushing and drying routine gets old after awhile.

Only put water in the bladder helps in keeping the single cell life forms down too.

[If_Rider]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.


Darn! I was just going to post that! I thought it was an old person's trick,but I guess not. :)


Yeah, what's quo doing with denture cleaner??

[dmw010]

Why go through any of this hassle? I rinse out my Camelbak bladder after every ride, with just warm soapy water. Slosh it around a bit, squirt some through the tube, then rinse and hang dry. Takes about a minute. I've never gotten strange tastes or funny growths, and my bladders last years.

[truckboy]

I keep my camelback bladder in the freezer wrapped in a zip lock bag between rides to keep water tatsting fresh and the mold away without using chemicals. The bleaching, baking soda, efferdent, brushing and drying routine gets old after awhile.

Only put water in the bladder helps in keeping the single cell life forms down too.


Yeah,
I never put anything in there but water. No 50/50 mix with gatorade or anything. That's why I'd shy away from moutnwash. Gives the moldies something to build on. I like the sucker fish idea too.

[flyinelvis]

I went to get the sucker fish but all they had were males...no way. I did have a lovely Tunacolada while I was there though...I think I'll start with the baking soda as I just got a slight hint the other day and it's def in the early stages. And she held her water for about 2 months between uses... :D

[Quo Fan]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.


Darn! I was just going to post that! I thought it was an old person's trick,but I guess not. :)


Yeah, what's quo doing with denture cleaner??


I read it in one of my biking mags. Seems to work.

[gnurider1080]

I read it in one of my biking mags. Seems to work.
aarp has a biking mag out now?


sorry, i just had to.

[EVIL BOTA]

I've used mouth wash the last 2 seasons.. Np with black spots... Plus I always have minty fresh breath..lol

[CsharpDev]

My bag turns inside out... I just rinse it in the sink and hang to dry... it's only a little more than a month old so I wouldn't expect anything growing yet... If it gets too dirty I'll probably just wash it with mild dish soap and rinse well.

[huff'npuff]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.


Darn! I was just going to post that! I thought it was an old person's trick,but I guess not. :)


Yeah, what's quo doing with denture cleaner??


I read it in one of my biking mags. Seems to work.




So we'll have to assume that he's just wise beyond his years. 8)

[Quo Fan]

Denture cleaning tablets seem to work well, then rinse with your favorite mouthwash.


Darn! I was just going to post that! I thought it was an old person's trick,but I guess not. :)


Yeah, what's quo doing with denture cleaner??


I read it in one of my biking mags. Seems to work.




So we'll have to assume that he's just wise beyond his years. 8)


Either that, or I'm just a wise-ass.