+Papa Bill Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I just bought two off of eBay. They are in excellent shape but used, and I want to make sure I clean them out good. Any suggestions? How do you usually clean these? Quote Link to comment
WH Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 A couple drops of bleach in a gallon of water should do it. Quote Link to comment
+chubby forest monkey Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 If there is some visible biological material in there- especially in the tube, add some rice to your dilute bleach solution and shake like crazy. The rice will abrade off the fungus/mold. This also works great on hummingbird feeders that are are impossible to scrub. Rinse many many times, that bleachy taste lingers. Quote Link to comment
+Stunod Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 baking soda and water will help remove the bleach taste Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 (edited) A couple drops of bleach in a gallon of water should do it. 10% bleach solution actually. mmmm bleach. Edited January 25, 2005 by BlueDeuce Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 (edited) Bleach is fine. I use a 25% solution. Camelbak also sells tablets specifically for cleaning water bladders. If you don't care for the idea of sticking a used bite valve in your mouth, you can purchase new ones, or you discard the current bladder and buy a new Platypus Hoser. Edited January 25, 2005 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+RJFerret Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Salt is also a bleaching AND scrubbing agent... hth, Randy Quote Link to comment
TahoeJoe Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 REI sells cleaning kits. HYDRATION ACCESSORIES: CLEANERS Quote Link to comment
+Colorado Cacher Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Take hydration bladder and ferret into shower with you. Lather up ferret, insert into hydration pack, seal tightly, shake until desired cleanliness of pack is reached, open pack, release ferret, and rinse both thoroughly. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Take hydration bladder and ferret into shower with you. Lather up ferret, insert into hydration pack, seal tightly, shake until desired cleanliness of pack is reached, open pack, release ferret, and rinse both thoroughly. I don't think getting naked with a ferret is the safest thing to do. Quote Link to comment
FisherBear Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 no probably not the best idea Quote Link to comment
+RJFerret Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Take hydration bladder and ferret into shower with you. Lather up ferret, insert into hydration pack, seal tightly, shake until desired cleanliness of pack is reached, open pack, release ferret, and rinse both thoroughly. Sorry, that won't work--all the ferrets I've witnessed get mellow in the tub and curl up to sleep in enclosed places--so you wouldn't have adequate agitation. In fact, the tub's my preferred place for clipping their nails so no, no problem being naked w/a ferret! Heh, Randy Quote Link to comment
+Jeep_Dog Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I'd heartily recommend manufacturers' cleaning products. Bleach and other solvents can prematurely age the bladder. At 100+ degrees F, a bladder rupturing on your back is not a significant emotional event (indeed, it may even be somewhat welcome), but it certainly can be bothersome if not life-threatening in colder temperatures. Quote Link to comment
+marvin1226 Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I have had good luck in the past with non-flavoed denture tablets. Quote Link to comment
+Bjorn74 Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Fermentation Shops also sell a rinseless cleaning agent for beer bottles. I have some that I've been meaning to try. Quote Link to comment
+ngr00 Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I found a no label "hydration pack" cleaning kit at my local Walmart in the camping area for $10. It include the tube cleaning wire brush, bladder cleaning brush and the plastic "thingie" to keep the bladder open in order to dry it. -Rich Quote Link to comment
+MickEMT Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Take hydration bladder and ferret into shower with you. Lather up ferret, insert into hydration pack, seal tightly, shake until desired cleanliness of pack is reached, open pack, release ferret, and rinse both thoroughly. I don't think getting naked with a ferret is the safest thing to do. Getting naked with one in the shower isnt the problem ( most of the REALLY painfull spots are out of their reach) it's the fact that the ferret will steal the bladder and hide it where it will take you approx 3.5 days to dig it out! Trust me, I'm owned by ferrets! Quote Link to comment
+Binrat Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Here is how I do it, right from the experts. Care and Cleaning Binrat Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 the plastic "thingie" to keep the bladder open in order to dry it. I just use an old cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels to keep mine open and the air circulating to dry it out. Quote Link to comment
+Savoy 6 Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 (edited) Both Camelbak and Blackhawk Industries(Hydrastorm Systems) make excellent cleaning kits, collapsible reservoir dryers and the Camelbak cleaning tabs are great. I've used both for 10 years in both extremes-Missouri winters and the Persian Gulf in Summer. Watch the bleach- I'd use a slight amount of Dawn and hot water, works great. Cleaning in your shower may introduce unwanted germs even while cleaning. (dont want to flush your own system while trying to hydrate) Stick to the name brands for quality, the cost is worth it in the long run, mine have lasted many years with the original parts Edited January 29, 2005 by Savoy 6 Quote Link to comment
+Mopar Posted January 29, 2005 Share Posted January 29, 2005 I just use an old cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels to keep mine open and the air circulating to dry it out. OK, this is almost funny. I was just changing an empty paper towel roll, and that reminded me I hadn't cleaned my bladder from caching last weekend (with the tri-eyed kitty, had a BLAST!). Well, when I went to grab my bladder out of my pack, it suddenly hit me that after draining it last weekend, I left the cap sitting on top of the TV. Back at the hotel. In California. 3000 miles away. <sigh> They say forgetfulness is the first sign of getting old. I forget what the second sign is. Quote Link to comment
+wimseyguy Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 the plastic "thingie" to keep the bladder open in order to dry it. I just use an old cardboard tube from a roll of paper towels to keep mine open and the air circulating to dry it out. They are also very useful for storing your BBQ grill tongs in the kitchen drawer! The tubes that is, not the plastic thingie. Quote Link to comment
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