Cleaning Hydration Backpacks

[+Papa Bill]

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?

[WH]

A couple drops of bleach in a gallon of water should do it.

[+chubby forest monkey]

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.

[+Stunod]

baking soda and water will help remove the bleach taste

[+BlueDeuce]

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

[+briansnat]

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

[+RJFerret]

Salt is also a bleaching AND scrubbing agent...

 

hth,

 

Randy

[TahoeJoe]

REI sells cleaning kits. HYDRATION ACCESSORIES: CLEANERS

[+Colorado Cacher]

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.

[+BlueDeuce]

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.

[FisherBear]

no probably not the best idea

[+RJFerret]

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

[+Jeep_Dog]

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.

[+marvin1226]

I have had good luck in the past with non-flavoed denture tablets.

[+Bjorn74]

Fermentation Shops also sell a rinseless cleaning agent for beer bottles. I have some that I've been meaning to try.

[+ngr00]

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

[+MickEMT]

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!

[+Binrat]

Here is how I do it, right from the experts.

 

 

Care and Cleaning

 

Binrat

[+Mopar]

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.

[+Savoy 6]

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

[+Mopar]

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.

[+wimseyguy]

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.