Bicycle Mechanics - Bladder cleaning!?!

not what you think

have people tried cleaning the inside of their Camelbak bladders? I have a 70oz one with a narrow opening that hasn't been cleaned since I bought it a few years ago - water is definitely starting to taste a little musty

any ideas?

thanks!

Thank goodness it wasn't what I was thinking!

Seriously, though, check the mfr website. I find many mfrs provide such info. I know there were instructions with my Hydrapak, which, of course, are long gone. I believe there might even be special cleaners. I would suggest getting one of the little frame things that you can insert in the bladder, even with a small opening, to hold it open for adequate drying. It is very hard to get what is basically a plastic bag to dry thoroughly and quickly enough to avoid some growth in the moist environment. Just getting it dry after each use will really make a difference. I never put anything but water in my Hydrapak. That makes it a lot easier to maintain.
FWIW,
Raymond

I saw in a recent magazine how someone had made a frame for drying bladders using zip ties joined end-to-end in two circles - the smaller diameter going round the middle of the larger.

Richard

Go get some denture cleaning tablets.

Fill the bladder with water and drop one of those babies in there and let it sit as per directions on the box. I usually do mine overnight!

Or, if I'm in a hurry, I'll put just a tiny bit of water in and then some baking soda. You want enough water to form a paste. I then squish it around and rub the bladder to clean. Rinse well, (baking soda taste yucky:( ) and drip some lemon juice into it! Helps the taste!

Now that it's clean, after every ride, fill it back up (about 2/3) and stick it in the freezer. That way, 1) you prevent growth of slimy junk and 2) you have cold water for your ride and 3)you've got an ice cube and your back to keep YOU cool.

L8R

This treatment probably disinfects more than it cleans. Anyhow,
assuming things aren't too awful, fill it with enough water that there are no collapsed areas, add a couple of tablespoons of chlorine bleach, and let it sit overnight. Rinse thoroughly and dry thoroughly. BTW, It's a good idea to occasionally give your water bottles the same treatment (using proportionately less bleach).

thanks for your input everyone!

I checked the camelbak website and they have a maintenence page so I will combine that with some of the suggestions here!

Bladder cleaning!?!
I find a six-pack works for me.


seriously, tho- someone once recomended mint listerine to me. I tried it and it left a black licorice aftertaste fort about a dozen or so rides (yech!!). Stay Away!

Has anyone tried 'Oxiclean' ? It's advertised alot on satellite telly and is basically a peroxide powder that when mixed with water gives off alot of activated oxygen that totally removes any trace of organic matter.

I can't see why it wouldn't be perfect for Camelbak's etc. It cleaned my plastic aquarium filter bodies a TREAT :).