jeremymartin76

I was wondering if anybody has a good method for cleaning their hydration pack. My cammel bak tastes moldy even after I wash it out. Do I need to let it dry fully?

Thanks
Jeremiah

MichaelW

baby bottle cleaner
sodium bicarbonate
bleach solution

Null66

I use vinegar most times and rarely bleach.

jeremymartin76

Nice thanks you guys, I will try the Vinegar and baking soda if that does not work then I will do bleach followed by the vinegar.

Thanks
Jeremiah

Newt Reno

I use an in place cleaner called PBW that is available online from brew sites........prefer it to oxymoronclean. And I would not use bleach unless your goal was just sanitation instead of getting rid of gunk, but everyone has their own experience.

Looigi

10% solution of bleach for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly afterward. It is the best disinfectant by far. Not only does it kill everything, it breaks down odor and toxin molecules. It's not toxic to humans in the remaining low concentration, which is why it's used in drinking water, swimming pools, hot tubs, etc...

berner

Same as Looigi, warm water and bleach and let stand for a few hours; then air dry.

joeyduck

Vodka. Enjoy a night on the town with it.

but +1 to @Looigi in reality

SCPaul

I use tablets for cleaning dentures.

dynaryder

It's also a good idea to use something like this to ensure it dries out properly.

TGT1

You can make a drier out of a coat hanger too, or better just hang it upside down.
If you've let it go to long and it's really bad to start with you may have to replace the tubing and bite valve to get rid of the mildew.
.

Pull the bite valve out of the tube so the tube drains and dries out completely.
If you don't get the tube dry, that's where the gunk starts to grow since it is also the only part of the system that is exposed to sunlight.

I just pull the bite valve off,
lay it flat with the tube in the sink till it runs dry. It will empty more completely siphoning than if you open it up and dump it.
Open the lid and shake out what's left as much as you can.
Hang it upside down
Place the bite valve in the crease at the top of the lid, (now the lowest point) so it holds the envelope open a little so it completely dries out ,and you don't lose the valve.

Since I've made this a religiously adhered to procedure, I've never had a foul taste or needed to use disinfectants

it gets used at least once or twice a week.

el_diabl0

They sell cleaning kits that may help.

Leebo

Empty it out after every ride, put the tube in the reservoir and hang it on your handlebar to dry. Or if you are lazy, just throw it the whole thing in the freezer.

Camilo

One of the reasons I rarely use my camelback is the damn fussiness in cleaning it. But I understand why people like them - just that I prefer water bottles whenever practical.

For something actually germane to the topic - a 1:10 bleach:water ratio is way overkill. The CDC recommends a variety of ratios, none of which (that I can tell) are as strong as 1:10. More like it are between 1:25 - 1:100. I'd use at most 1/2 cup bleach : gallon water which is about 1:30. A smart crew like this should be able to calculate portions for smaller quantities. We used 1:50 for disinfecting CPR manikins before they came out with disposable parts.

The key is to let it sit/soak for a while as opposed to quick swishing.

But I'll have to say that in contrast to actually getting rid of gunk or mold you can see, taste or smell, simple washing and drying will keep you healthy. People are way to germ-phobic nowadays.

hueyhoolihan

i start at the hump and work down. but this'll work too...

#t=0