How do you clean your CamelBak ?

[neal1975]

i have gotten a little sloppy with my camelbak cleaning routine lately after the last few rides and am paying the price now - i have an infection in my throat and a bunch of nasty white spots, etc.


What is your cleaning regimen? Just rinse? Bleach? Warm soap water??

[brianW]

People clean them? Seriously I only place water in mine and I tend to fill and place in the frig after every ride. I have used soap and water and rinsed a lot. they do sell special stuff to clean and dry them but I never used them.

Second. Are you sure you got the infection from your camelbak?

[ted]

Neil,
Seeing as you already have some build up in your bladder, simply wash it out with soap and water then fill it half full and put a few drops of bleach in it to kill off the rest. Let it soak for an hour or so and make sure to disassemble the hose and it's components and give them a good scrubbing.
Camelbak makes some cleaning tablets that can be used, but they are just little diluted bleach tablets.
Camelbak also makes a drying rack, kinda like a coat hanger, that you insert into the bladder after cleaning to allow it to dry.
www.camelbak.com/~/media/Images/products/Rec_S08/270x340/CLeaning_kit_90638_270x340.ashx?bc=White&as=0&dmc=0&h=340&thn=0&w=270
The best thing to do is to drain out your bladder and clear the tube out after each ride.
Unless you are like Brian and ride multiple times per week and then you are constantly refreshing the water and don't need to clean it out all that often. Just once a month will suffice.
I doubt your bladder is so dirty that you can't use after cleaning it, but if so, simply go buy a new one and start again.
A Buddy of mine left his camelbak dormant for about three months and then we did a big event in Pisgah. He had simply drained out the old water and put in fresh, but after 2 hours into the ride he was off under a tree spreading out manure. That's what laziness will get ya!
Sounds like you have strep throat (which you can get from this situation).

Hope this helps.

[azdrawdy]

"Ted" offers good advice, and his shop keeps Camelbak parts-n-pieces in stock.

- Like he said, buy the clothes-hanger-looking device. After every use, dump out the unused water, drain the tube, stick in the hanger and let it dry. You can probably still find one, but it appears that they now have a new method of drying:
www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/accessories/reservoirdryer.aspx

- Buy a brush kit. The tube typically gets nastier than the reservoir, and the tube brush is indispensable.
www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/accessories/brush-kit.aspx

- Dish soap and hot water. Mine typically gets cleaned every two to three months. Sometimes the mouthpiece gets nasty, as does the tube. It's easy to see. I keep a couple of extra mouthpieces at the house and have been known to boil them.

HTH,
MD

[Mark Y]

Bleach is the universal cleaner for H2O contamination. Today's bleach has a lot of surfactant in it so you have to flush very generously with water to get the bleach residue out. A peroxide rinse also helps, just DON'T MIX IT WITH BLEACH.

As far aa the quantity of bleach to use? You can fill you bladder 10% with bleach and the rest with water, open your mouthpiece valve to get the solution into it, let it soak 10 or 15 min., then flush, flush, flush.

[wooglin]

Good lord. Another reason to stick with bottles.

[Mark Y]

Aug 9, 2010 20:26:14 GMT -5 wooglin said:

Good lord. Another reason to stick with bottles.

Not enough capacity. Don't know how I would carry 3 liters of water in bottles comfortably; and yes, when it is hot I will drink every drop of it.

[azdrawdy]

Aug 9, 2010 20:26:14 GMT -5 wooglin said:

Good lord. Another reason to stick with bottles.

The bottle is good for the first hour. When I have been out for two or three hours and can still suck down ice cold water...

...Ahhhh....love the Camelbak.

Frozen bottles or even frozen Camelbak insulated bottles don't come close.

MD

[dgaddis1]

An hour, hour and half ride, I'm good with two bottles, especially if it's an easy paced ride, like the weds rides at the canal. But for anything else, I've got a camelbak.

I do put sport drink mixes in mine, even though many people recommend not doing that. The trick is, you MUST clean it out as soon as you get home. Good rinse, soap and water, and hang it up to dry. I clean my camelbak before I even take a shower when I get home.

I did forget to do that once, left it sitting for about a week or so with a mix of some sort in it. It got so funky I couldn't unfunk it, even with bleach. Threw it away, and learned my lesson.

[nikos]

I cleaned mine out with polydent (denture cleaner). I put about four of the tablets in there because it has a significantly larger surface area than some dentures, but it does the trick. Doesn't leave a soapy residue and is fairly hands off. I would recommend disassembling the parts and scrubbing the tube from time to time. It may not be the best way, but its my way...

[wooglin]

I just found my cb. Don't think I've used it for 2 or 3 years. Still had water in it. Tasted GOOD!

[dsquaredmsquared]

Aug 7, 2010 22:08:22 GMT -5 neal1975 said:

What is your cleaning regimen?

Freezer. Inflate bladder using bite valve (clears water out of hose and connector) and lay flat on shelf with hose connection facing up. Before next ride or unscrewing frozen cap, put in fridge overnight or thaw on counter (~15 minutes). Old water is giant ice cube.

CB bladder still going strong after 2 years of freeze/thaw cycles.

[seenvic]

Get a hydrapack bladder and it turns completely inside out.

I am no fan of hyrdration packs and use only bottles when I can.

But I did just get a hydrapack 100 OZ bladder and it is very good so far. I bring it home, empty it, remove the drinking tube and turn it inside out to dry. It's great.

[bikerpanda]

warm water and a mild soap. I ride 3-4 times a week so I have only cleaned once since I ve had it. My old camelback I used bleach and water.

I hate using bottles. I seem to lose them on the trail easily. Ive lost 3 so far.

[matth]

I only put water in mine. WHen I get home I empty it, rinse it out, place some papertowels inside to hold it open so air can circulate in it and hang it upside down. It's probably 7 or 8 years old now and still good to go.

[neal1975]

Ok guys, thanks for all the advice. One more question -

How do you clean the actual back-pack part of it (not the bladder). ?? Can you throw it in the washing machine? I was afraid that all the straps and buckles might get torn up?

Mine reeks so badly that i cant even leave it the house anymore, it smells like a gym locker.

[jtaylor]

I throw mine in the washing machine, comes out great. I throw in a towel, too, maybe it helps scrub.

[matth]

Simple Green!

[wala]

The official instructions from camelbak: camelbak.com/camelbak-101/cleaning-and-maintenance.aspx

I've tried the washing machine with the delicates bag to keep the straps from getting ripped off with good results.

[Mark Y]

Aug 17, 2010 19:34:14 GMT -5 jtaylor said:

I throw mine in the washing machine, comes out great. I throw in a towel, too, maybe it helps scrub.

Same here. I get all kinds of crud and mud on mine; especially when I use any kind of goo pack. Try as I might there is always residue left in the empty package that leaks out into my backpack.