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1. After every ride
2. When you feel like it
3. I don't, I use water
4. I use energy drinks and wash every time
5. Never - I'm a very dirty boy!
4. cos I'm a clean type of gal 😉
3
just was it out with water after every ride and pop it in the freezer....change the tube when that looks like things are living in it
(just get some clear tube from your local motor factors for about £1 per yard job done)
4. except it's just squash
When stuff starts growing in it 😐
6. when it starts to taste funky
2/3 although I never wash the pack itself, only the bladder.
Dirty beggars 😯
5 - throw it in the freezer instead.
Dirty beggars
Well at least you now know not to suck on our nipples
Well at least you now know not to suck on our nipples
😯
You know this thread is heading for CONFESSION!
In which I say something like 'hadn't washed it for a week, used it last night on a sheep trampled ride near home and have the squits now'
So that'll be 2 and
5. I'm a VERY dirty boy!
Oooooops gotta go; nature calls!!!!
4) - I've seen too many mouldy, manky bladders not to get paranoid. Having said that, it's such a pain to clean it that recently, I've taken to leaving the bladder in the car and chucking a few bottles of Lucozade in the Mule......... Kind of defeats the purpose I suppose..............
3
3
I use bottles for energy drinks
Wash the mouth piece after riding, rinse through with hot water then store in freezer - not had any growth in the tubes since adopting this method
another vote for rinse with hot water, put in freezer.
every once in a while, i'll give it a 'proper' wash, but nothing seems to grow in it if you rinse it straight away.
longer, multi day rides, stick to water in bladder, energy drink in bottles as they are easier to clean out and tend to be prepared to carry more fluids anyway, so no hassle.
3.
3.
and once or twice a year I'll Milton it.
4. but like simon not always energy drink, once a month or so i use those milton tablets just to clean it out properly
1/2/3 Normally just give the bladder a quick swill with water before use, and occasionally degunk the bite valve, and milton the bladder.
Had to wash the actual sack last week as it was beginning to smell of sweaty curry.
Sloosh out with water, flush through with hot water & whack in the freezer.
Probably sterilise it once a month (generally because I forget to clean it soon after riding & then find it in my bag a few days later)
As for the actual bag it goes in.....my little Camelbak one (1.5l) can just be stuck in the washing machine, so it's no bother.
But my Vaude one has a curved, rigid back & I haven't got round to cleaning that yet. I think that will be a stick it in the bat & get the shower on it job, although because of the cover that comes with it, it's still pretty clean looking.
Just water; but when I've not used it for a week or so a soak with some cleaner/steriliser from the homebrew shop to make sure there's nothing living in there does the trick.
just use water in the 'bak mostly, and milton it every 3 months or so. if i've had juice or energy powder in, I rinse after use.
Only use water so it's self cleaning isn't it?
I'll sterilise it every couple of months too. Does that make all the black gunk clean and harmless? I think not but ignorance is bliss.
black gunk is fairly harmless anyway. Its only mould.
And after seeing my mates camelbak where the tube looks like it has the insulation round it because it is so black, it must be harmless as he is not ill!
Me, I only use water in it but rinse the whole thing out with hot water and a splash of washing up liquid. It might only be water, but you wrap your bacteria filled mouth round the end everytime you use it (and i work in water quality so get worried about these things 😉 )
I only use water and rinse with hot water and a dash of milton then leave to dry hanging up.
I can't help thinking that folk who just stick it in the freezer are storing up trouble for themselves. It doesn't kill the nasties, it just slows down their rate of growth. Much better to clean properly after every ride and dry thoroughly.
4.
For the Freezer users, make sure you do clean it occasionally, as freezing won't kill any bugs, it just makes them go veeeerrrrrryyyyyy sloooooowwwwwwwww. When they drill in the Antarctic for ice core samples, they can go way back, when they defrost them, guess what comes back to life first....
5 Freezer for me
3.
and occasional Milton treatement.
Mind you are the amount of sheep doings I've ... ahem.... had on me, what does it matter ?
4. With a denture cleaner thrown in.
4 and freeze. Also milton it every so often.
My mate's blue tube has turned black!
Due to a injury, he hasn't used it for 1.5yrs, he reckons its ok !!
4.
5, freezer.
bottles - every ride, whether water or energy drink.
2/3 about once a year with sterilising fluid.
3 but something is gathering in the hose and I may clean that out.......
i`ve cleaned 1 of 3 once.
does that count as 2 or am i a 3?
I guessing putting the bladder in the freezer doesn't damage it?? Never tried it myself??
3 & it lives in the freezer between rides, so you don't get the build up of gunk. A quick swill, fill and go.
I give it a clean through if I use energy drink stuff, if just water I ether just leave it or put it in the freezer every now and again. Occasionally wash it out with Milton.
Only use water, store it in the fridge & give it an overnight soak with denture cleaning tablets. Nice minty taste & cheap as hell from tesco!
only use water and clean every now & then
tip: to clean black gunk from hose get an old gear cable and wrap some paper towel/cotton wool to the end with the round bit of metal. thread & pull through tube a couple of times and you no longer have a black gunk infested tube. 🙂
I use bottles and wash them after every ride.
I can't be arsed with lumping a great big rucksack around with me. What the hell do you lot put in them?