I have just sipped from a water bottle that was on my 29erSS (that was last ridden the weekend before last) The water bottle on it had the remains of SIS Gunk in it (3/4 full) and I’ve just taken a sip out of it.

I expect death as the only outcome.

Whats the longest time you’ve left water in a bottle bladder then taken a sip?
How often do you clean bottles/bladders?
Ever just left the stuff in them and ridden out the following day on the same water?

I’m adding to this to say that I don’t normally do this type of thing, just this sip I’ve just taken was rank..

How often do you clean bottles/bladders?

after every ride.

bottles and lids through the dishwasher.

bladder has the bite valve off and a really good flush through with hot water and is then either hung out to dry or put in the freezer.

Empty it each time and keep it in the fridge. Every so often I’ll sling a Steradent tablet in it with some hot water, draw it through the hose/mouthpiece and let it sit overnight. Only ever have water in it though

I tend to give it a rinse every time I use it, but I rarely wash it. I tend to carry water in mine though. Sports drinks are much worse in my experience if left unattended.

You can clean bladders? Seriously?

Judging by the colour of mine, stained with being permanently left lying around full of various zero tabs, surely not even the hardiest bacteria would brave that?

Its helping build up my immune system 😀

Usually every couple of weeks it gets a sterilizing tablet (if I remember).

Found a 3 litre one I forgot I had in the garage the other day that still had sports drink in from last Summer. After a Milton tablet, diluted bleach, boiling water and washing up liquid it still has an internal coating of mouldy stuff. One for the bin.

Give the camelbak a rinse out every 6 months.

Haven’t died yet.

honest answer is never! ive usually had to replace them through leaks before i’ve died from consuming the contents.

Bottles get cleaned after every ride

Usually just rinsed out with water and then the inside of the cap starts to look a bit black with mould spores it gets a wash and milton. About every 3 months or so.

Bottles get rinsed immediately after riding, filled with water and stored in the fridge ready for the next outing.

Camelback gets a rinse after riding, then chucked in the freezer empty.

When I forget to rinse the bladder and it sits festering for a while I run some boiling water through it.

Cheers, Rich

I used to do the freezer thing

no I never empty/clean between rides

just top it up when it needs it

Bottles when they taste funny.
Camelbaks never.

If the mouth piece gets dirty I just spit on it then wipe it off under my armpit.

Half a sterilising tablet after each ride usually.

Takes no time at all and cheap. Supermarket own brands about 1.5p each

Not cleaned my bladder since I bought it about 2 years ago. It does go in the freezer when I remember, and risned out before a ride.

I only ever put water in though. Used to put various stuff in water bottles until one day, even after a good hardy rinse out, I discovered large chunks of green mould floating about. And I had already drank half of it.

I’m actually still alive (of course I am, I’m typing) so not dead yet. Though I have been feeling a little odd.

Thing is, I swigged from the bottle, as it stood on my desk post swig I could see all these floaty things in it, a bit like seaweed, bit like small lumps of…slime. SO I washed the bottle and filled it with clean water. I’ve been drinking form it all morning.

Thing is though I normally stick all my bottles through the dishwasher post every ride, I’ve loads so rotate them on use, but for some reason I’ve been really rather lax lately..

Oh well, I’m out riding later, will fill with clean water again and in this heat drink the lot within the hour.

I don’t have a camelbak thingummmybob.

Sometimes rinse my bladder out if not used for more than a week – so maybe twice in last 12 months

I did discover a 3 week old banana in the helmet pouch yesterday though – the pack quickly went through the washing machine!!! 😀

I rinse my bladder out most weekends with the aid of Stella! 😉

if only water then maybe once it looks rank – maybe once every year?

is its had any kind of powder / squash then just a rinse before filling up again

Rarely. I don’t keep mine on a 29er SS so I’m guessing that’s your problem right there.

I’ve never cleaned the bladder on my camelbak and it’s coming up to 5 years old. It’s not hurt me.

Rinse it and stick it in the freezer after every outing, mainly because mrs peterfile always says it “tastes rank” if I don’t 🙂

As a student, with a hangover from hell and unable to move from my bed, I once reached out of bed and drank the water from the 10 year old iron I’d picked up at a car boot sale at the start of term.

Some interesting flaky bits went down my throat with the few ml of water, but that iron possibly saved my life 🙂

Rinse it and stick it in the freezer after every outing, mainly because mrs peterfile always says it “tastes rank” if I don’t

and what do you do with the camelbak bladder?

igmc.

Hahahah, I couldn’t have made that better if I tried!

Never. My Camelback is 10 years old. At about 2 years I put ale in it for a music festival. It was washed then but never since. If you keep it in the dark/in the outer nowt will grow.
Only ever use water.

Well last nights ride went well, the water in the bottle was super clean and very refreshing. I didn’t die.
The “Hoegaarden incident” was another matter altogether though, and nothing to do with the cleanliness of my water bottle.
Phah.

I’ve got one of those bladders that use a fold over/sliding clip closure so you can open up the whole top of it and empty it out properly, and give it a good scrub, I often hang it out on the line to dry out too, leaving a bit of moisture in them is the best way to ensure mold and bugs… I do mean a hydration pack bladder, not my built in Humans wee sack by the way…

Bottles I tend to clean out straight after a ride awith a bottle brush and stick straight on the draining board, they don’t last that long really given the bashing they take and all the exposure to UV so most of them get binned within 8-12 months give or take…

Clean every ride plus Boots equivalent of Milton every three. We wash plates and glasses after meals, why not bottles covered in mud in bladders?

Is this one of those questions that repeats every three months?

Clean every ride plus Boots equivalent of Milton every three. We wash plates and glasses after meals, why not bottles covered in mud in bladders?

I wonder if we could merge the “Why bother washing your hands after a crap” and “Why ever bother to wash something you drink out of” threads? I suspect there might be some sort of correlation in the views 🙂

*cue the bacteria brigade to start calling me a scaredy pants for washing my hands and dishes* 😉

I rinse out the camelbak and pull it inside out to dry it – doesn’t seem to bugger it up, and hasn’t gone manky yet.

I wonder if we could merge the “Why bother washing your hands after a crap” and “Why ever bother to wash something you drink out of” threads? I suspect there might be some sort of correlation in the views

Always wash my hands after wiping my arse.

Have never washed the bladder of my camelbak.

If contamination with faecal bacteria is a likely outcome you’re using your camelbak incorrectly.

I raised the question because I don’t normally leave bottles 3/4’s full for a few weeks then drink right on out of them.. It was odd behaviour and thankfully I didn’t pay the price too dearly due in part to the fact that as I swigged I noticed floating bits.. Just wondered if other folks kinda do the same on occasion like.
I am going to get a camelbackthingummybob, not decided which one yet, noooo I’ll not create a thread “which bladder pack” I guess there are zillions of them already on here. I’ll go for something with 2Ltrs and a separate section for keeping a rain jacket in, simple and neat, bit like me.
Thing is.. Will I loose my XC JayBouy image if I wear one. Afterall I’m a stylish Bouy by nature.