All ready to set off last weekend, mate just about to arrive, last thing to do was fill up the bladder and I noticed the inside of entire tube is covered in mould.

Managed to get the worst out with hot water, but it still tasted….. interesting!

Any tips on avoiding? I’m normally pretty careful to let it dry out before puting away – anything else?

Cheers.

Only put water in it, and stick it in the freezer between uses.

Occasional soak with Milton tablets, or similar, every once in a while doesn’t hurt.

Go to boots, get some baby bottle sterilising tablets – about £1 for 100. once a month sterilise it. Every now and then pull through the tube.

I use electrolyte tabs which is Ok as long as you do

and stick it in the freezer between uses.

Occasional soak with Milton some/any sterilising tabs/fluid,

I only ever put water in mine, and have never cleaned it. No mould.

Cheers guys – Milton tabs + freezer sounds like the way to go.

Actually I blame my wife for the problem – she moans about it laying about whilst drying out, so I put it away before it’s dry. She can buy the Milton tabs!

Don’t bother drying it, just keep it in the freezer after washing it. ,my 7yr old camelbak bladder is still going with this method. Never had bad guts from mine either.

I have always found that just water is not an issue, and leave the bladder open between rides.

Problem comes when you put stuff in like juice are carb drinks.

I use Camelbaks advice, a table spoon of blean for 24hrs, followed by bicarbonate of soda for the same. Comes up very clean.

I’ve only ever used water.
Mine’s a cheapo Decathlon version though, wonder if the Camelback ones have some kind of fungicide or something

Mine has some gunk in it – I don’t notice from a taste point of view (but then again I do put squash in mine). Every now and then I just chuck a milton tablet in.

I always dry it out though.

I’d chuck some steralising tablets in it and just use it.

Mine’s been in the shed since september – I daren’t look.

I thinkn even with just water the swash and backwash will eventually make a habitat for visitors. the bags easy to clen but the pipe is where the nasties lurk. I think i might actually pay for the cleaning kit. Does that make me a jessie?

Uuurghhhh… ❗

If there’s visible mould then sterilise it folowed by bicarb for 24h each (boiling water helps lift the mould off the plastic too).

Freezer between uses works well, and I put all sorts of gunk in mine.

DO NOT put boiling water in – I tried that and it melted the seams and burst my bladder.

I think the bets cure for this is a change of perception. If you dig under your floorboards and find the water pipes that feed your tap (that you get your drinking water from), cut the pipe open and you will find lots of this black mould. Its harmless to drink.

I dunno, I thought I’d got all the bad stuff out of mine, until an instant and desperate need for a (very watery) trailside squat reminded me I needed to clean my camelback more thoroughly/often. That memory will last forever 🙁

I had the same problem with mine, bought a new bladder and from now on the first thing i do after every ride is empty any left over water and place it straight in the freezer. Never had a problem since. Bacteria cant grow in freezing temperatures

Do what pub landlords do and soak it in sparkling / fizzy water. The dissolved CO2 kills most things.

Have you got the cleaning brush? Its a bit dear about £10 I found one in a sale. Before I had one though…..
Pull tube off bladder helps to warm tube under hot tap to soften it.
Then use a long piece of string with a bit of cloth tied to the end. Feed the string in holding the tube under a running tap. The flowing water draws the string right through. Then tug the knot / sponge end through. You will be shocked what it draws out!

Rinse it out and put it in the freezer end of problem. I just use Milton on my bike bottles now n then. For a cruddy tube try steam cleaning it by sticking it onto the end of the steam attachment on a Espresso machine, works a treat.

I use dilute cheapo bleach to clean mine

My wife suggested filling the tube with vinegar… apparently it’s some kind of miracle cleaner.
Anyway, the mould is still there but it now tastes vinegary. So can’t really recommend this as a solution.

I found mine in the garage all black and grotty,

I bobbed some Milton in and then bi-carb then I pulled thro some little bottle brushes that I bought from Lakeland, tied on piece of string and pushed thro, the freezer thing is the best bet especially in this weather as a litre ice cube in a 3 litre bladder is a god send,

I’ve been ill for 5 days because of this, I just bleached mine.

A gear inner cable with a little kitchen towel wrapped around the nipple does a great job of cleaning any gunk out of the tube that defeats the Milton.

Also, if the hose can quick-disconnect from the bladder, put it inside the bladder in a U shape and it holds the sides apart so they dry properly.

use torq and other stuff in mine, rinse and freeze occasionally, milton/alternatives every couple of months no real issues. Got the cleaning kit as it was cheap once. Brush out anything that gets in the hose thats about it.