I got a budget bladder from Amazon and tried it out for the first time. It worked great with no leaks. Now that I’m home, I’m trying to clean it but can’t figure out how to remove the mouthpiece so the hose can dry. I detached the hose from the bag, but there’s still a lot of moisture inside. Has anyone cleaned one of these yet?
Drying a hydration bladder fully is tough, unless you use an aquarium air pump to push dry air through the tube. Some people empty the bladder as best they can and then freeze it to stop bacteria from growing.
@Bao
Yes, freezing it really works.
@Bao
If you freeze it and then gently tap the bladder, the ice will break off and most of the water should come out. It’s like the old trick where people used to freeze clothes to dry them.
Abi said:
@Bao
If you freeze it and then gently tap the bladder, the ice will break off and most of the water should come out. It’s like the old trick where people used to freeze clothes to dry them.
Yeah, freezing would make the ice turn into vapor, which would help dry it out faster.
I just empty mine and throw it in the freezer until I need it again.
Try vodka.
Teo said:
Try vodka.
I use vodka to prevent bacterial growth in mine.
Let me explain how I do it. After rinsing it out, I hang the bladder on my large kitchen tongs that I use for grilling, and then I turn on a fan nearby. It works well, and I haven’t had any mold or residue issues. The key is to prop the bladder upside down and open (not flat) so the moisture can escape.
@Remy
This method is definitely the way to go.
My bladders all stay in the freezer.
I use a little dish soap and some vinegar with warm water. Let it fill up and sit for a bit, then shake it and rinse. After that, I stick a rubber spatula inside and hang it in my dish rack to dry. You can also hang it open using a hanger.
Denture cleaning tablets work the same as the cleaning tabs that Camelbak sells. The most important thing is to let it dry completely, or store it in the freezer.
Lennon said:
Denture cleaning tablets work the same as the cleaning tabs that Camelbak sells. The most important thing is to let it dry completely, or store it in the freezer.
I came here to say that! Denture tablets are much cheaper and don’t leave any flavor behind like some other cleaning solutions do. I use a bent coat hanger to keep the bladder open and hang it in a warm, dry place.
We hang our bladders upside down on hooks in the fridge after cleaning them. Some bladders come with a hook or spreader to allow better airflow, or we just insert the tube into the bladder to keep it open.
The mouthpiece comes off. It looks like the one in my Camelbak. Just pull hard.
I’ve heard of people just freezing them after getting most of the water out. Personally, I prefer using canteens and bottles. I find cleaning hydration bladders a hassle, and I don’t like having a bag of water in my pack with all my stuff.
Throw it away and switch to a smart water bottle. I used to freeze mine, but I found bladders are a hassle, so I stopped using them.
I have three in my freezer. After using them, I rinse them with warm water and dish soap, rinse again with tap water, then hang them upside down for two days in a warm spot. After that, they go in the freezer until I need them.
@Grier
I’ve never heard of keeping bladders in the freezer. Why do you do that?