Camelbak mold solution

[jSki]

This may be common knowledge or a repeat thread, but the best solution I've had to prevent mold in the camelbak is to just store it in the freezer. After a trip I empty it and put it in the freezer where mold dies/can't grow. Problem solved.

[DJSapp]

Dry it out, use this as necessary:

[lingcod]

I don't that freezing makes much sense, and would be more trouble than it's worth. Use the thing in the picture above, and buy or make one of those little bladder expander things. I go from April till November without any mold just by emptying it out immediately, puttilng in the expander, and letting it hang to dry.

[splat]

Bleach water mix. Good rinse out the hose.

[homerjay]

Once you put anything other than water in it, mold can and will start to grow. I soaked mine with a capful of bleach in the full bladder for awhile, then rinsed the shit out of it with bleach/water, then just bleach. Killed everything.

[jSki]

Everyone has posted ideas that are way more complicated then leaving it in the freezer. Empty it, wrap it up and put it in the freezer. No need to ever clean it and nothing to buy or build.

[TurxSki]

Our appt has a skanky old freezer that leaves a freezer-burn smell on stuff

Do you have any problems filling it, when you get it out of the freezer ?

I got black "hairy" mold in the drinking tube Didn't notice until I was already drinking it I survived.
I got that $26 Dakine hydro-pack from S&C a couple of days ago for a replacement.

[Vinman]

drain, place folded up a paper towel in the mouth, hang upside down

[jSki]

Do you have any problems filling it, when you get it out of the freezer ?

Never any problems refilling it. Before you freeze it blow all the water out of the tube.

[bagtagley]

I fill it back up, and toss it aside. If it's full of water, mold doesn't seem to grow in it, or so I've found.

Nobody ever listens to me on this, but the best cleaning method I've found so far is denture cleaning tablets. Fill with warm water, drop in 3 tablets and empty and rinse an hour later.

[davep]

Mouthwash works well too. Use a nice citrus flavor. probably less yucky than bleach, and you dont have to go and buy denture tablets. Unless you already had some sitting around. that's cool, too.

[bryanthebold]

I am a bleach kinda man.

[skiing-in-jackson]

Wow... I just did this this morning. My five year old 100 oz camel res. gets pretty festered each time it gets stored.

Oh yeah, all that nasty stuff you guys are talking about, I got it, ot at least had it at some point.

I take steaming hot water and soak it in a nasty strong bleach solution for a couple of hours.

Then I rinse it out with cold water.

Then...I double rinse with baking soda and cold water- the baking soda gets rid of the bleach taste. Like brand new- every time!

Attachment 12771

EDIT: I'll have to do this two or three times each summer- camelback gets daily use guiding bike trips. The trick is to catch it before you spend a week drinking black mold.

[cdlv]

after i use the bleach method i put a couple drops of lemon juice in it to get rid of the plastic taste.

[skiing-in-jackson]

actually I got caught up doing stuff yesterday and didn't complete the last step- the baking soda solution.

I think I'll try the lemon juice solution, but isn't that going to introduce an organice ingrediant back into the mix (albeit a highly acidic one)???

[riderspro]

Is it okay to take the hose off so you can get the skinny brush into the tube? The old bladder I had used a mouthpiece that came off easily, the new one the mouth piece looks like it is not supposed to come off. I don't want to remove something that will make it fall apart on impact in a fall. As of yet, it stays together very well...

[skiing-in-jackson]

On a camelback, I only take off the mouthpiece and not frequently at that. I've never taken the hose off the bladder- it seems like you're asking for problems doing that.

We have ageneric "hydration bag" with a funky mouth piece and never took the mouthpiece off, the nasty bleach solution gets in there today.

The hose to bladder seal looks pretty perminant to me.

[cantunamunch]

When you don't have time for bleach/brush/baking soda/bladderdryer:

Rinse with Diet Coke. Actually pretty much any diet soda with a high phosphoric acid content.

[MTT]

How long have Camelbacks and such been around? It seems like alot of hassle. Can't people go a couple hours sking without sucking on sumthing? When I go on long treks where I will need water I throw 5 or 6 bottles of water/ Lipton tea in the pack. Seems to work pretty good without the risk of sucking down mold or clorine?

When I want to stay away from the lodge I stick a couple Capri juice packs in my jacket.

[TurxSki]

Can't people go a couple hours sking without sucking on sumthing?

erm...anyway:
Go the whole way, and wear a "Bota" bruh
http://www.tienda.com/artisan/botas.html?KNL-Overture