We’ve all seen it – someone happily sucking a Camelbak tube with black hairy stuff growing on the inside… Never mind the taste but I would like to keep mine slightly more hygienic. I’ve heard loads of different things that people do to the bladders to keep them clean, I would like to know what’s your best tried and tested trick to keep the Martians from invading your hydration system.

I rinse mine after use and hang it upside down with some kitchen roll stuffed at the bottom to keep the sides apart and to allow it to dry. This is OK if you remember to do it EVERY time, a few days with energy drink inside and all hell breaks loose… In worst cases I revert to baby bottle steriliser and use cotton buds to get the crap out of the mouth piece. But what do you do with the tube? Buy a new one? Is there an easier way to do all this?

I heard someone was storing his bladder in the freezer to stop the mold but that must weaken the rubber very quickly and what if you need it there and then?

Other ideas?

i rinse mine with cider vinegar and water solution, 1 tsp vinegar to 2 teacups of water. then hang it like you do except use a teatowel...

never had mould. chris always does! he just rinses his with water and hangs it on that camelbak hanger you can buy...doesn't circulate the air very well to help dry it, so he always has mould! eeewwww!

chris and i both keep the mouthpiece bits in the fridge, they're never mouldy!

I keep ours in the freezer, have done for over a year and it doesn't weaken the rubber at all. I'm careful with them when they first come out as they are frozen and therefore potentially brittle.

Before putting them in the freezer they are emptied (especially the drinking tube). I run them under warm water if I need them quickly - which is all the time. They soften up pretty quickly.

Prior to moving house when we acquired a large freezer they used to live in the fridge.

They don't grow mould and don't seem to have a residual taste and never really need cleaning. I use squash in with mine as the water round Preston tastes like chlorine.

another vote for the freezer, no more slime

You can buy long thin brushes for cleaning the tubes - Dave got his from Pegglars in Arrundal.

I use a platapus bladder, just pull the mouthpiece off and suck up some hot soapy water, turn it over and let the gunky stuff flow out down the drain. Wash the bladder in hot soapy water, sometimes use a bottle brush and rinse. Hang both over the bath using one of those cheap 'pegs on a ring' things that caravaners use.

The two sections of the mouthpiece pull apart, again wash in soapy water, leave to dry on the draining board then put them back together.

One other advantage with Platapus is that they are cheaper to replace if they do go mouldy!

I stick mine in the freezer too, at least it kills all the nasties although it doesnt remove them.

Stick mine in the freezer too, have done for years - works a treat. If there is already black stuff in there, put it in the freezer with a bit of water in - the gunk comes off when it thaws out and flushes out with the water.

I use sterident in my camelbak and leave it filled untill i need it again, 2 tabs is enough.
I use a long thin bristle thing for cleaning the tube and the mouth piece i leave in miltons and it removes all the scum.
Yuck i once swallowed something horrid that came out of the mouth piece.

I just rinse mine with water and hang it on a bent coat hanger contraption to keep the sides apart - I hang mine in the airing cupboard so it dries out quickly and I have never had mould - ever.

Have to say though - I never put energy drink in my camel back - which I know is worse for mould growing.

Thought I'd throw my method in here since I mentioned it this morning to a few of the girls.

I don't clean or empty the bladder after a ride. Basically I'm reeeeeeally lazy and throw my stuff in a corner after a ride then always forget. Just before a ride I grab the bladder, scrub it out (mine completely opens at the top so I can get a sponge inside), rinse and refill. :) No problems at all so far so I wonder if keeping water in it helps in some way?

Oh, and I don't put anything but water in mine.

I use baby bottle steriliser tablets on all my bottles and resevoirs. Just soak for about 20mins and then rinse with boiling water.

I never bothered with my old one and it grew lots of fur, although it only ever saw water and never energy drink. There is nothing of the sort in my newer one which has had amost 2 years of energy drink and water realted abuse.

I'm terrible for leaving old drinks in there for a week or more!

We've had our camelbak bladders for about 6 years and all I've ever used to wash them out is hot soapy water. I then dry them inside and out with a tea towel, and pop the hose back in through the opening to stop the bladder from 'self sealing.' Never had any trouble with mould or nasty tastes, but we don't use energy drinks - just sugar-free squash or water.

hi anu, i use milton then obviously clean, then into the freezer, you must make sure it is clean as freezing doesn't kill bacteria it only makes it static, the only way to completely eradicate bacteria is to boil which isn't do able!!!

I never clean mine out, I just take the mouth piece off and put a couple of practice golf balls(available in any decent sports shop for afew pence) in it to keep the sides apart.