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As above really, I had a camelbak which I used a couple of times ages ago but then didn't use again.
I left it full of water for ages (maybe even a year, yes I'm lazy) but could do with using it tomorrow- if I leave it full of washing up liquid for the night will it be OK to use tomorrow? Or do I need to disinfect it?
is the tube black? Does the water taste funky?
I just clean mine with milton/any old baby bottle cleaner.
I would avoid washing up liquid as it's more difficult to clean out.
Yup - washing up liquid leaves an ever-lasting residue which tastes foul. It's also full of formaldehyde though, so if you drink it, you'll be mummified.
go get some milton (Tesco 24hr?) and hot water, at the very least run v hot water through it try and kill something. You can do the milton thing in 1/2 hour driving out in the morning.
There has been a case or two (i have been told) of infection from the bacteria living in there.
Clean it out and then freeze it over night.
OK , thanks guys looks like I will get some Milton tablets (genuinely didn't know what these were until I just googled it) and use these tomorrow.
Luckily I live above a tescos so shouldn't pose a problem.
I hung my wet camelbak backpack on the radiator to dry (with the bladder still inside). A week later I went out for another short ride with the remaining water but for the next 3 days was shitting through the eye of a needle!. Hot water or freezer. Milton is good but you need to get rid of any grunge build up. Not all of it is visible, feel inside wih your hand for opaque slime!
Disinfecting won't clear gunk, you need a little friction from a brush or proper cleaning kit.
Use bottles for your next ride and order either a proper cleaning kit or a new bladder. You'll just end up with sterilised mould otherwise!
If you live above a Tesco then it's about 60p for a big bottle of their own brand baby bottle liquid. Milton is a bit better but costs a lot more. Just make sure you don't splash it on any clothing as it will cause horrible orange stains when it bleaches out the dye.
I'm probably alone on this but I quite like the taste of my first few mouthfuls after I have used milton/bottle cleaner 😳
JImmAwelon - Member
I hung my wet camelbak backpack on the radiator to dry (with the bladder still inside). A week later I went out for another short ride with the remaining water but for the next 3 days was shitting through the eye of a needle!.
Why would you do that? Why would you not at the very least replace the water?
Some people are just asking for food poisoning!
If you're strong, you'll live.
Seriously, it won't kill you, but as said above it might upset you and will taste like crap
I hung my wet camelbak backpack on the radiator to dry (with the bladder still inside). A week later I went out for another short ride with the remaining water but for the next 3 days was shitting through the eye of a needle!.
HAHAHA oh god if there were any nutrients available that would have been the perfect breeding temperature for bacteria!
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I hung my wet camelbak backpack on the radiator to dry (with the bladder still inside). A week later I went out for another short ride with the remaining water but for the next 3 days was shitting through the eye of a needle!.
What the hell? Seriously you lack in basic common sense! You heated water to the prime bacteria breeding temperature (37 degrees C), left it a week, then drank it. come on! legionella springs to mind...
After a week the small amount of Chlorine in the water would have dissipated as well! (that's what I gather from having a pond anyway) 
ROFLMAO
Classic
If I knew you in real life, you would not live that one down. I'd think up a suitable nick name and you'd be called that forever more.
Please do not think that freezing your bladder will make any difference. This will not kill bacteria, merely put it into stasis. As soon as the bladder returns to room temperature the bacteria will be back. Plus, freezing a bladder makes it brittle which can lead to it splitting, as I know only too well.
If I've forgotten about my bladder for a while I run a kettle-full of boiling water through it. The rubber can stand the heat and should mean anything growing inside is no longer growing. If there is black build-up inside the tube, the heat will soften the material sufficiently so that you can squeeze the outside and rub the inside walls together, clearing out the gunk. Best done with a tea-towel or similar as I've burned my fingers several times doing this.
Assuming I'm being organised, after a ride I'll give my bladder a quick rinse and stick it in the freezer dry - that way nothing can grow.
Cheers, Rich
Mine has lived in the freezer for the last four years... You were unluckyfreezing a bladder makes it brittle which can lead to it splitting
Thin cheap bleach will do the trick diluted down. Its hydrogen peroxide nowadays. As others have said get a brush to clean the tube. And remember to empty and rinse to avoid the Darwin 🙂
denture tablets, with added bonus of getting a minty taste too!
Try Listerine. Kills most stuff.
I'd second the denture tablets, minty fresh water!
My Camelbak go to the point where there was so much black gunk in the tube you could hardly see through it. I cleaned the tube with a bit of J Cloth with a clean gear cable woven through a couple of times and pulled gently through - good as new.
The bladder isn't the cleanest but I've never had any problems. I put brewing steriliser in it when it gets too bad.
Not all bacteria is bad for you ❗
My tube is a bit black but no I'll effects-yet.