[Closed] Anybody on here ever died from drinking out of a mouldy Camelbak?

Dead people can't talk 😉

On a more relevant note, was ill once and the only thing I could put it down to was a slightly grubby camelbak. Since then I only use hydration tablets in it, and rinse it very thoroughly on return, with the odd baby bottle sterilizing tablet chucked in after every few rides (rinse thoroughly after this it tastes horrid).

Yep, well it felt like I was going to after the vomiting and shits had calmed down. More potent than picolax

I've got cultures of germs growing in mine still unknown to medical science. I'm working on the theory that its building my immune system up to a degree that I'll probably be able to brush off cancer 😀

No. I don't use one any more but, when I did, I would just chuck a Boots sterilising tablet in every now and again. Same stuff as the camelback tablets but a fraction of the price. I only did this as I am a lazy bugger and rarely cleaned it out after a ride.

I died from exactly that. Luckily though, I was reincarnated as fat grumpy northern fella with male pattern baldness and an addiction to greasy pig food products.
I also seem to have children and a long suffering wife.

I mean she has suffered a long time, rather than her measuring lots and suffering.

Denture sterilisers are apparently good. Bit less "baby" tasting than Milton (which I use cos we have them around)

Also put your bladder in the freezer when you're not using it. That'll at least slow down the growth of whatever face-eating bacteria you have in there.

errmmm ... how about mouldy bread? Sometimes I just cut the mouldy part out then toast it to eat.

How about drinking from Brita water that is very green at the bottom of the jug? Can't remember the last time I clean it.

Think I drank from mouldy Camelback once but cleaned it later when I found out it was turning greenish.

Hhhmmm ... wonder when will I turn zombie.

once its empty keep it in the freezer, nothing can grow.

I use denture sterilisers - cleaned out a properly mouldy pack pretty well using them infact.
Also keep mine in the freezer now, definitely stops the bugs...

Me. About 7 years ago.

Binned my camelbak recently; it was really manky and I just couldn't be bothered cleaning it anymore! I just stick an extra bottle or two in my backpack as needed now and swap them out for the one on my bike.

Finally cleaned mine last weekend after deciding black slime everywhere wasn't that healthy.
Has been rank for months but I haven't died yet!

I've been pointed in the direction of http://www.amazon.co.uk/VWP-Cleaner-Steriliser-400g-Tub/dp/B001PQSNAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376603928&sr=8-1&keywords=Vwp which I'm going to give a go. Apparently the home brew steriliser is better than miltons and leaves no aftertaste?

I die quite regularly from camelback poisoning. I wouldn't be concerned about little black bits in the mouthpiece; you'll only die a little bit. Not even enough to notice.

I find it adds to the flavour. My body is dehydrated and as long as I get that KOM, that is all that matters.

Caustic line cleaner from your local friendly landlord!

Hang it up and let the water run out by opening the mouth piece in a few stages! If it works on ale lines it certainly does the trick on camelbacks

I did

I have 2x M.U.L.Es both of which I've been a little bit lax on the hygiene front.
end result is there are some black lines around the bladders, but a bit of milton / VWP has sorted that out.
the bladders are still stained but don't do any harm...

ECTOPLASM mmmmmm a must. Unless your a veggie 😆

I only put water in mine and cleaned my Camelbak bladder maybe once a year. I haven't died to death yet! 😀

Got a new Osprey pack and bladder this spring and it hasn't been cleaned yet! 😉

I've never cleaned a camelbak. Never had anything growing in it either. Just sits in the laundry & I top it up the next time I ride.
I'd be concerned about your water quality.

A colleague of mine was admitted to hospital after poisoning himself drinking from a mould infested bottle (it was black and he didn't check it until ill).

I tried the putting it in the freezer idea. After a few weeks of doing this the plastic parts broke off as it made them really brittle( not a camalbak one though a dakine one)

Thought the replies would raise a chuckle, you didn't't let me down. Yeah been using denture tablets and pop a plastic whisk in to hold it open for drying but it it just that little bit last night. Could've swore I felt the chewy bit slide down my throat drinking lat night. Boak!

I have wished I was dead a couple of times as I was squatted behind a tree with the multiverse escaping my body, desperately looking for the least spikey leaves to stand in as toilet paper. Having to complete the ride shivering and shaking wasn't great either.

Freezer, regular Milton-ing etc work most of the time!

crikey, do you know what, I've had the same bladder for 3 years and I've NEVER cleaned it...

only use water, which I guess has chlorine in it, must be doing the job for me.

Another member of the only use water / haven't cleaned it in 3 years / no ill effects brigade here

I had Gastroenteritis and I'm convinced it was from a mouldy camelback. You really do not want Gastroenteritis.

I've been pretty sick a few times in the past from the black mould. Basically started to feel week and nauseous then threw up for a few hours.
The worst of it was throwing up on Park Street in Bristol a river of sick running down the pavement and people looking at me in disgust because they thought I was drunk.
Not the worse sickness but not pleasant either.

I binned my first one when i couldn't see through it anymore. Now I only use water and hang it up to dry, empty, afer every ride. Zero black stuff after several years.

I didn't die but I felt like someone had shoved an electric whisk up my backside and turned it on for a few hours afterwards (I'd actually used Milton in the bladder to, just forgot to clean the hose properly...)

Ah, the good old black furry death. The camelbak hose cleaning brushes are actually worth a buy in my opinion as thy do clean the tube out nicely, as that sort of black mould is a perfect culture for cat aids.

worst case scenario is that it gives you a case of Delhi belly...soak it in milton solution and you shall be cured

A friend only replaced his once it got to the state where a drink from it would burn the back of your throat :-/ Never made him ill tho...

Water only in mine. Not died to death yet.

I managed to clean this with Milton and didn't die.

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I've had the burn at the back of my throat recently. The bladder's 6 or 7 years old, only ever had water in it and it's always looked clean-ish. However, I've had an insulation sleeve over the tubing, which has masked all sorts of blackness. 😯
I've tried Mlton, but that's not shifted it. It seems like a great excuse for a new pack.

I got cat aids (the bad sort) and died.
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