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As any active outdoorsy person will tell you, hydration is key on the trail. Whether you use a simple plastic bottle or prefer the convenience of a hydration bladder, you need to keep your hydration solution clean to prevent unwanted bacteria and odour. Bacteria and mould can build up quickly in the presence of moisture (and let’s face it, not many of us clean our hydration method as often as we really should). Whether you want to keep your Nalgene bottle smelling fresh, or your CamelBak bladder is in desperate need of some TLC, read on for some tips keeping your hydration sparkly clean.
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General Maintenance
The best way to keep your hydration system as fresh as possible is to rinse it after each use and let it completely air dry. If you leave water sitting in your bottle or reservoir for hours (or days!) after you’ve used it, unpleasant odours and tastes are pretty much guaranteed to occur.
How to Remove Odour from a Water Bottle
Many water bottles are now dishwasher-safe, making the cleaning process a breeze. But unpleasant odours can still sometimes linger around. Luckily, a few basic household ingredients can help have your bottle smelling fresh again in no time. Simply put a teaspoon of household bleach and a teaspoon of baking soda in the bottle, fill it with water, and let the solution sit overnight. Rinse it out thoroughly or pop it through the dishwasher the next day, before letting it air dry completely. Easy!
How to Clean a Hydration Bladder
Cleaning your hydration bladder might seem like a dull task, but it can be completed pretty quickly if you know how to tackle it. Before you begin, you’ll need to gather your tools: some form of cleaning solution, dish soap, brushes, and drying aids. Follow the steps below to learn how to clean your hydration bladder.
1. Empty and Scrub
Empty your hydration bladder of all remaining liquid and then rinse and scrub it with some warm water and a sponge or brush to remove any loose debris.
2. Add your cleaning solution
Fill the bladder with warm water and add some form of cleaning solution. This works best using specialised reservoir cleaning tablets, like the HydraPak Bottle Bright Tablets. If you don’t have any to hand, you can alternatively use baking soda or lemon juice (or household bleach to disinfect). Seal the hydration bladder and shake it all up, then open the bite valve until the water starts to flow, so that the entire system is in contact with the solution. Then leave it to soak for the recommended time period (if you’re using household ingredients, leave it for around 20 minutes).
3. Disassemble and Wash
Drain the bladder completely. At this point, you can disassemble the reservoir by removing the hose, mouthpiece and valve. Then, use a small amount of dish soap mixed with warm water to really scrub everything until it’s squeaky clean. Reservoir specific brushes are great for the hard to reach places like the hose, but straw cleaners work well too. Make sure that you rinse everything thoroughly to remove any soapy fragrances.
4. Air Dry
Place the reservoir in an open position that will allow it to dry fully. You can do this by hanging it upside down or using a kitchen utensil (like a whisk) to hold it open, but this will depend on the style of reservoir you have. Let all of the component parts dry out completely before reassembling, ready for the next adventure!
How to Clean a Water Filter
If you’ve noticed that your water filtration system isn’t working quite as efficiently as it used to, it might be time to give it a bit of TLC. You can significantly extend the life of your water filter and improve its flow if you maintain it properly and clean it regularly. Each water filter is different, so make sure that you read the manufacturer instructions, but we’ve highlighted some general care tips below.
Sanitising a water filter
Before storing your filter away, you’ll want to clean and sanitise it to remove any bacteria build up. You can clean out the bottle or bladder by simply using a scrubbing brush and some dishwashing liquid to scrub it out. You might also want to use a diluted bleach solution to flush out and disinfect the filter element, but make sure that you check your specific filter care instructions before doing so. Always fully dry your filtration system before storing it away to prevent mould.
Backflushing your filter
If your filter isn’t flowing as it used to, you might need to backflush it. Backflushing is the process of flushing out the filter in order to unclog any debris or contaminants and improve water flow. Not all filters can be backflushed, so make sure that you check the manufacturer care guide first. Some filters come with a hose or a syringe to assist with backflushing, and others will require you to shake water through the filter element. Try not to use any pressure when you backflush the filter to avoid damaging the internal filter element.
Shop Hydration Care
Shop our hydration care below, or head in-store and speak to our friendly staff for more tips on how to get the most out of your hydration system.
- Tube Cleaning Brush$19.95Members $17.96Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
- Bottle Bright Tablets$24.95Members $22.46Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
- Crux Cleaning Kit$44.95Members $40.46Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
- Stainless Steel Straw Set$19.95Members $17.96Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
- BeFree Replacement Cartridge$89.95Members $80.96Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
- Pot Scrubber and Soap Bottle$15.95Members $14.36Lifetime Club Membership $10.00Save 10% everyday*
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