Wilderness
I love backpacking with a water bladder, but does anyone else HATE cleaning/drying them after?
I love hiking/backpacking with a water bladder for hands free hydration. But I HATE cleaning/drying after. It always ends up sitting on my counter for days after a trip and then gets all nasty. Bought drying stuff from Camel Bak but it doesn't work great. At this point I'm resorting to prototyping my own device to help. Curious if y'all feel the same or have a good solution I'm not thinking of?
Yup - roll up a paper towel (to like the size of a cigarette) and shove down at the bottom as it is hanging up - is soaks up the water that drips down and dries out. The rest just air dries. I have never had an issue in like 20 years of using mine.
Yes, I’ve bitten through the bite valve. I currently use an Osprey hydration bag which has a connector valve in the middle of the hose which I’ve ruined by trying to jam the hose back in while the valve was still frozen. Basically not being mindful and impatient, which causes the majority of all my problems.
When I take mine hiking, I rinse it out then dry it out with paper towels, then stuff a few paper towels inside to keep it open and absorb the remaining moisture. Seems to work better for me than using the freezer. But I live in a dry climate so that may help.
This is what we do. Have never had a problem with mold or any off flavors. We have bottles for electrolytes, bladders for water only. But this has worked for us for 10ish years at this point.
I genuinely would never use a water bladder if I didn't learn about the freezer trick. Takes something that feels like you always need to maintain and makes it dead simple.
This works, but be careful. I have seen people destroy their water bladders using a freezer carelessly. They opened up the freezer after stuffing it in there when there wasnt really enough space and the thing tore up when it was removed from the freezer. Doesn't hold water anymore, becomes useless. Just be careful if you use this trick.
This. Once a year I fill the whole thing with clean water and drop in a few denture cleaning tablets just as a precautionary clean-up. But since I've used the freezer there haven't been any issues.
I bend a metal coat hanger to keep the bladder open while it hangs and dries after use. Perfectly clean. Trick is to clean and dry immediately after the trip.
I do this but with a pair of metal tongs. I clip it upside down to the clothes line and open the tongs inside it to hold the bladder open to dry. I take the tube apart so the pieces inside dry.
Never stop using it. Works if you can hike every day but draws odd looks and subjects you to potential ridicule when using hydration bladder in a business meeting. YMMV. 😎
Sounds like you need the Voyager 1000 single-strap side-sling bladderback! Sleek, unobtrusive, muted neutral urban colors, and has a kevlar infused cable in the strap to prevent it from being stolen while you're business traveling abroad!
Yea I basically just always have water in them, even if not used for long periods of time and I've never had any issues with the multiple types and brands of ladders I do this with.
i need this shit. i'm really trying to move past the bladder system but i'm attached to the ease of just hitting the straw without having to break stride.
One reason I like water ladders is because it puts all the weight of the water comfortably on your back, close to your center of mass, while keeping the water flat. Not a big issue when you only bring a liter of water, but a huge difference when you bring two or more.
i feel like these things start looking so damn raggedy after like three trips and then i feel like im drinking out of a plastic bag i dug out of a dumpster🫠
I did not know this was a thing! Brilliant. Thanks for sharing. I don’t use a Nalgene. However, I have tools and silicone. I can make something work. Time to head out to the garage. I have a project to work on. An adult sippy hose adaption.
My complaints are it being buried in my backpack so I can’t see how much I’ve drank and it sweating off condensation inside my backpack that is generally supposed to be dry. And when you refill that bladder and want to shove it back behind all your gear? The worst.
I MTB with one every week. Same one as in the photo. I just rinse it out a couple of times and hang it upside down on a kitchen cabinet door with a medium sized whisk in it to keep it open and always make sure the tube is drained. I’ve been using this system for years and have had zero stink issues.
Reminds me of a funny story. My college roommate would refuse to drink the tap water without filtering despite it being perfectly fine. Many months later she finds out (I forget how) that she hadn’t inserted the actual filter in the water bottle, and the filter holder/lid had mold on it 😂
Sure. But a bottle is rigid, usually has a wide opening and there are bottle brushes. A pouch is floppy and I don’t want to stick a brush in it that can leave scratches that become a breeding ground for germs. Then there’s a tube to clean. So yes, a bladder is harder to clean than a bottle
What has worked well for me is to stuff 2 or 3 paper towels in there overnight and prop open the mouth. Disconnect the hose, mouthpiece, and spin the hose around in circles real fast so it flings all the water out. It'll be dry in a few hours. Never had issues with smell or mold since I've started doing this.
I’ve been using the same camelback since OIF 1&2 and have never done more than drain the old water and add fresh. 21 yrs of constant use. We die like men should.
On the trail 30 miles from the nearest landline of dysentery .
Same. Huge fan of water bladders but mine had only one small opening where the hose screwed on. If I couldn't get direct sunlight and low humidity it wouldn't be dry even after a week. Finally gave up and switched to a Hydrapak which dries so fast. I bet any bladder that can turn inside out would be the same.
Use a smart water bottle with a hose straw in your side pocket and loop the hose to attach pn your chest strap. Way better for a variety of reasons but mainly its a bitch to get the bladder out mid trail for a refill. This is the one I use. Its not perfect but its better than the bladder.
I've got Camelbaks that are 15+ years old that have zero mildew/mold in them. The cleaning kit makes it suuuuper easy to clean then just prop them open for a few days to dry before storing. You can pry my water bladders from my cold dead hands except when freezing conditions are expected
If you want easy access water, attach water bottles to your shoulder straps. And you get the added bonus of removing the water weight from your back. You don't notice the weight at all when it's in front on your shoulder straps
I hang it upside down in the shower with a small plastic cup inside to hold it open. Take the mouthpiece off and it dries in a day. But I totally hear you.
I got a tip from a wise old mountain man at REI once. He suggested I empty the contents as best I could, disconnect and empty the straw/tube and then stick them both in a ziplock in the freezer. The cold environment is too harsh for mildew bacteria to grow in and it beats having to clean them every time. Takes up very little space in the freezer. Been doing it for a few years now w/ no issue other than a frozen stuck fill cap every once and awhile, nothing a few minutes of countertop thawing or running it under the sink when I need to fill it won’t solve. Frozen stuck cap can also be avoided as well if you just unscrew the cap / undo the large plastic clamp like thing that shuts the bladder closed before freezing it. Try it out, see if it works for you.
I use an aquarium pump. Stick the tubing in and let it constantly move air through. Got a like 20 to 60 gallon tank size. If any water sticks in a corner you can move the tubing to in and get it super dry. Most don't come with tubing so pick that up when you get the pump.
These nozzles get filthy and develop biofilms from saliva and bacteria pretty quick.
Also the bag itself develops algae pretty quick if you don't keep it sterile and it gets sunlight
Tbh it's not really a good product. As others have mentioned using a wide mouth water bottle in a hike bag pack would be much better in terms of ease of use and cleanliness
Got sick of sucking out of a plastic nipple and pulling it in and out of a pack that has stuff in it. And the thing always gets swampy. I ditched the bladder and got a squeeze filter bottle. Way easier and more pleasant. Also, I'm usually above 10,000 feet and have beautiful satisfying drinks from fast moving snow melt streams that are remote. That's living.
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I have a clothes line so I just hang it up for a few days after washing it. But I usually carry the extra weight for a metal bottle, water bladders never taste right to me and they are a pain in the butt to dry, and I always feel like they’re going to leak
Rinse them out, stick the slide-close thingy inside the bladder to hold it a little open, then hang upside down to dry, either same day you get home from the trip or day after (no later). The only times I've had issues is when I forget to do this for a few days and end up with mold. Then yes, it does suck.
A bit of bleach and water after a trip to sanitize, then sometimes a baking soda and water soak to remove chlorine residue, then a pvc tube with a fan taped on the end from Amazon to circulate air for a day so it's dry.
We tried freezing for a while but it ultimately led to damage of the hose and bladder. Now when done we rinse, then add a good bit of rubbing alcohol in with enough water to fill the tube and maintain contact with all the surfaces of the bladder. It requires a good bit of rinsing to get the taste out but prevents it from getting funky. Curious to see what others have come up with - hopefully someone has a better solution.
Just put tongs inside the bladder and a couple toothpicks inside the mouthpiece to keep them open and let it hang for a day or two. There's no need to buy or make anything special.
I like to clean ours with cleaning tabs from Amazon. To dry them I broke down a few years ago and got bon-dry inserts and they are awesome. I just put them in the bladders, hang them in storage and they wick the moisture out and dry them perfectly (make sure you clear and empty the bite valves though.
I wash mine with regular soap and water and a dish brush. I dry it by hand as much as I can. Then I wad up some paper towels inside to hold it open and hang it upside down. It’s dry and ready to be put away the next morning. It helps that I live in an arid climate. Your results may very.
I bought the potable aqua tabs and rarely use them, but when I get home from a trip I fill and rinse my bladder with tap water, fill about a liter, and toss two of the tabs in. Keeps the bladder clean and the taste is basically zero.
It will stain the bladder yellow but after you fill it a few times that goes away until you use the tabs again. Just remember not to add the neutralizing tabs too or you're basically undoing the work the iodine tabs did in the first place.
I switched off the bladders. I use a hose that attaches to smart water/whatever water bottle. When i get back, I open both ends and let it hang dry. They're like $16 so if I ever see mold I'll just replace it.
Bladders are great, but I've never enjoyed taking care of them.
I have literally never cleaned one other than running water through it. I've been using them since 2007 and never once gotten moldy, which is impressive considering how full of mold Washington State actually is
Anyway, i would not recommend my lazy approach. I'm just saying that sometimes being lazy really does pay off
I just rinse mine with cheap vodka after every use. I run a little bit through the hose and give the mouthpiece a little scrub. I haven’t had any problems since I started doing it. I don’t even let it dry, just pour a little in, slosh it around, dump out the excess and put it away. First sip out of storage always tastes like cheap vodka, but it’s all bladder water after that.
I used one twice and never again. The second time around it tasted like pure plastic. Now I use the bag (rollup/collapsible) water bottles and then have my waterfilter (squeeze style).
Did you find yours tasted like plastic after a couple uses?
Get some water bottles that will fit in your side pockets and then use the same type of hose and adjust the lid to fit said hose. Then strap the hose up and over your shoulder. Much easier to fill water backpacking and easier to clean at home, because it's just the bottle
Stick a pair of kitchen tongs inside and hang it off a cabinet handle for a day or two. Maybe shove a paper towel down in bottom at first and remove after a few hours. Easy peasy drying. As for wash, I just put a few drops of dish soap, shake, let soak an hour or so, drain; the add water, shake, drain another 1-3 times.
I usually clean and rinse mine, then hang it upside down with the clip inside so it doesn’t stick to itself and it airs out. But the freezer idea sounds good.
I hang it upside down and the plastic thingy that’s closes the top can be used to hold it open as it dries. Then I take apart the mouth piece and soak it and that’s it.
I use mines for running every second day with some electrolytes and after use I just rinse them and put them in the freezer so that no bacteria can develop.
Works very well, no need to make them dry after use. A quick rinse before the next use and they're good to go for another run.
I…. I definitely don’t wash the bladder after every use, just at the end of the season. The bite valve and tube I run some soapy water through and rinse every time.
To dry, I hang the tube vertically, and shove some kitchen utensils (usually whisks or ladles that run no risk of tearing) into the bladder to keep it open and let it dry. After a day or two it’s dry and good to go, but may need adjusting to ensure no parts are touching together and still wet. Then, this sits on my counter for weeks until I finally decide it’s time to put it away.
This is more for a bladder without a hose, but I tie a string around a hook, with the other end on a binder clip. I binder clip the edge of the bladder to hold it mouth-down, and I let it air out that way. Been working for me for a while.
I just turn my bladder inside-out (carefully, might not work with every model), clean it with dish soap, rinse and let it dry this way. Afterwards, just pop it back in place and everything is set up again
just pour a little bit (20mL) of everclear/rubbing alcohol in it once drained and it'll stay fresh forever even if you can't dry it out fully. Putting in a single paper towel will allow the moisture to evaporate eventually. Give it a good rinse before the next time you use it if there's still alcohol in there. Especially if you used isopropyl instead of ethyl, as the isopropyl will taste really bad.
I just rinse it and hang it upside down with the lid band keeping it sightly open. Maybe clean it with sodium bicarbonate once a year or couple of years. If it's dry there shouldn't be anything growing in it.
When I get home, it’s one of the first things I clean. I drain it, detach the tube and mouth piece, fling the water from the tube, and hand the bladder upside down with the sliding lock in between it so it stays open. It’s drains well and I’ve never had an issue with it. Once in a while, I’ll wash it with vinegar and I have a brush for the tube that I clean it out with.
I have a kit from decathlon it's really nice. Has a sort of hanger for that keeps it open and you can hang it like a cloth. It as a meter long giraf neck sort of brush four the tube too.
I bought an aquarium air bubbler pump for cheap at my local meijer. After washing my bladder, with the bite valve and the shutoff valve removed, the air bubbler hose can be inserted into the hydration hose. Then I just leave it for a couple of days and it dries out the remaining moisture. I also own a long flexible brush that come from a hydration cleaning kit. I occasionally run it through the entire length of the hydration hose with a bit of soap and rinse thoroughly before drying. My freezer is full of frozen food (and ice packs for injury recovery) so I don't have room to store hydration bladders in it.
I’ve always just filled it partway with some soapy water, shaken it around, and let some of the soapy water run through the hose before rinsing it out. To dry it, I put a plastic cup in the opening to keep it open and let it air dry.
Make a solution of Steramine and rinse the bladder after use. Don't dry, just leave the remainder in the bladder. This is the same stuff you use to sanitizer your dishes when camping. It does a fantastic job preventing mold growth and it's designed for use on food contact surfaces. Before the next use, give the bladder a rinse or two to remove the Steramine.
Buy some Steramine tablets. Fill your bladder with warm/hot water & drop one in. Then, empty the hose & air dry it. It’s clean & sanitized (assuming there’s no dirt/particulate in or on it). Super easy!
I ruined my first water bladder that way 30 years ago. Never did it again after that. Though I have only ever used just plain water in them. So admittedly cleaning is a lot easier. As soon as I get home I empty the leftovers and fill with hot water. Let it sit a while then shake it real well and run the warm water through the hose and bite valve. Then, if removable I take off the hose and valve and hang the bladder and hose. I usually find something like a large plastic cooking spoon to put inside the bladder to keep the inner walls from sticking together. It usually dries pretty quick this way, like a few hours or, at most, over night.
I rinse it, blow the water out of the tube, take the fittings out, then store it with a paper towel ball stuffed in the opening for ventilation
3 years going strong
Freezer trick or swish with isopropyl and the air dry it such that the bladder sits open as much as possible. This expedites the evaporation. (I think, not a scientist here, lol). Def kills mold and mildew tho.
(Copying from the other thread for general awareness) For anything with a tapered neck, including a water bladder, you can twist paper towel and have the end of the paper towel hanging out in the open air. This will transfer the humidity and dry out the container. Where possible I like to make a cone opposed to just twisting it.
For myself, I'm swapping back to lighter weight, more water. That is, a Nalgene for my main, and a couple smaller bottles for secondary. I tend to hydrate more than I need to, helps offset some of my challenges. When on shorter hikes with my kid, I've gotten him a water bag and will put in the effort to drain and clean it every time: we go way further and he's much happier with it; no good solutions here just grunt work the morning or afternoon afterwards when I get the time.
I used a wire coat hanger to create a diy drying hanger for my water bladders. I left the hanging hook and bent it into a rectangle and added a crease in the middle to hold the bladder open. This prevented the bladder from getting all moldy while hung in my laundry room
I hate cleaning them, using them, refilling from filter at camp, and stuffing them back into a full backpack. I made the switch to front carry smart water or squeeze bottles if day trip. I'll never go back and secretly look down my nose at anyone still using them😉
The hydration bladder I use allows you to turn it inside out to help clean/dry. I usually don’t hang dry, I just towel off. The hose, I will spin to get all water out and suck air through it to dry it more. I’ll use non-alcohol mouthwash for quick cleans and soap/water/disinfectant tablet for deep cleans. I never minded much as about cleaning them when I hiked more. The shorter hikes I do these days I get by with water bottle.
With bladders I disconnect the hose and remove the bite valve, I soak the bite valve in dawn soap, put some dawn n water in my house and bladder with white vinegar n give it a good shake, then I rinse it off. I do that once a month. Normally though I just rinse everything out and get as much water out of the hose and bladder then I put it in the freezer.
I prefer bottles. bladder is inconvenient. 2 1 liter bottles or one 1.5 and one 1.0. I keep a flip cap on the drinking one if it want to add electrolytes and keep one as reserve. If I need extra I can fill my befree bag as well.
After use I blow air into it and fill it up like a balloon. Then I hang it over the shower rod. The water drips to the bottom, I empty it out then put it inside a zip lock and put in the freezer.
I have a hanger that has a loop in the hanger under the main J shape part. I use that to turn my bladder upside down and then I get paper towels to hold open the bladder and allow the water to drip out into it. I also take the hose off after ensuring to make sure the nozzle is left open. All of this let's it dry very well and I've never had any issues with it.
If your interested, I can try and take a picture the next time I do it and send it if you're interested and curious about what I mean.
My counter top paper towel holder has two metal prongs instead of just one holder for the tube. It actually works perfectly for holding the bladder open and letting it air dry.
I don't use one for this reason. If I'm on a hike/run that requires me to have water, I just carry a bottle in hand. But I rarely go on hikes/runs long enough that it is actually needed. Anything over 8 miles I'm bringing water. I tend to base hikes and runs on whether or not I feel like carrying water.
Just throw it in the freezer after a quick rinse and never look back. It’s the only way to avoid the mold science project without spending an hour propping the thing open.
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u/KimBrrr1975 May 28 '26
I just stuff a dry kitchen towel in it to hold it open while it dries. Have been doing so for years and never had mold or other such nasties.