how to clean a camelbak

Relationships May 5, 2017

An Active Woman's Guide on How to Clean a Camelbak

Tips and tricks for cleaning your hydration pack...

Entity shares our top tips for how to clean a Camelback hydration pack.

If you've been out hiking, biking or running, you've probably seen someone using a Camelbak hydration pack, or a liquid-filled pack with a tube for drinking. You may even use one yourself. Either way, you've likely asked, "How do you clean a Camelbak?"

Luckily, keeping your camelbak reservoir clean can be as easy as staying hydrated with it – as long as you know the right tips. Here are five tricks every active woman should know about how to clean a Camelbak!

1 Listen to the pros.

Before you start experimenting with unique cleaning methods, use the tricks that come directly from Camelbak's website. First off, rinse, clean and dry your Camelbak hydration pack afterevery use. If you want to give your Camelbak a complete detox, though, start by mixing hot water with two tablespoons of baking soda or bleach.

Entity shares our top tips for how to clean a Camelback hydration pack.

Pour the mixture into your reservoir and let it soak for 30 minutes. Then wash out your reservoir, drinking tube and mouthpiece with hot water and mild soap. You can also use brushes to scrub your Camelbak clean from the inside out. Once it's been cleaned, air dry your pack, making sure no moisture is trapped inside (which could cause mold.)

2 Let your Camelbak chill between uses…literally.

When you aren't using your Camelbak, protect it from mold by storing it in the freezer. Seriously. First off, the freezer keeps bacteria or mold from making an appearance. As an added bonus, though, you can also create your own Camelbak ice cubes for an extra refreshing drink on your adventure.

One Camelbak user explains: "I store my bladder in the freezer, about 1/4 full of tap-water. Freezer = no bacteria. When I need to use it, I remove it from the freezer and run some hot water over the hose/nozzle to break up any ice there. Then I fill the bladder and believe me, that big ice cube keeps the water nice and chilly all day long." Talk about a win/win!

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3 Make it good as new with lemon.

If you've ever filled your Camelbak with something other than water, you probably know that the aftertaste is not pleasant. Depending on what you use to clean your Camelbak, you can also be stuck with a chemical flavor.

Luckily, Camelbak fans have discovered an easy fix: lemon. After doing your usual cleaning, rinse out your Camelbak with more hot water and the juice of a lemon. The lemon juice will break down any residue and leaves a much tastier flavor than soap.

4 If you do see mold, attack it ASAP.

If you do start to see mold in your Camelbak, you need to disinfect your entire pack as soon as possible. One of the easiest tricks is to use bleach. Simply fill the reservoir and hose with 1 ounce of bleach per liter of warm water. Then, leave your Camelbak to soak overnight. In the morning, rinse it out well with warm water (you don't want to be drinking any bleach residue!) and let it dry completely before storing.

Via Spongebob Squarepants

If you don't want to use bleach, you can use chlorine-free options like Camelbak Cleaning Tablets or Seventh Generation's Free and Clear formula. Just don't ignore the mold…and don't use chlorine. Not only could it damage your Camelbak, but it could also be dangerous for you.

5 Keep it simple.

One of the tricks that showed up again and again in our research of how to clean a Camelbak? Only fill your Camelbak with water. Although this isn't a cleaning tip per se, only using water will make cleaning your pack a lot easier! Sports drinks often are high in sugar, and leftover sugar particles lead to mold. So, if you absolutely have to use a sports drink, stick with sugar-free versions.

Meanwhile, if you're one of the Camelbak fans who loves filling your pack with whiskey or tequila…you keep doing you. However, get a separate Camelbak just for alcoholic beverages because the flavor is about impossible to get out.

As handy as Camelbak packs are for staying hydrated while being out and about, cleaning them can be a battle. With these five tips, though, learning how to clean a Camelbak is easy…and you'll be ready to go on your next adventure in no time!