Hydration Bladder Storage Without the Funk
Rinse: Obviously, you need to rinse out your hydration pack after each day of use. You can use a tiny amount of bleach (Less than a half tea spoon) to clean out any of the funk. Be sure to rinse the water bladder thouroughly to remove the funk and any left over bleach. Also, be sure to run water through the hose and mouth piece. Simply hold the full bladder up high then squeeze the mouth piece with your fingers to get water to run through the hose.
Dry: It is important to completely dry out the hydration bladder. Hang it up with the cap open until it completely dries out. The time it takes to dry out will depend on the humidity in your home but don't rush it. The longer you can let it dry out the better.
For easier drying, make a water bladder hanger like the one pictured below. A simple cut in a plastic clothes hanger gives you the perfect tool for drying out your hydration bladder. Watch this quick video to learn more about this water bladder hanger.
Freeze: Yes, freeze your hydration bladder to prevent any mildew from growing inside of it. No matter how well you've dried out the reservoir and hose there is a risk of unwanted mold or mildew growing during storage. The best way to battle this is to store your hydration bladder in a freezer. This will eliminate the risk of unwanted growth. Here's how to do it.
- Clean and dry the water bladder as described above.
- Roll up your bladder and wrap the hose around itself so it takes as little space in the freezer as possible.
- Wrap a large rubber band around it to keep it together.
- Place it in the freezer.
This is the most effective way to avoid mold and mildew in your hydration bladder. It is important to dry it out as much as possible before freezing to avoid ice inside your tube. The next time you hit the trails you can grab the bladder out the the freezer, fill it up with water and you're ready to go.
Why Would You Do This?
A hydration bladder free of any mold is important to your health, hydration packs are expensive to replace and freezing them is the best way to store a water bladder to avoid any funk. This TrailTime Tip is extremely easy and effective. Try it then let us know in the comment below what you think of this tip.
Check out our other TrailTime Tips and check back next week for the next installment of this outdoor tips and hacks series.
Emergency Candle
Eggcellent Camping Breakfast Hack
Fill Your Bottles From A Shallow Stream
Stake Your Tent on Rocky Ground
Keep Your Bag Dry From Condensation
