Paracord CamelBak Hose Cleaner

This instructable shows you how to clean the mildew, mould and accumulated dirt from the plastic hose on your CamelBak or other hydration bladder with nothing but some paracord (and some optional sterilization tablets).

I discovered this neat trick an hour before setting off on a climbing holiday after finding that my CamelBak hose was disgustingly dirty.

Being loathe to spend £20 for a brush on a wire to clean the hose and without time to get one I looked around for something that could clean the hose.

Paracord was the answer! A loose knot in the end of a length of paracord, dropped through the hydration bladder's hose can be drawn through slowly and bring all the gunk with it.

Here's how I've done it ever since.

Step 1: You will need....

• A dirty camelbak or other "hydration bladder" hose
• Milton tablets or other baby bottle sterilisation tablets. You could also use mild soapy water though not too much or you may leave a bad taste. Definitely don't use bleach.
• Paracord. About 10cm longer than the hose

Comments

[badpanda]

Nice! I was using the alka seltzer looking things Camelbak sells to clean these, but using baby bottle cleaners will be way cheaper.

[kbadger]

try the non flavored denture tablets and lemon juice trick. may be cheaper than baby bottle cleaners.

[That One Eegit]

Would denture cleaning tablets work in place of the milton tablets?

[kbadger]

I have cleaned my Blackhawk bladder by using denture cleaning tablets. All I did was pour in 2 cups of hot tap water in to the bladder and then I dropped in 2 denture tablets (mine have baking soda and they are unflavored) Walmart brand. Do not forget to have this mixture go down the drink tubing and bite valve. This removes the plastic taste.

Swished the tablets back and forth in the bladder until they dissolved. Let the mixture coat the entire inside of the bladder. Drain and then put in fresh tap water from the cold side about 2 cups worth again mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let soak for 30 minutes. Do not forget the drink tube and bite valve. This removes the nasties that grow inside your bladder.

Then just hang to dry.

[deaug13]

Couldn't have found your post at a better time. I have been racking my brain so I wouldn't have to spend money on what should be an easy fix. Can't believe I didn't think of paracord before this. That stuff is almost as universal as duct tape.

[rstupplebeen]

I have been using this trick since you posted it and was just trying to clean a long hose from homebrewing and found that running water through the hose helps get the rope through.

[lalexander]

this trick works with gun barrels too, exept i use weedwhacker line and melt the line into a little ball, then thread it thru a bit of cloth patch and pull it thru. the weedwacker line may work with your drinking hose. you might benefit from adding a scrap of cloth to the line when you pull it thru.

[lalexander]

also, you can soak your hose in a more hygenic environment by using an empty wide mouth soda bottle. add the hose and cleaner ect into the bottle with the water and shake it, let it sit, shake it again ect.

you can also avoid introducing germs into your clean hose by swinging it to dry it inside instead of blowing thru it.

to clean the inside of hard to reach areas inside of your reservoir you can use dry rice with a little water and shake it to scour the inside. just wash it out afterward and get all the rice bits out. i use this trick with stainless steel bottles that have had coffee with cream in them. works better than a brush in some cases( specially with the narrow top bottles)

[svataja]

(removed by author or community request)

[Jayefuu]

Brilliant idea! Why didn't I think of that :D

[ourmoneypit]

Excellent idea. Hoses are always a challenge, and your section of paracord can be sterilized, too. Thanks!

[Jayefuu]

Thanks, good idea! Added to step 2. :)

[qwerty29]

How often should you clean your camalbak if you only use water?

[Jayefuu]

I dry mine out if I'm not going to be using it for a while. But otherwise just whenever you can see it getting dirty I guess.

[qwerty29]

thank you!

[SurreyShepp]

fantastic i dea i was about to go out MTBing over the surrey hills the other day and went to get my camelbak only to find it all gunked up and no kit to clean it. but now i have this way cheers

[kcls]

Great idea. This would work for other tubes as well!

[Jayefuu]

Cheers. What other tubes have you in mind?

[kcls]

Well, living on a boat and all, we have tubes coming out our ears! We have exhaust hoses, water hoses, fuel hoses, drain hoses and there are probably a dozen other that I can't currently think of.

[meddler]

Ah, clever. My cousin wastes so much money "buying" when there is a cheaper alternative. I was wondering just how to clean a hydration tube just the other day, and here you are. Thanks.

[Jayefuu]

Glad to be helpful. Vote if you think it deserves it please!

[NachoMahma]

.  Great idea.

[Jayefuu]

Thanks!

[=SMART=]

Nice :)
Good idea

[Jayefuu]

Thanks!