[pct-l] Cleaning a Bladder and Tubes

[aghenninger at hotmail.com (Andrea Henninger)]

Somewhere, sometime, I found these instructions.  They have worked well for 
me.

1.  Carry a 1/2 L Naglene bottle for non-water drinks.  Don't use your 
bladder for anything but water.

2.  Clean the tube on the trail and at home by threading some cotton 
(sherdded (need I say it, unused) tampons work great!) through the tube 
using dental floss as a threader.  Simply take a LONG piece of dental floss 
and thread it through a DRY tube that has had the bladder and bite valve 
removed.  Then tie the cotton to the end and drag it through the tube. You 
will be amazed at how nasty it is, even when the tube looks clean.  Do this 
several times until the cotton comes out clean.  Use Q-Tips to clean out the 
bite valve.

3.  Make a warm/hot water solution of dish washing maching detergent for the 
bladder and tube assembly.  Use about 1-2 teaspoons, shake it up well 
(including the inside of the reassembled tube and valve) and let sit for 
about 10 minutes.  The detergent contains a mild bleach so it will sanitize 
the thing, too.  Rinse well and you're good to go!  If you use powdered 
detergent you may have to dissolve it first in the water.