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The Camelbak is an useful piece of equipment for long outdoor hikes, cycling trips, and camping trips. It stores water in a pouch, with a tube to drink out of.
But that's my problem:
After I'm done using it, how can I dry out the tube and pouch quickly and well, so that it doesn't mold (or get gross!)?
Use 95% pure ethanol, sold in liquor stores as "rectified spirits". Just a small amount is all you need. Slosh it around the container and it will pick up every last speck of water and evaporate it, leaving the interior of the container bone dry.
Caveats:
(1) Do not use 70% alchohol, that will not work
(2) Do not use "denatured" alcohol under any circumstances. It contains a solid chemical called denatonium which tastes terrible and which you do not want to be in your container.
My solution for storing multiple Camelbak bladders for long periods of time without any mold or mildew inside is to fill them with water and then make sure ALL of the air is bled out before storing. Mold and mildew need air to grow so if the interior has no air or bubbles of any kind, presto! Nothing will grow!
Just fill the bladder with water then flip it so the hose is at the upper end of the bladder and jiggle until all the air is at the base of the hose. I then use the mouth piece to suck out all the air. If you're going to store it for a really long time, do it again until there is absolutely no air inside. This absolutely works perfectly. I've been using this method for years.
Since there are narrow spaces at edges, it may not be practical to completely dry it. However, if you rinse with dilute chlorine bleach or water with a treatment tablet, and then pour and squeeze out as much as possible, there should be enough residual chlorine to prevent algae or fungus growth.
What i do is flip it upside down(where the water hole is facing downward) and stick a couple napkins inside overnight and it usually does the job.
I dried mine out all I could with kitchen roll then filled it with some more and left it opening-down in the airing cupboard for a day or so. Maybe not the best way but it seemed to work for me
I would follow the instructions here, under Product care. http://shop.camelbak.com/reservoir-dryer/d/1125_c_326_cl_924
Also, buy one of those things.
I don't actually own or use a camelback. I just used the internet.
You can insert the tubing inside the container such that opposing walls don't touch and leave it open for a day or two till all water is evaporated.
