# Mmm, Black mold in camelback bite valve.



## ProjectDan35 (Jul 19, 2010)

Anyone else get this? I have to clean it every month or 2. I can see mold inside the bite valve when I hold it up to the sun. A Qtip does an easy clean. Any remedies?


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## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

I haven't had any issues like this w/ the bite valve on my MULE, but did have this happen pretty often w/ the nipple on my Podium Chill bottles that I would put Gatorade in. 

Rinsing/washing the nipple out as best as I can after each ride has seemed to resolve the problem.


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## urmb (Oct 4, 2005)

I would hazard that it is not mold and is most likely algae. When you leave water in it will grow after the chlorine goes away. Just have to clean it out. 

urmb


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## 007 (Jun 16, 2005)

Time for a new bite-valve


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## floydlippencott (Sep 4, 2010)

Clean it out with diluted bleach .


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## 2wheelsnotfour (Aug 18, 2010)

Black mold is fine. Its the green mold you have to worry about.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*The mold is full of anitoxidents to ward off infection!*

If you rode a 29er you wouldn't have this problem. Kidding. Kidding.

Toss the valve in alcohol every few weeks and let it soak.

A new bite valve sounds like a good idea, too.


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## ProjectDan35 (Jul 19, 2010)

I just take a Q tip and wipe it out. I have hard tap water........so no chlorine in the water. After I wipe it out it goes away for about 4-5 refills of water. I dry the camelback bladder, but I can't dry the hose and bite valve.


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## stumblemumble (Mar 31, 2006)

If it isn't making you ill why worry?


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## S_Trek (May 3, 2010)

Every two months? Don't you wash your cups, forks, spoons and plates after every time used?


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## Sinker (Feb 3, 2007)

Stop holding it up to the sun.


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## space (May 25, 2004)

S_Trek said:


> Every two months? Don't you wash your cups, forks, spoons and plates after every time used?


I wash my camel back bladder when it starts getting mold, no sooner, so sometimes it can go two or three seasons between washes.

As for cups, no I don't wash them after every use, in fact my work coffee cup hasn't been washed in months. At home I wash cups when I change what liquid they will be holding 

I do wash silverware and plates after every use though


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## Haus Boss (Jun 4, 2010)

Consider it a free dosage of penicillin!


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## Noclutch (Jun 20, 2010)

My 50 oz'er is 5 years old. My routine is rinse with hot water when done and toss it in the freezer untill next time. Rarely I'll use a drop of soap.
Nothing grows in the freezer, period.


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## shopcat_cycles (Dec 28, 2007)

+1 on freezer


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## ProjectDan35 (Jul 19, 2010)

I dry it and put it in my closet. LOL.


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## SasquatchSC (Mar 11, 2004)

i just pop the valve off while the bladder dries. throw it back on before a ride. no problems at all.


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

Noclutch said:


> My 50 oz'er is 5 years old. My routine is rinse with hot water when done and toss it in the freezer untill next time. Rarely I'll use a drop of soap.
> Nothing grows in the freezer, period.


Yeah, they just go to sleep, not dead, once it wakes up they just go crazy multiplying still.

I'd get a new one, save the old one for spare after you clean and sanitized.


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

I must be doing something right because I fill mine up in the spring, keep topping it off throughout the summer and clean in the fall. All that I taste is the plastic, but inside is slime free and clean.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Wash it more often.
I got the brush kit so i can clean the hose too, it can get nasty if you mix stuff in your pack.

I rinse mine quick after every ride, give it a good cleaning about once a week at least, or more.


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## CdaleTony (Jun 21, 2005)

ncfisherman said:


> +1 on freezer


+ 1 once more.


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## Sid Nitzerglobin (Sep 17, 2010)

I just top mine off and throw it in the fridge when I get back from a ride, occasionally I'll wipe off and rinse the bite valve and have had no issues w/ slime or mold going on two seasons either. Go figure...

Of course I only ever have purified spring water in mine (was told the mains coming into my house are lead so I don't trust the taps for drinking/cooking) so maybe that has something to do with it.


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## ProjectDan35 (Jul 19, 2010)

I never put anything but water in it, so How would rinsing do anything?


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## CaveGiant (Aug 21, 2007)

+2 on freezer


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## DAVP (May 16, 2006)

I just ride often enough to keep the water moving 

Also, never use anything other than plain water.


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## bigcrs (Oct 27, 2008)

Glass of water, add a denture-cleaner tablet, chuck the valve in, leave it over night....

This is what i do to keep my reservoir clean, fill it up and add a couple of tablets when need be.


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## Brewtality (Jul 25, 2007)

One more for storing it in the freezer. I have three different bladders rolled up and stashed away in the freezer. Rarely wash any of them.


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## Captain_America1976 (Mar 15, 2005)

Brewtality said:


> One more for storing it in the freezer. I have three different bladders rolled up and stashed away in the freezer. Rarely wash any of them.


Me too. Never had any issues.


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

I have 2 different bladders. Only have washed each one two times in the past 2 years. Keep them full of water only, and put them in the freezer or the fridge.

BTW, stop using Gatorade or other drinks in your hydration pack. If you continue to use that type of drink, you will have to clean your bladder/hose/bite valve after every ride.


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## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

Put about 10oz of mouthwash in the bladder, and squirt a bit out the hose end.
then shake it around really good, and rinse it out. Leaves a nice fresh minty after taste for a bit, and kills the germs pretty good.


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## Tzvia (Sep 7, 2008)

+1 denture cleaner.

I always rinse and air dry the bladder with the bite valve thrown in it and leave it hanging open after a ride- never leave it sitting with water in it for over a day. If it starts getting moldy (rare), I toss in a couple denture cleaners and fill the bag and let sit, (with the valve on). Then I wash it again and let it dry while I soak the valve in the cleaner. The pipe-cleaner thing that Camelback sells works well for the tube.

It's rarely humid enough out here in So Cal to get mold provided I let it air dry and leave it open.

The denture cleaner works well in my Podium bottles- I remove the rubber on the valve and toss it inside and let the whole thing sit, and soak the lid separately to get rid of the smell of GU Brew.


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## Fiskare (Sep 5, 2008)

I use Iodophor, an industrial cleaner for surfaces that will have food on them. It costs about $10 per quart and a few drops in your bladder/tube/bite valve, mixed with cold water and allowed to set for 5 minutes is all it takes. It is iodine based and as long as you rinse well the iodine never enters your body - but even if it does, in tiny quantities it is not an issue. Try home brew and restaurant supply stores. Don't confuse with drain board cleaner - which is for surfaces that will never have food on them.


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## amishscum (Nov 12, 2006)

My girlfriends old Camelbak bladder was like a science experiment. It got so nasty that chunks of the stuff started breaking off and floating around. I eventually bought her a replacement (she had no problem with the algae, apparently.)

Trust me, you got nothing to worry about health-wise. Pretty gross though.


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## ProjectDan35 (Jul 19, 2010)

The bladder is fine, it's one of those new anti-bacterial growth ones. Seem's to be working, But I dry that out with my hand. It's just the bite valve. Seem's denture cleaner is the route to go I can't put it in the freezer because of my set up I'd have to pull the hose off the bladder to disconnect the entire set up from the backpack part.


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## Bokchoicowboy (Aug 7, 2007)

+2 on the denture cleaner. Same stuff that Camelback sells as cleaning tablets marked up huge by putting their name on it. 

I don't put anything but water in the pack, use water bottles for mixtures such as Accelerade. I take the bite valve off the hose, use a cleaning kit nylon wire brush to hog out the tubing and inside the valve assembly, then close the angle valve and fill it all up with warm water and the denture tabs, leave sit for a long while, then rinse with warm water. The bite valve itself goes into a cup of warm water with a denture tab. 

Don't have any trouble with black, green, or any color slime. The pack is never sitting for more than a day without being used, so I never much have to worry about it sitting around without water in it.


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## Jim311 (Feb 7, 2006)

Nuke it from orbit.. it's the only way to be sure.




Am I the only guy that NEVER cleans his reservoir? I leave it in my trunk all the time where it gets hotter than hell during the summer. I never wash it, just rinse it out before adding water. Yet I've never had problems with the funk. Maybe the water is chlorinated enough to where it doesn't matter? It takes like years for it to grow any appreciable amount of nastiness.


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## The Mold Expert (Nov 22, 2010)

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## Ricko (Jan 14, 2004)

Load your bladder up with a nice single malt scotch for your ride, that'll keep things as steril as can be! I'd advise full DH armor though cuz you'll be slamming to the ground like a ragdoll after an hour or so of drinking and riding. I'd also advise that you stay clear of open flames!:eekster: .

I'm another one who rarely cleans his bladder. I truely believe that you develop immunities from injesting small amounts of toxins regularly.


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## mikerod87 (Apr 22, 2009)

I put mine in the dishwasher top rack and it cleans it out nicely. The temp kills everything.


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