Water Bottle Cleaning Tip

[OakLeaf]

I'm just sooooooo happy I got the crud out of the bite valve and the top of my Camelbak Better Bottle that I thought I'd share this with everyone!

Denture cleaning tablets. Hooray!

I originally read this as a tip for cleaning Vibram Five Fingers - but obviously they're meant to be safe for stuff that goes in your mouth - and also I had most of a box left over from cleaning the dental night guard that doesn't fit me any more.

I tried *everything* to get the crud out of that bite valve, stuff that usually works. Pipe cleaner, wadded up dish rag, even the dishwasher which I tend to be shy about putting plastics in the dishwasher. Nothing worked. Denture cleaning tablets did.

Should work for the top of any water bottle. Or drop a couple of tablets right into those hard-to-clean Polar bottles. Might leave a bit of minty flavor, if that bothers anyone.

[Becky]

DH and I love this trick! Beats scrubbing bottles and lids, or drinking soapy water 'cuz you didn't rinse enough. A big box of tablets from BJs easily lasts us a year. One tab per bottle, and all of the lids in a big bread bowl with 2-3 tabs....

Thanks for the tip on cleaning VFFs with these! I wore mine in the shower last night to get the mud off, but denture tabs may actually clean them- I'm definitely going to try it!

[zoom-zoom]

I know quite a few people who use the denture tabs to clean out the bladder and tubing for Camelbak packs, too.

[roadie gal]

That is beautiful! Those new bite valves with the shutoff for the Camelbaks are impossible to clean. I've got to try that now.

[Bike Chick]

Great idea. I have also put bleach in the dishwasher and let it run.

[Tri Girl]

great idea- thanks for the tip!!! I have tried everything, too, and it drives me crazy that I can't get it clean. I have bought the little Camelbak cleaning tabs, but I think denture tabs will be cheaper and less abrasive.
Thanks!!!

And I can clean my VFF's with them? Even better!!!

[Lakerider]

I know quite a few people who use the denture tabs to clean out the bladder and tubing for Camelbak packs, too.

What exactly do you do to clean Camelbak packs? Just put the denture tab with some water and close it up, or leave it open?

[OakLeaf]

Actually the best way I know to clean the actual bladders is with 3-4 tbsp of baking soda and a wet clean dishrag. Just enough water to distribute the baking soda but not enough that it dissolves it all and makes it non-abrasive. Leave some air space, close the top, grab both ends and shake vigorously, then fish out the dishrag and rinse.

As far as the drink tubes, IMO it's well worth the investment to buy one of those long brushes they specifically sell for the purpose. I've done it by threading clothesline of the right diameter through the tube, but it's a PITA and the brush is a lot easier.

Mechanical methods like these will almost always get things cleaner (and more inexpensively) than chemical warfare. It's only when there's a lip or a closed space, like in those caps and bite valves, that mechanical methods haven't worked for me.

[Zen]

I've used them to clean the terlet.

[zoom-zoom]

What exactly do you do to clean Camelbak packs? Just put the denture tab with some water and close it up, or leave it open?

I'm not really sure...I'd think close it, let it sit for a bit, then run the solution through the bite valve...?