# cleaning Platypus drinking tube

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 3, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127 "2003-07-03T22:31:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SteveAtlanta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@SteveAtlanta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveAtlanta)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/1 "2003-07-03T22:31:51Z")

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I am very happy with the drinking tube on my Platypus bottle (a flexible water pouch from Cascade Designs, for those who haven’t seen one). I use it often each day at home, work, when driving and even in bed when the weather is very hot.

The problem is that my drinking tube now has a carpet of black growth inside it. I only use cold tap water from the refrigerator, so I don’t know how the stuff is growing. However, I want to clean it out. I’ve seen threads elsewhere on the subject of cleaning such tubes, but the messages seem to have aged off the list.

Can someone please post a procedure that will clean the inside of my drinking tube? The Cascade Designs web page, [http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus/faqs.asp](http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus/faqs.asp), contains some directions, but I don’t know if they are specific enough for cleaning black ick from the inside of my drinking tube

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**Author:** ![Shiva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shiva)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/2 "2003-07-04T00:11:00Z")

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Here ya go: [http://www.outbackgear.com/camcleanbrus.html](http://www.outbackgear.com/camcleanbrus.html)

And here’s some unsolicited advice: Put nothing but plain water in your Platypus/Camelbak/Hydration system thingie. Ever.

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**Author:** ![SteveAtlanta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@SteveAtlanta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveAtlanta)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/3 "2003-07-04T00:58:59Z")

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That’s exactly what I needed. After a quick search on Google for “camelbak brush” I found lots of vendors, including my neighborhood REI store. Nobody has as good a price as the source you linked above, though. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/4 "2003-07-04T05:02:15Z")

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While you are dwon at the REI get one of [these](http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=12921719&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1) to go with the brush. If you let air into the bag after washing it will always stay fresh, even if you carried a load of Gatoraid in it.

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**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/5 "2003-07-04T08:29:31Z")

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I am really pretty upset that this thread isn’t about the maintance of platypus medical supplies. I was going to be amazed that the SDMB can answer _any_ question.

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**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\
**Post date:** [July 4, 2003, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/6 "2003-07-04T10:08:59Z")

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I don’t know how safe this is, but I put nothing in my CamelBak except water. When I’m done using it, I store the bladder in the freezer. Keeps the ickies from growing.

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**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-platypus-drinking-tube/186127/7 "2003-07-05T02:55:38Z")

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This is why I never got a CamelBak - could never figure out how it could be cleaned to my standards.

Great thread.