Hydration Pack Maintenance October 24 2013, 21 Comments

PACK CLEANING

We recommend wiping your pack with a damp cloth to remove dirt. If the pack is extremely dirty and needs a deeper cleaning, soak it in cool or warm water with a very mild soap. Rinse the pack thoroughly with cool water. If soap residue remains in the fabric, it may create suds if exposed to water or sweat.

DO NOT wash your pack in a washing machine. Machine washing may damage the pack or affect the integrity of the fabric and fasteners, and will void your bag's warranty.

RESERVOIR CLEANING

The best way to care for your reservoir is to clean and dry it after every use, especially if you fill the reservoir with anything other than water. However, if a reservoir has not been cleaned after every use, and mold or discoloration develops:

1. Use hot water and a CamelBak Cleaning Tablet. (Or use 2 tablespoons of baking soda or bleach instead of CamelBak Cleaning Tab.) Mix the solution inside your reservoir and elevate the reservoir above the tube and Big Bite Valve. Pinch the bite valve, allowing the solution to flow into the drink tube and fill the bite valve.

2. Let the reservoir and cleaning solution sit in the reservoir and drink tube for about 30 minutes.

3. Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap. Be sure to completely rinse away the cleaning solution in the reservoir and drink tube before using again. You can also use CamelBak brushes from our Cleaning Kit to scrub your reservoir and drink tube. Brushes are the best way to ensure you are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean.

4. Once the reservoir is clean, be sure to air dry overnight so no moisture is trapped inside, which can cause mold to grow.

These steps will make your reservoir safe for use. If there are still spots left behind, these are permanent mold stains that may not be removable. However, your reservoir is still safe and usable after you’ve cleaned it.