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Platypus tube

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 Phil1919 25 Aug 2005
My platypus drinking tube has got a black mold culture in it. Is there a good way of cleaning it? Do they sell a dedicated cleaning brush?
terry1974 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek: Camelbak do, but it is expensive- cheaper to get a new bit of tube (home brew shops sell it for about 50p a metre)
T
Iain Ridgway 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek: Never found an effective way, so just drunk i, never found out what it was either.
satori 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

spend £10 on a 'platypus cleaning kit' in a gear shop.

i find that an opened out wire coathanger with a tiny piece of washing up sponge does the job very well. - especially if lubricated with washing up liquid.

use milton afterwards to sterilise.
 mwerner 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:
Chuck it in the bin, buyt a new one and keep it in the freezer.

(freezes any moisture and stops it going mouldy)
Jen79 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

Agree with the above post about wire and sponge. Bit of garden wire tied to a bit of thickish string ususally drags out all the gunk okish. I use washing up liquid and milton too - tastes a bit odd if you don't wash it out well though sure it can't be as bad for you as the brown gunk.
Paul F 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

Rinse it through every now and again with miltons sterilisation fluid. it's good enough for babies bottles
 First Ascent 25 Aug 2005
In reply to mwerner: Platypus dont manufacture a cleaning kit. Use Milton Fluid for sterilising babies bottles to remove mold but more important is, after use clean out the bladder and tube with fresh water and hang them to dry vertically so that all remaining water drains out
 mwerner 25 Aug 2005
In reply to First Ascent:
You will never get all the moisture out, even if you hang it up for a week in glorious sunshine. Just chuck it in the freezer,... piece of p**s, problem solved.
Pan Ron 25 Aug 2005
In reply to mwerner:
I pour boiling water into the thing before I take it away. Hasn't given me the sh1ts yet, anyway.
djviper 25 Aug 2005
In reply to David Martin: i have to admit i do the same! i just rinse it out with boiling water when i get back and thats it
Hotbad Peteel 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

If you need to improvise something to clean it try this. Get a piece of thin cord (say 3mm). Put an overhand not in the end. Run end of tube under tap so its got water flowing through it and use the pressure on the knot to drag the cord through. Once its through, tie the cord to something solid, pull it tight and use it to scrub the mould off the inside.

Otherwise ignore it, its not harmful.
p
 sutty 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Hotbad Peteel:

Remember those curtain net wires? They will flex nicely in there and they have eyes that screw into the end for attaching sponge or cloth to for cleaning.
 Ally Gillies 25 Aug 2005
In reply to satori:

Agree. Was in Africa using camelbak with iodine and water purification tabs. On return looked disgusting and my proactive approach of leaving it until it got moldy didn't work either.

Bought a cleaning kit from camelbak and used Milton. Worked a treat. So far no elephant man diseases
Bingly Bong 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek: mine has red blobs in it

I was told to ignore it and that it was harmless...

Can't remember who told me that though :oS
 r0b 25 Aug 2005
In reply to mwerner:

Yep, that's what I do. Store the tube in the freezer between trips and you don't have to worry about it at all.
 mwerner 25 Aug 2005
In reply to r0b:
Hooray, someone has seen the light ;¬)
 CT 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek: The balck stuff doesnt seem to casue a problem, had it around the top of one of my nalgene bottles for years. Milton is great for cleaning if you're worried. I experimented by putting those cotton wool sticks (ones youre not supposed to use to clean your ears with for fear of poking your brain out) down a platty tube once, worked great, just hold one end of the tube and swing it around and they fly out the other end taking the grime with them.
Judy Tomato 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

U *can* eventually dry the tubes out after cleaning - hold one end and whirl it around for a bit to lose most of the drips (makes a cool weird noise that scares my cats), then hang the tube vertically somewhere hot for a few days like an airing cupboard or above a radiator - then freeze it.

Have got bored doing this though & just buy a new length from a brewing shop as mentioned earlier.

Cheers, Judy
matnoo 25 Aug 2005
In reply to Deek:

Two ways to prevent it, one, put it in boiling water and then the airing cupboard to dry. Or two, put it in water mixed with milton (antiseptic/bleach used for sterilizing babys bottles from boots)

Either way might help get rid of the stuff too.

Mat
O Mighty Tim 25 Aug 2005
In reply to matnoo: Mine is now Grey, to match me...
It's never been physically cleaned, but gets a soak in Milton to sterilise, followed by a GOOD rinse, then hung up to dry. Takes a few days, but they DO dry out.
Same with the bottles.
I actually managed to split one. Standing on it with a crampon did it no good at all. Repaired with gaffa tape, and got another 18 months out of it.
OP Phil1919 25 Aug 2005
In reply to:Thanks guys. I'll try physically cleaning it as suggested and then save up for a freezer.
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