How to Clean a Camelback Water Hose

A CamelBak is a wonderful way to keep hydrated while hiking, walking, running, bicycling or partaking in any other sport where you need to stay hydrated and keep your hands free. It is basically a water bottle in a backpack. There is a water hose, or a straw, built into the backpack that attaches to your shoulder strap. The hose allows you to get a drink of water without using your hands. It is a great idea, with one small problem--it can be difficult to clean a CamelBak water hose.

Things You'll Need

  • Derailleur cable
  • Paper towels
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the water hose from the CamelBak's water bladder by pulling it out.

    • 2

      Pull the bite valve off the end of the water hose.

    • 3

      Push the knob end of the derailleur cable through the CamelBak water hose.

    • 4

      Wet a small piece of paper towel and wrap it around the derailleur cable just under the knob. Don't soak the paper towel; you want it just slightly wet. Make sure the wrapped paper towel is thin enough to fit into the water hose to clean it.

    • 5

      Push the paper towel-covered derailleur cable back into the water hose the way it went in. This may take some readjusting of the paper towel that is wrapped around the derailleur cable.

    • 6

      Pull the derailleur cable with the wet paper towel wrapped around it slowly through the water hose by pulling on the other end of the cable.

    • 7

      Squeeze the water hose for particularly dirty areas, and pull the paper towel and derailleur cable through those areas.

    • 8

      Pull the cable all the way through the CamelBak water hose and discard the dirty paper towel.

    • 9

      Repeat steps three through eight until you have a clean water hose. The water hose is clean when the wet paper towel is white when it comes out of the water hose. Also, most CamelBak water hoses are see-through, so you will be able to visibly see when the hose is clean.