Any tips to dry the inside of a bladder and can you wash it with diluted mouthwash?

[*Floater*]

Looking for tips and tricks for bladder maintenance?

After a dive trip I like to fill my wing/s 1/4 to 1/2 full of tap water and shake it around before draining. Of course some water is left behind and I get most of it out by using the OPV and inflator/deflator valves to purge it after letting it sit for a while in a position that should allow water to run to one of those valves. Then I screw them both off, dry them (they always end up wet) and leave the wing open hoping the inside might dry a little more. So anyway to really get it dry? I mean 100% dry?

Second, is it okay to add a little mouthwash into the tap water I'm using to rinse the inside of the bladder? The idea would be to help kill any potential bacteria in there so it's safer to orally deflate the wing (to get it completely empty for various reasons). Just want to know if this could damage anything inside or would it even help at all to kill bacteria?

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I do the same thing you do.

I hang the wing upside down, inflated, after a weekend of diving; and periodically exhaust the (dry) gas I've inflated it with and reinflate it once or twice during the week (if I don't have diving planned the following weekend).

Just hanging the thing upside down, inflated, seems to do the trick for me.

Before moving/relocation, or some other period where the wing will be stored long term, I take clear plastic tubing (the type you use to make sling bottle harnesses with - Lowes, something like .16 cents per foot) and run it from the drysuit dryer up inside the wing (and cc SMBs, etc.)

Just getting air moving through the wing will dry it bone dry inside in a day or so.

I also use Listerine in the wing several times each season to ensure no bacteria is growing inside it. I've no idea whether it works or not, but the wing has lasted 4 or 5 years now and it doesn't smell funky, so I assume it isn't hurting things too badly

Hope this helps,

Doc

 

[DiveMaven]

I always use mouthwash inside when rinsing too, hasn't done anything bad that I can determine in the past almost 4 years.

 

[CardShark]

Looking for tips and tricks for bladder maintenance?

After a dive trip I like to fill my wing/s 1/4 to 1/2 full of tap water and shake it around before draining. Of course some water is left behind and I get most of it out by using the OPV and inflator/deflator valves to purge it after letting it sit for a while in a position that should allow water to run to one of those valves. Then I screw them both off, dry them (they always end up wet) and leave the wing open hoping the inside might dry a little more. So anyway to really get it dry? I mean 100% dry?

Second, is it okay to add a little mouthwash into the tap water I'm using to rinse the inside of the bladder? The idea would be to help kill any potential bacteria in there so it's safer to orally deflate the wing (to get it completely empty for various reasons). Just want to know if this could damage anything inside or would it even help at all to kill bacteria?

The cheap, generic BROWN mouthwash is the most effective bacteriostat of the mouthwashes. They are very good for bladders. They may leave a gummy residue on the exhaust valves' seats, so you'd want to rinse the mating surfaces off.

 

[drbill]

My BCD doesn't have time to get dry! However, I just rinse it out with freshwater every few days. Maybe if I used mouthwash, I'd have more lovely groupies (or is it groupers?) hanging around???

 

[aubie85]

My BCD doesn't have time to get dry! However, I just rinse it out with freshwater every few days. Maybe if I used mouthwash, I'd have more lovely groupies (or is it groupers?) hanging around???

Lucky! I wish mine didn't have time to get dry! BTW mouthwash seems like great idea(for both your BC and you mouth, lol) I have taken a couple classes in microbiology. That has totally turned me into a germophobe! I think it would be a good idea though to rinse after the mouthwash as well, who knows what that will do to the BC material.
Take care!
~Aubrey

 

[jim T.]

I've always been a bit concerned about the alcohol drying the plastic overtime and causing cracking or pitting, etc. I've seen numerous boating equipment (hoses, etc.) done in by both alcohol and bleach...I rinse with fresh water as Floater does but about 4 times. There's a product called "BC Life" that's supposed to be safe to use but I haven't gone there yet, either.

 

[docmartin]

listerine or similar products are only mildly antiseptic used in a bc bladder and the alcohol will dry rubber parts out. the navy had been experimenting to find a suitable disinfectant and they came up with the following four agents:
SaniZide Plus
Advance TBE
Bi-Arrest 2
Confidence Plus

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