bc bladder cleaning

[knowone]

Listerine contains alcohol. Will that not damage the BC?

Only if you have to breathe your bc, so I use a trickle of bleach rarely.

 

[dickiefl]

I have actually always used Simple Green.

I rinse all of my gear(except for reg/computer) in a homer bucket with water and a small amount of Simple Green. Cleans well and keeps the funk away. Simple Green is also all natural and does not fade or hurt any of the materials.

 

[Dhboner]

Another good tip is to add fresh water to the bladder and hook the BC up to your tank then overfill the BC so fresh water is flushed through the overpressure valves.

 

[divesergeant]

I use the BC Life cleaner and rinse it 2-3 times. I then add a cup or so of 303 Aerospace Protectant, swish it about vigorously and then drain and air dry it. The 303 is a fabulous protectant and extends the life of all things rubbery. Plus, when used on the outside of the wing or BC, it pretty much eliminates the UV fade.

For cleaning pretty much everything, I also press Simply Green into service and it is great.

303 Products - Aerospace Protectant, High Tech Fabric Guard - World's Leading Automotive Care Products

 

[pjones]

Regarding mouthwash, My concern with this is that the alcohol will absorb into the water or evaporate then all that is left is sugar. I would be worried about bacteria starting to grow because now it has a food source.

 

[Teamcasa]

I too dump in some mouthwash, rinse twice with fresh water, inflate and let dry. After a day or two, I dump the air and any remaining moisture.

 

[The Blue Whale]

I've seen the effects of too much 'alcohol mouthwash' being used in BCDs with some 'gummy' areas at the valves. I'm not sure if this was because they used too much or too often.

We've used regular baking soda with some success. Rather than increasing the acid with something like vinegar, the stuff that grows from organics in sea water usually cannot exist or multiply in an alkaline environment. So, the Baking Soda is relatively cheap and helps eliminate odor too. We simply mix up a solution about 2 heaping teaspoons to a cup or two of water and pour into the oral inflator (valve open). Then inflate the BCD and swish it around inside. then we empty the BCD, re-inflate it and allow to dry thoroughly. We've never had an issue with this method. Hope it helps...

 

[SlvrDragon50]

Could I get some advice in COMPLETELY drying the bladder?

I can never get rid of all the water :/

 

[scuba_moron]

Could I get some advice in COMPLETELY drying the bladder?

I can never get rid of all the water :/

Remove your corrugated elbow and your dump valve. Set your bladder in a position where it's not collapsed onto it self, and let it air out for a day or two.

 

[ScubaFeenD]

Regarding mouthwash, My concern with this is that the alcohol will absorb into the water or evaporate then all that is left is sugar. I would be worried about bacteria starting to grow because now it has a food source.

70% etoh should do the trick. Easy enough to get. Even Isopropyl should work, although diluting it further might not be a great idea. Lab grade 100% ethanol should work and you can get a lot of fluid in there at 70%