Cleaning and storing water filters

[IanEzzi]

I purchased and used a Platypus Gravityworks filter when I was backpacking in Canada, which seems to have done an excellent job in preventing me catching 'Beaver Fever' and the various other nasties they apparently have over there.

Problem is, I don't need it in the UK and stupidly didn't think to sell it while I was over in Canada. If the filter media is stored for a long time it can grow a film of bacteria which sounds pretty gross.

Platypus recommend a fragrance free/pure bleach is used dilute to wash through the filter prior to storing it, but I have been completely unable to find something that doesn't have at least some form of perfume, as well as other additives that I can't identify.

Frustratingly Platypus neglects to recommend any particular product and seeing as they are a US company, probably wouldn't recommend anything I could buy over here anyway.

So, can anyone recommend something that would do the job, anyone else got a similar filter?

Thanks

[prog99]

Hi Ian, whats to stop you from not using it?
I got ill last year from drinking burn water here (hot summer, sheep and deer higher up than normal) and bought a filter.

Anyway, back to your question. Would baby bottle sterilisers or home brew steriliser (brewstore south clerk street, I know you are in Edinburgh) work?

[Giant Stoneater]

Hi Ian, whats to stop you from not using it?
I got ill last year from drinking burn water here (hot summer, sheep and deer higher up than normal) and bought a filter.

Anyway, back to your question. Would baby bottle sterilisers or home brew steriliser (brewstore south clerk street, I know you are in Edinburgh) work?

That was going to be my suggestion baby bottle sterilisers from Boots.

[nathan79]

A third shout for the baby bottle steriliser. Grab a pack of Milton tabs (or equivalent) and they should do the trick for you.

[IanEzzi]

Thanks guys, I'll give that a look next time I'm in Boots, much more comfortable putting something designed for baby's bottles in my filter as opposed to something designed for cleaning toilets!

Prog99, I guess you're right, although I doubt I would need it for day hikes so the filter would probably still spend long spells unused between multi-day hikes and I would still need to sterilise it for storage in between them.

Might be useful if I ever persuade my girlfriend to come camping with me, I think she would be horrified at the thought of drinking raw water!

[Caberfeidh]

How about vinegar? Rinse it out when you go to use it and you're fine.

[Quixoticgeek]

I use the puri tabs. I think mine are Oasis 17.5mg ones. One of those in a bag of water through my sawyer seems to do the trick.

J

[whiteburn]

Another vote Miltons fluid.
Make sure the filter is dried thoroughly if it's likely to be exposed to temps below freezing.