platypus water bottles

Does anyone have good method or trick to drying platypus water bottles. It seems to take days for mine to dry, I am thinking about using a hair dryer, any thoughts, comments. Thanks for the help.

I remove the tube and the mouthpiece and whip the tube around my head 10-12 times lasso style and it dries quickly.

I hang the platypus with a piece of cord from the curtain rod in front of the window that gets the most sun and it is dry within a day.
I also hang the tube over the curtain rod to dry out.

I the reconnect to the platypus and store.

I just hang mine upside down and it dries out in about a day. Try to hang it in an area that might get some air movement and away from the walls. I guess it doesn't hurt that my house is very dry (especially during the winter) with the forced hot-air heating.

Originally posted by Rick I hang the platypus with a piece of cord from the curtain rod in front of the window that gets the most sun and it is dry within a day.
I also hang the tube over the curtain rod to dry out.

I the reconnect to the platypus and store. [/B]

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That is is what I do to store it for the winter.

During the summer, when I'm hiking weekly, I keep the bladder and tube in the freezer. The only problem with leaving water in the thing is mold/mildew, so I keep the water frozen. (I empty it before putting in the freezer. I suppose one could fill it and have cold water for a hot hike, but I haven't tried that yet.)

Frosty

I take mine apart, whip the tube around lasso style, and stuff a paper towel into the bladder to help it (?) dry quicker.

and stuff a paper towel into the bladder to help it (?) dry quicker.

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Yeah, I do that too, but that only works for the bladder. The water bottles only have a small opening, at least the ones I have. They look like this:

I bought a cheap aquarium pump. Pop off the mouth piece, shove the pump air hose into the tube and the bag is usually dry overnight.

Well, I decided to put my bottles in a container w/ an airtight lid, with a dessicant at the bottom. They were dry within 2 hours. If anybody else would want to try it make sure you get a dessicant that you can recharge in the microwave, makes things easier and quicker. Thanks for the suggestions

Hey Ripple ...... what an awesome idea! Where do you get that type of dessicant? I have the kind that is found in a bottle of vitamins, but don't think that's what you mean.

I run a lab and have easy access to the desiccant, but Before my job here I was able to find it at a local hardware store, (not the giant ones i.e. H.D.) I believe the name of it was Damp Gone, it came in a little plastic bucket for 10 bucks or so, I have also seen some that can not be recharged and that would get expensive. If that doesn't work out for you, chemical/lab supply companies carry it. coleparmer.com. The problem w/ the chem companies is you need to buy 5lbs for about $35. Maybe a few people would want to go in on it. No way would you need 5 lbs to dry water bottles. If that doesn't work out for you give me an PM which I don't really check so please be patient and I could send you enough to do the job.

Thanks, Ripple, that is a very generous offer and I greatly appreciate it. I will check the local hardware stores and see what I find. Like I had previously stated, my bottles and bladder seem to dry out pretty fast - about a day - but I think the dessicant would be very beneficial in the humid summer months.

I am constantly humbled and in awe of this website and fellow VFTTers. I am always learning something new, and the generosity, kindness, and friendliness of you guys never ceases to amaze me. I responded to this thread to help you out and ended up learning a new technique myself! How cool is that!

Thanks so much!

Rob