Do you sanitize your hose?

[champ521]

After reading all these posts, I think I'm just going to start buying a new hose before every trip. :banghead:

[AustinBoston]

Back to the hose question.  Dry is the gold standard.  We should try to get as close to that as possible.

I agree, but how, how, how?

This will NOT do it:

Drain the hose as best you can, and leave it open.

Instead, it allows more bacteria to enter a moist hose.  I have cut open 8 foot pieces of hose that had been unused (with both ends open) for years and found water.

BTW, if there is NO bacteria in the hose (not an easy thing to accomplish, I admit),  then no bacteria can grow...unless you leave it open.

Austin

[Campaholics]

Austin,

Originally Posted by Cadeuses
The nurse in me would like you to know...

Bacteria and viruses just love "dark, warm and moist" places. Closing the hose end to end... assists in bacterial growth. Once the O2 is gone from the hose... it will still grow anerobic bacteria. Better to drain the hose well, sanitize, flush and leave open to the air where it has some chance to dry out.


I think anerobic bacteria are the ones that make strong sewer smells.  In summary, open is better than closed.

Bob

[Jeffrey]

This sounds like a new item for the PUT store.

Don't clarinet players? ... use a string with a cloth tied on one end and a weight tied to the other. To cleanout their clarinets.

Dave should make some really big ones, and sell them as PU hose cleaners.

[AustinBoston]

Bacteria and viruses just love "dark, warm and moist" places.

FYI...viruses don't just love "dark, warm, and moist" places.  The only place a virus can reproduce is inside another living cell.

Austin

[mike4947]

Keep a bottle with an eye dropper and add about a teaspoon of bleach when you pack it up.

If it's good enough to sanitize the tank it'll sanitize the hose.
Then you can hook it end to end for storage.