cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/44495222

I’m trying to find information on this. So far their website has no useful information besides sanitizing with a bleach water mixture.

Several reddit threads have people arguing everything from buying a new one every year, to storing it dirty and never having a problem, to completely drying it out.

I currently use a life straw bottle, I drink out of it while hiking, and just turn it over and squeeze the bottle into some larger bottles to use for cooking and stuff. It’s not ideal and I’m looking to change it up. Currently I store my life straw bottle in between trips by following their instructions, sanitize with bleach water, rinse, then fill with salt water mixture to prevent growth and keep it wet. Drying the filter ruins its ability to get wet again, and therefore it doesn’t filter well.

What I’d like to do is store the Sawyer squeeze the same way, sanitize, rinse, store in salt water, maybe in a mason jar? But would that damage it? Does drying it ruin it too? Some people complained it’s hard to actually get it dry.

How in the world is it that there is nothing in the manual or the FAQs about storage?

  • pruneaue [she/they]@infosec.pubEnglish
    6·
    5 days ago

    Before storing mine for the winter i backwash, sanitize with bleach (very dilute solution, passed through the filter both ways), then i shake it a bunch to get water out and let it dry out for a few days (might be too much but its hard to get dry).

    Idk if thats the “proper” way but its been 7 years and the filter is still going strong

    • beastlykings@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
      3·
      5 days ago

      That’s good to know that drying it out works. Same filter? 7 years? Awesome! Maybe I just need to do that. I’m surprised it can dry at all, honestly.

      I wonder how the filter material differs to that of the life straw. The life straw has instructions that if you let it dry out and it stops working, you can fix it by soaking it in coconut milk. Something about the milk helps reduce surface tension or something, it’s crazy.

      • pruneaue [she/they]@infosec.pubEnglish
        2·
        3 days ago

        Afaik the only thing that kills them is freezing. Idk why the lifestraw needs to stay submerged, afaik they use similar technology. My katadyn befree that i got this season can also be dried just fine

        Coconut milk is indeed crazy what!

  • MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    5 days ago

    i’ve used my sawyer squeeze for 5+ years storing it wet between trips - just backflush it well, then keep it in a ziplock bag with a bit of clean water (no salt needed) in the fridge to prevent any growth.

  • burble@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    4·
    5 days ago

    A have a Sawyer Squeeze (full size, not a mini) that was just fine after not being used for over a year and not having any special thought put in before storage. I had to squeeze the first few bags through, but then it woke up and went back to gravity filtering.

    I usually try to shake water out of it right after use.

    I brought a previous one back from a complete blockage with a hot water and vinegar soak and flushing both directions.

      • burble@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        2·
        4 days ago

        Yes! I like that they’re flexible and you can either squeeze water through quickly or just hang it up and let gravity do the work for you at camp.

        This is a picture from the CNOC website (they make cool flexible water bags) so it mostly uses their products, but it has some good example setups. The 28mm thread size is also the same as Smart water bottles and Evernew water bladders.