How do you clean your watering system?

[Spoof]

For those that use a watering system how do you clean them, and how often?

I've been taking mine apart yearly and cleaning them all by hand. I do use filtered water but I'm sure bacteria still grows in the line because sometimes one will smell when I have to restart (suck on) it. I immediately tear those down and replace them.

I just got done cleaning 50 nipples that I am pretty sure came from a place that never cleaned them. I imagine their chins survived just fine... but yikes. It took me 3 hours to clean and test 55 or so.

 

[Riven]

I love keeping spares for cleaning purposes! I would always try to rotate them out about every 3-4 months. I'd just plan to do a section each month. Vinegar water and a pocket knife work great to pop off any calcium build up, I'd replace the o-rings and diaphragms as needed, with less chins, it's much easier now!

 

[Claire D]

Every few months I take the whole system apart, flush it all through with Vanodine, take apart & scrub the drinking nipples, and do any maintenance necessary to prevent drips etc.

 

[Spoof]

I use apple cider vinegar to clean but I don't like to recycle the hose part. Do you guys keep using the same hose too?

 

[Morselchip87]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but how do you make those nipples? I only have 2 chins, but the water bottles tend to leak and if there is a way to build a better nipple, I'd find a way to adapt a water bottle for them.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Riven]

You don't make them, you buy them. They are made by Edstrom's, they used to make a waterbottle called the Water Buddy, you may be able to find some online yet.

I'd do a bleach water flush about once a month and change out my hosing about once a year or sooner if I was flushing out any questionable stuff. I know that running antibiotics through the system would clog things up faster and required extra flushing or replacing.