Remember to "rap" your Sawyer

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

(Credit to "Dixie" the "Influencer" for the following.)

I've been very diligent to clean (back flush) my Sawyer Squeeze after every trip. Especially after my first ever use a year ago, where I clogged it while filtering a particular muddy "spring."

I always back flush it until the water comes out clear (I catch the flush in a bright white bowl), and then I store it with a diluted (soft water) vinegar solution. (Per instructions from Life Straw.)

It seemed to be clean.

And then I saw a video last week suggesting that you rap your Sawyer against the sink while back flushing to help remove debris. (Jump to 9:04.)

So when I back flushed my Sawyer to purge out the vinegar solution before this trip (I forgot to do that once on trail), I added some "mechanical" action too.

Wow, was I shocked by what came out! It took more than a half hour of back flushing/rapping before the water came out clear again. (Hot water seems to help clean it too.)

So now my Sawyer is truly clean. As a bonus, the flow rate doubled.

I don't recall Sawyer suggesting this tip in their instructions. So I mention it here.