Question for those who don't wash their equipment

[palerider]

I got pink mold once and that was using distilled water and washing everything in hot soapy water once a week.
I now add a cup of vinegar to the soapy water and have not had a recurrence of pink mold.

it's not mold, it's a bacteria.

[Madalot]

We wash our hoses, filters, hubby's humidifier tank and masks once a month, giving them a good bath in baby shampoo (my preference). I wipe the masks down daily with a baby wipe.

We have found that not all distilled waters are equal. I don't remember why, but we began watching for distilled that is STEAM distilled because when we used other (Food Lion brand for example), we got that pink slime in the humidifier tanks. Since being careful about making sure it is steam distilled (and washing monthly) we haven't had any recurrence of the pink junk.

[bmanley]

I know with bottled water it's anybody guess if it really any better the tap so I can also see that distilled water might not be any different. Not sure if there are any regulation on what has to be in the bottle to have the distilled label on it. We had got some distilled water from the dollar store because I was out and the only thing near us. Noticed some slim in the water tube right away.

[Madalot]

I know with bottled water it's anybody guess if it really any better the tap so I can also see that distilled water might not be any different. Not sure if there are any regulation on what has to be in the bottle to have the distilled label on it. We had got some distilled water from the dollar store because I was out and the only thing near us. Noticed some slim in the water tube right away.

Check the label on the bottle and look for "Steam" distilled on it. We found Food Lion is NOT, but Walmart, Target and Family Dollar brands all list "steam" on the label. And we found a difference and no longer buy Food Lion brand.

[palerider]

distilled that is STEAM distilled because

what other kind is there?

Distilled water is water that has had many of its impurities removed through distillation. Distillation involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean container.

now, there's a difference in distilled and purified... perhaps that's what you were getting?

[Madalot]

distilled that is STEAM distilled because

what other kind is there?

Distilled water is water that has had many of its impurities removed through distillation. Distillation involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean container.

now, there's a difference in distilled and purified... perhaps that's what you were getting?

Apparently, there are different methods for distilling water. I read somewhere (and I do not remember where - maybe even here) that STEAM distilled is better. And I can attest to that because when I used Food Lion brand (not listed on the label as steam distilled) I ended up with pink sludge. If I make sure the label says "Steam Distilled" or something along those lines, I don't get the pink sludge.

Like I said - Food Lion brand does NOT say steam, whereas Walmart, Target and Family Dollar brands all list it as using steam.

As far as other method - I haven't researched it since I read it months ago.

[palerider]

distilled that is STEAM distilled because

what other kind is there?

Distilled water is water that has had many of its impurities removed through distillation. Distillation involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean container.

now, there's a difference in distilled and purified... perhaps that's what you were getting?

Apparently, there are different methods for distilling water. I read somewhere (and I do not remember where - maybe even here) that STEAM distilled is better. And I can attest to that because when I used Food Lion brand (not listed on the label as steam distilled) I ended up with pink sludge. If I make sure the label says "Steam Distilled" or something along those lines, I don't get the pink sludge.

Like I said - Food Lion brand does NOT say steam, whereas Walmart, Target and Family Dollar brands all list it as using steam.

As far as other method - I haven't researched it since I read it months ago.

well, if anybody can come up with any other way of distilling water besides condensing steam, I'd be interested. because , by definition, distilling water requires steam in the process. like I said, maybe the water you had problems with wasn't distilled at all.

[Madalot]

It appears that you are correct. But I have purchased water labeled "distilled" that does not specifically say "steam distilled." The conclusion I come to is there are people selling purified water under the false label of distilled.

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[Wulfman...]

Apparently, there are multiple ways/methods to make it. (first link)
I didn't take time to read it in depth, but I think the objective is still the same......converting (heated) water vapor back into liquid by cooling it.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Distilled-Water

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distilled_water

https://www.google.com/search?q=distill ... 8&oe=utf-8


Den

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[tedtomato]

My understanding is that we only breathe vapour from the humidifier chamber, and that bacteria or dirt can't get through via vapour, so therefore how clean the chamber is doesn't actually matter to what you breathe...

[HoseCrusher]

In theory, that is correct...

However when I measured my machine I came up with something different. My machine seems to form some aerosols that disperse a little more than just water vapor.

I clean my equipment once a week and never have observed slime or mold. I use distilled water + salt in my humidifier and have had no problems there as well.

[Uncle_Bob]

You're are going to get all the oldies up in the air regarding cleaning.

[mcl3086]

I've not been the best at cleaning my machine regularly. I've used an S9 BiPap for 4 years now, and have routinely gone 2-3 months between thorough cleanings. I always clean my water chamber when I do clean, though, and was quite surprised that the paperwork accompanying a new water chamber stated, paraphrasing, "The water chamber is constructed such that it never needs to be cleaned". WHAT?!? i usually end up doing a good cleaning when something happens that "encourages" me to clean it; like when I get a cold, etc. My personal habits have always been that after a cold I always change toothbrushes, etc, and make sure I clean my cpap machine. The last time we noticed (wife and I) that there was a "slick, gel-like coating" inside the water chamber. Eww! Makes me want to clean it once a week since.
But, other than that, I've never noticed any mold, mildew, fungus, etc, on anything.

[OkyDoky]

was quite surprised that the paperwork accompanying a new water chamber stated, paraphrasing, "The water chamber is constructed such that it never needs to be cleaned". WHAT?!?

Paperwork from who? Certainly not ResMed.