Soaps For Cleaning CPAP Equipment

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
tchavalas
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Vinegar eats silicone rubber.

Post by tchavalas » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:47 am

Greetings,

Vinegar is acid. It is also part of the chemical process used to make silicone rubber. If you don't believe me... Go to your local hardware store and buy a tube of silicone caulking. Open the tube and you will smell a strong vinegar odor. I believe that soaking your mask in vinegar will dissolve the silicone rubber on most masks. (Over time.)

The most likely reason that Resmed and Resperonics do not recommend using vinegar for cleaning masks... is that vinegar eats silicone rubber.

Vinegar should work fine on hoses & water tanks. (If you can stand the smell...)

For masks... I will stick to mild soap & water.

And replace your mask when it gets too crusty!


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tomjax
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thinking

Post by tomjax » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:05 am

tchavalas
,
your post is a classical display of a total lack of critical thinking and circular logic.

Yes, vinegar is acetic acid and therefore an acid.
Nothing that follows in your statement that follows is remotely accurate.
Vinegar does not dissolve the mask.People come here looking for responsible and accurate advice.
You are not even close in connecting facts that in no way reflect accuracy.

This is irresponsible.
Some people belive things such as this.

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Tiffany
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Post by Tiffany » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:38 am

I also use the Ivory Liquid for the mask and vinigar/water for the water chamber - I am going to look in the the green alternative "Planet" as suggested in a previous post.

xyz
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Post by xyz » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:53 am

tomjax wrote:
> your post is a classical display of a total lack of critical
> thinking and circular logic.
>
> Nothing that follows in your statement that follows is
> remotely accurate.

Well, that's a little harsh. At a minimum, you're too broad.
He did say "over time".

And your next sentence is clearly false.
Because he later wrote
"Vinegar should work fine on hoses & water tanks.
(If you can stand the smell...)"

I agree with him. I would never wash my mask with vinegar -- too harsh on the delicate silicone. Just a mild soap.

I do wash my hose and humidifier with vinegar, but I rinse them thoroughly afterwards (humidifier in the dishwasher).


tchavalas
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Misleading?

Post by tchavalas » Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:19 pm

Greetings,

tomjax wrote:
> your post is a classical display of a total lack of critical
> thinking and circular logic.
>
> Nothing that follows in your statement that follows is
> remotely accurate.

First of all... I respect your opinion and I certainly am not trying to mislead anyone. I think it is a good thing for you to be expressing your disagreement if you feel strongly about it.

I understand that in your opinion you do not agree with my recommendation to avoid using acetic acid on your silicone mask.

But I do stand behind my opinion that acetic acid (vinegar) is a solvent to silicone rubber products. (I have over 20 years of experience working with with silicone products.) It may take a long time for the very mind concentration to have an effect... But eventually I believe it will shorten the life of silicone materials. That's why I am saying that I use soap and water.

To say that "noting in my statement is remotely accurate" is also inaccurate and misleading. If you want to disagree that's fine. We can agree to disagree. But please try to be respectful when using a public forum like this.

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tomjax
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siliconew

Post by tomjax » Fri Feb 15, 2008 6:26 pm

Nothing in my reply was intended as a person attack.
It was simply the premise of your claims and conclusions.
If you can provide any documentation that any concentration of acetic acid can dissolve silicone, then I will retract.

And how can you conclude that an odor in silicone calking supports your claim that it DISSOLVES silicone??
I say again that your chicken little posting are not backed by fact and could mislead people who come for credible answers.

norm
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what is the problem with anti-bacterial cleaner?

Post by norm » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:47 pm

I've used a number of cleansers, including an anti-bacterial soap. Is the problem that it leads to deteriation of the silicone materials? Or is the problem related to the indiscriminate use of anti-bacterial agents?

Also, does anyone know the reason that use of distilled water is recommended for the humidifier?


For what it is worth, my favorite cleaner is the Planet dishwashing detergent that was earlier mentioned. It seems to do the job and leaves no odor.

--Norman


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ozij
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Re: Distilled water in the humidifier

Post by ozij » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:42 pm

norm wrote: Also, does anyone know the reason that use of distilled water is recommended for the humidifier?
Distilled water contain no minerals. Depending on where you live, your tap water may be harder or softer (the more minerals in the water, the "harder" it is considered). Repeated evaporation of non-distilled water will send excellent water vapor for your use, but the minerals will accumulate in the humidifier - using distilled water avoids that.

O.


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xyz
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Post by xyz » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:19 pm

> does anyone know the reason that use of distilled water is
> recommended for the humidifier?

Multiple reasons. 1) What ozij said. Mineral deposits. 2) Stuff grows in tap water. Google "coliform" and [your local water district].

In Marin county in CA, 2.7 _million_ gallons of treated and untreated sewage was recently spilled into the bay. Some local water districts get their water from the bay.

This is from state.ky.us:
"The presence of fecal coliform bacteria in aquatic environments indicates that the water has been contaminated with the fecal material of man or other animals. At the time this occurred, the source water may have been contaminated by pathogens or disease producing bacteria or viruses which can also exist in fecal material. Some waterborne pathogenic diseases include typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis and hepatitis A. The presence of fecal contamination is an indicator that a potential health risk exists for individuals exposed to this water. Fecal coliform bacteria may occur in ambient water as a result of the overflow of domestic sewage or nonpoint sources of human and animal waste." Then they call it "relatively harmless microorganisms". _That's_ bureaucrat-speak for you!

When it goes through a water treatment plant virtually all, but not 100%, is removed.

Bottom line: this is a _10 cent per night_ decision, based on the price of distilled water at most stores. No good reason not to use it. Some might say "Well, you have to buy it." But most people I know occasionally go to the store anyway.

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tomjax
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Post by tomjax » Sat Feb 16, 2008 3:20 pm

Pathogens are not transmitted from the water chamber, even if some are there.
The water vopor is simply much too small for bugs to attach to them.

Pathogens can indeed be spread from systems that aerosolize the water including any organisms in the droplets, but none in the vapor.

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Post by xyz » Sat Feb 16, 2008 7:33 pm

Interesting. Of course, most of us have the occasional rainout problem, with (liquid) water getting into our masks from time to time.

Many people mention seeing stuff growing in their humidifiers, mostly those who don't clean them. Would mold/mildew travel from the humidifier through the hose to the mask? Mold spores are pretty tiny.

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poorichard
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cleaning mask using "Purpose"

Post by poorichard » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:38 pm

I've been using "Purpose - gentle cleaning wash" by Johnson & Johnson. Get it at Walmart. Liquid, soap-free, hypoallergenic, gentle as water. I pump a couple of squirts in the bathroom sink and gently rub the gel cushion and mask (Repironics comfort gel cushion and flap and the plastic mask. I only wash with this "Purpose" about weekly. Daily I just rinse off with water under the faucet and let it air dry. I don't make this my life's work. For the hose and water reservoir (Respironics Remstar M-series with humidifier), I do the same occassionally in the kitchen sink and rinse it well with plain water. I also have a bar of this product (from Walmart) that I have been using for washing my face. I have only recently found this forum but have been "hosed" for 14 months.


Guest11

Post by Guest11 » Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:59 pm

...

Daisypie

Re: Soaps For Cleaning CPAP Equipment

Post by Daisypie » Thu Nov 07, 2013 10:08 am

I also use a CPAP mask. I was told by the company that gave it to me to use straight vinegar once per week to disinfect the humidifier. He said that is what the hospitals use. I discussed this with the doctor and he said great because you do not want to get Legionnaire's disease. This is a fact with any and all humidifiers.

I found Dawn dishwashing liquid without scent is lying big time! In fact, it has a strong scent. I bought it because I am allergic to perfumes. My doctor said stay away from Dawn because it is one of the strongest on the market.

Has anyone heard of Joy Clear or Ivory Clear? I am unable to locate this and can't find anything in the internet either.

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sleeplessinaz
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Re: Soaps For Cleaning CPAP Equipment

Post by sleeplessinaz » Thu Nov 07, 2013 11:00 pm

I use Dr. Bronners liquid
Pure Castile soap. It smells incredibly clean! I use the peppermint one. Can get it at Hi Health and Target.

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