How often do you clean your equipment?

[DoNotLikeThisAtAll]

I was told by the medical equipment folks to clean my mask, tube, and water tank piece (don't remember name) every three days in lukewarm water with regular dish detergent.

Is that what you do? Thank you.

[Jaylee]

On Sundays I put just the plastic part of the mask, mask pillow, filter and humidifier tank in some Dawn dishwashing liquid, rinse, and let air dry. Then usually about once a month I toss the hose in there to soak, too.

[sleepycarol]

Let me see -- not very often.

In the beginning I washed things on a more regular basis -- now I can go a long time between cleanings. I have only washed my hose once that I can remember, my headgear once as it takes forever for it to dry, the humidifer tank gets a rinse when I fill it up but that is about it, and the nasal pillows once a month or so. Then again a few germs don't bother me.

[mdboze]

I do not clean any of it very often.

I clean my mask with a un-scented baby wipe ever few weeks (if that ofter).
Rinse out the humidifier - about the same : every few weeks.
Clean the hose every few months.

But I make sure I hang the hose between uses (over my bedside table) to ensure it does not retain moisture. And I ether bag my mask or make sure it is face down on the bag, to prevent dust from settling in it during the day.

[LSAT]

Tank and hose every month or two. Wipe down the mask with citrus wipes every day or two.

[JohnBFisher]

Ditto. Used to clean it often. But I do not have very sensitive skin. I rarely clean my unit. I replace the mask cushion more often then wash the mask. I replace the tubing more often than I wash the tubing. Maybe once a year or so.

If you are not sensitive to the mask, if you keep it reasonably clean, you should not need to clean it all that often.

One big exception for me. When I travel the machine picks up the stink of hotels. I will wash it when I return home to try to get rid of some of that smell. (And change the filter in the back).

I use distilled water so I only very rarely clean the humidifer. A couple times some sort of mold took up residence in it. (It started to smell like used socks - yuck!). So, then I washed it, then used a water/vinegar rinse, washed it, and used a water/clorox mix. And I've only done that two or three times in 20 years.

So, it's not very often that I wash it like they recommend. But remember, my skin is not "sensitive". Someone with very sensitive skin would almost certainly need to wash it more often.

[Jaylee]

I am the sensitive skinned person John speaks of. My skin will itch if I don't clean my mask often enough. I used to clean it every other week, but now I am back to weekly.

[billbolton]

Is that what you do?

I wash my mask seal in warm soapy water every day.

I wash the mask frame about once a month in warm soapy water.

I rinse out my humdifier tub with clean water a couple of times a month (or daily when I'm travelling)

I rinse out my hose every month or so with warm soapy water.

I check/clean my flow generator air filters every couple of months.

Occasionally I put the mask seal and and frame through my ultrasonic cleaner, with warm soapy water in it.

Cheers,

Bill

[mayondair]

Mask, hose, humidifier tank, foam filter ,twice a week, headgear once every week or two. New fine filter every month. I like clean !

[NancyAZ]

I'm still new at this (two weeks) so I am pretty strict about it at this point. I wash the mask (minus head gear) and humidifier tank every morning with Liquid Neutrogena in warm water. I rinse and air dry. I hang the tubing to dry every day, washing it once a week. I wash the head gear once a week. I am sure I will probably ease up as time goes on but at this point I am enjoying keeping it clean.
Nancy

[Jayjonbeach]

Is that what you do?

I wash my mask seal in warm soapy water every day.

I wash the mask frame about once a month in warm soapy water.

I rinse out my humdifier tub with clean water a couple of times a month (or daily when I'm travelling)

I rinse out my hose every month or so with warm soapy water.

I check/clean my flow generator air filters every couple of months.

Occasionally I put the mask seal and and frame through my ultrasonic cleaner, with warm soapy water in it.

Cheers,

Bill

Bill and I are almost on the exact same program, almost to a T.

I use the Mirage Quattro and the seals are REALLY greasy every morning, those seals get cleaned daily that is gross.

I can add that I just cleaned my headgear with warm soapy water after 4 months of use, it was time.

[nanwilson]

I wash mask, headgear, padacheek liner and strap covers once a week, every Sunday morning, in baby shampoo and warm water. Hang to dry and everything is fresh and ready to go by bedtime. My tank only gets distilled water, so I only wash it every couple of weeks. My hose since its covered in a hose cover about every month or two.
When I was a newby, I washed everything everyday ....times change , right.
Cheers
Nan

[xenablue]

Nasal pillows every morning in hot, soapy water (Ivory)

Hard plastic mask parts, hose, tank once a week in vinegar and hot soapy water.

Headgear - whenever I think it needs it.

Cheers,
xena

[dtsm]

I always get a kick when I read these questions. When I first started, asked the same and was stickler to keep things clean. Now, I rinse my hose once every 4 months, change filters monthly, and with the Headrest, headgear once every two weeks, but do wipe the nasal piece with a damp wash cloth each morning [some fellow headrest users do it once a week...LOL].

And my S8 autoset is covered every morning by with papcap plus

[OwlCreekObserver]

When I started on CPAP I was a real stickler about cleaning all parts of the CPAP equipment. The DME gave me a printed instruction sheet that included washing the mask every day and the hose and water tank once a week. I was also supposed to soak those items in a vinegar solution once a week. Major hassle.

Five years later I clean the mask when it starts smelling a little funky and the tank when I start seeing foreign objects floating in it. The only vinegar I use comes in a bottle from Kraft and is mixed with olive oil and spices for salads.