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So, I was just reading the instructions for my CPAP device (I know I should have done this when I got it 5 days ago) and it says to clean the hoses every day. I haven't been doing this...

Do you guys really clean your hoses every day? What are the dangers if I don't do it?

Also, I was just curious, as my device has a humidifier and I currently have a cold, are there any products I can dump in there (Vicks?) to help relive cold symptoms?

Hmmm, and one other thought just occurred to me... do I have a greater likelihood of this cold moving into my chest now that I am pumping pressured air through my nose?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies!

I do not clean my husband's hose every day. My RT said once a week is fine.

I would not put anything but distilled water in the humidifier. Some people put aromatherapy essential oils in a small container near the air intake for the blower, but not inside the machine, humidifier, or mask.

I have no idea about the cold moving to the chest. My husband has had one cold in the month he's been on APAP and he normally has a cold settle into his chest and live there forever, coughing for months. This time, he barely coughed at all. But I am of the opinion that the way a virus attacks an individual is tailored to that individual.

Bummer about the cold. Praying it clears up in a hurry.

Rarely clean the hose if ever... there's filtered air coming through it at the machine end, going out at the other, and unless you're sloppy with where you leave that (mask) end, what's to clean?

Julie wrote:Rarely clean the hose if ever... there's filtered air coming through it at the machine end, going out at the other, and unless you're sloppy with where you leave that (mask) end, what's to clean?

Giggling, Julie -- I was afraid to "fess up" that I'm a bad CPAP citizen because I rarely if ever clean my hose -- same reason you stated. Especially since my climateline has a cooldown cycle so I know it dries every morning and does not sit with moisture in it.

Daily: wipe mask and forehead pad with a baby wipe.

Weekly: soak the humidifer tank, hose, foam filter, mask, and headstrap with hot water and Palmolive Pure & Clear http://www.colgate.com/app/Palmolive/US ... #PureClear. Wipe of the CPAP machine and the stand it sits on.

Monthly: same as weelky but then soak all the gear in hot water mixed with Control III https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Contro ... eaner.html.
Clean out the hose with a hose brush https://www.cpap.com/productpage/monaco ... brush.html.

I've never cleaned my hose. I got it a year ago. I had my last one 5 years and cleaned it once....not sure why.

Maybe we should rename this thread "True Confessions"

I learned from two brothers in law. They have been using cpap for many many years and never clean anything. At least I clean my mask and humidifier tank. There is sometimes a layer of white dust on the tank when I clean it. I change the filters every 3 or 4 weeks. and mask cushion is cleaned with a baby wipe daily.

I have deep cleaned the hose once in almost 8 months. I was trying to figure out the cause of a bad cough and a swollen face. So, I deep cleaned everything with no improvement. I figured out the real problem later. Totally unrelated.

I do clean the mask frequently. I tend to drool. Sometimes, I just use a wipe. Other times, I clean it in the sink. Nothing fancy though. I haven't needed to clean the humidifier. I use distilled water, and I usually just top it off. Sometimes, I actually finish it off if I have a long night. I empty it for travel.

I do store my machine and supplies in two cabinet drawers. So, they are only out and exposed at night. When I get up, I take the mask off and put in the top drawer. I coil the hose and fit it in the drawer with the machine.

When I travel, I put the mask in the bag it came in (some soft material pouch with a draw string). I like to make sure it is protected. I also take my backup mask with me when I travel. Otherwise, it stays in the drawer.

Washing the hose everyday does seem like overkill. I do it daily.

I'll probably cut it down to weekly. I hate trying to get the water out of the hose before bed each night. The mask I'll still wash daily.

To anyone who could possible give a ****, let it be known that I DO clean my mask, but that's as much information as you need for now.

The hose thing is a whole other story.

By-weekly or monthly would suffice for the hose. I would not put anything but water in the humidifier tank. A few years back, I did read that someone here place a vaporizer in a good spot (near the cpap air intake... which would be where the filter is...). I don't know if that worked or not. The problem is that some of the vicks-rich air could condense inside the machine and gum it up. I personally wouldn't try it unless someone here has been successful in doing this.

Sheriff

i clean my hose, humidifier tank and nasal pillows once a week. i soak for 10 minutes in Control III solution then wash with a gentle (perfume and dye free dishwashing soap) then rinse. i do this first thing in the morning and let everything air dry all day. although with my hose i find that it takes days to thoroughly dry so i bought an extra and i alternate them between cleanings.

Once a week, I hook the hose to the kitchen faucet and run hot water through it and rinse the outside. I have my water heater set to the max temp, hot enough to burn you if you're not careful.

I have two hoses. I hook the clean one to an old CPAP machine and dry it out, and then use the other hose for the next week so that it dries out to help kill any possible germs.

Logically, it's probably more cleaning than is necessary, but it makes me feel good.

I've done this for many years and never had any indication of dirty hose problems. I did have one hose that got so old the rubber on the ends was sort of getting "old rubber sticky" problems and replaced it.

I buy cheap hoses and they usually eventually develop a hole where the hose attaches to the rubber ends, then I replace them. I don't have to replace them that often, and it does end me up with nice, clean, new hoses every so often. I probably buy about 1 hose year.

Here is another
TRUE CONFESSION.......

I have never cleaned anything related to my APAP .

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Well, not yet anyway, Last nite was just my third night of APAP use....ha ha.

Gomer is a newbie to xPAP