How often do you clean your equipment?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
ajack
Posts: 977
Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2017 2:54 am
Location: australia

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by ajack » Wed Jan 24, 2018 12:06 pm

LSAT wrote:I'll bet there are some people that regularly change the air in their tires too.
you have to, the stale air goes to the top of the tyre and you get a bulge at the bottom.

_________________
Mask: ResMed AirFit™ F20 Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: S9 ST-A iVAPS and adapt ASV

User avatar
Marillion
Posts: 134
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 12:48 pm
Location: BC, Canada eh!

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by Marillion » Wed Jan 24, 2018 12:08 pm

ajack wrote:
LSAT wrote:I'll bet there are some people that regularly change the air in their tires too.
you have to, the stale air goes to the top of the tyre and you get a bulge at the bottom.
ROFL... Nice!

Berks
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 7:30 pm
Location: Bay Area, California

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by Berks » Wed Jan 24, 2018 1:58 pm

Any wipe brand recs?

Also - is there an ideal type of soap to use for more thorough cleanings like how it's ideal to use distilled water?

User avatar
LSAT
Posts: 13229
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:11 am
Location: SE Wisconsin

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by LSAT » Wed Jan 24, 2018 5:27 pm

Berks wrote:Any wipe brand recs?

Also - is there an ideal type of soap to use for more thorough cleanings like how it's ideal to use distilled water?
Cheapest unscented wipes you can fine...I use CVS brand

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: Fisher & Paykel Vitera Full Face Mask with Headgear (S, M, or L Cushion)
Additional Comments: Back up is S9 Autoset...... Buckwheat hull pillow

SewTired
Posts: 1737
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:33 am
Location: Minneapolis area

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by SewTired » Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:02 pm

There are ranges of cleanliness that people have. Some are excessive, some are very lax. When I discussed this issue at the hospital, the doc and respiratory nurse both said that so long as everything is washed monthly, your chances of being hospitalized with respiratory distress from your cpap is zero. Now, this is for Minnesota. The recommendations might be different if you lived in urban Chicago (where mold has been a problem) or in the South where you have other buggies going.

I rinse the cushion or pillow daily with water. Wash it with Dawn once a week usually along with the hose and the humidifier bin. I wash my disabled brother's equipment weekly using vinegar (he says he can smell the Dawn and prefers the odor of pickles. During the summer, or if I get used equipment from someone else, I use the concentrated disinfectant sold by our sponsor. I change my filter every other month in the winter and about every 3 weeks in the summer.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead
Diabetes 2, RLS & bradycardia
Airsense For Her; Settings: range 8-12, Airfit P10 (M)

ajack
Posts: 977
Joined: Thu Mar 02, 2017 2:54 am
Location: australia

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by ajack » Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:14 pm

From what I can gather. There is no need to wash it at all, there are no germs there that can hurt you. You do it when you want to or not, miss a week, month or a year isn't going to change much. It's only in a humid location that moisture in a hose can grow some moulds that can be an issue. You know if your house is in a humid mould and mildew climate.

_________________
Mask: ResMed AirFit™ F20 Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: S9 ST-A iVAPS and adapt ASV

User avatar
paradiddle
Posts: 60
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:04 am
Location: Venice, Flori-duh

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by paradiddle » Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:20 pm

I used to be a wash my mask once a week in dish soap and water plus the hose gets a flush But i slack off. I do sun am and let it dry on towel rack. The water humidifier needs cleaning as well as it builds some scum. I know I need to clean mask when the skin oils make it leak. I can milk the hoses and masks a long time and have many spare parts. I kept my S8 to use as my travel Cpap and leave my s9 in the bedroom. Been on since 2004.

_________________
MaskHumidifier
Additional Comments: s9 at home - S8 for vacations
13.4 pressure - EPR 2 - on Cpap since 2004
I'm a victim of circumstance

sburke91
Posts: 85
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:32 am

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by sburke91 » Tue Jan 30, 2018 7:22 am

I wash the mask every week or two, but use wipes on the nose piece (I use nasal pillows) and mask front/strap daily. I've found that the pillows tend to hold up longer if I clean the skin oils off of them every morning. The humidifier reservoir gets washed every week or two, as does the hose.

_________________
MachineMask
Additional Comments: Armini about every other week for travel.

chrissypf1
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2018 9:31 am

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by chrissypf1 » Tue Jan 30, 2018 12:49 pm

My technician said to dump and excess distilled water from the tank and let air dry everyday and to either rinse or baby wipe the nasal pillow mask everyday. Then once a week use soapy warm water to wash hoses, tank and mask. Almost at week 3 total treatment.

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: I'm at an 8 for air pressure and a 3 EPR

User avatar
Wulfman...
Posts: 6688
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:41 pm
Location: Nearest fishing spot

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by Wulfman... » Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:08 pm

chrissypf1 wrote:My technician said to dump and excess distilled water from the tank and let air dry everyday and to either rinse or baby wipe the nasal pillow mask everyday. Then once a week use soapy warm water to wash hoses, tank and mask. Almost at week 3 total treatment.
What's the purpose of dumping the distilled water and drying it if you're going to put moisture right back in it?
Wasted efforts. If you REALLY feel the need to clean your equipment, do it before bedtime and then the residual moisture in the hose will be added to the humidity coming from the HH tank. The more you expose your equipment to unfiltered room air, the more chance it will be able to collect germs, viruses and bacteria. Many people hang their hoses in the bathroom to dry......talk about a "germ-ridden" environment!!! If you're doing that, you're nullifying whatever you did to "clean" it.

viewtopic.php?p=567264#p567264


Den

.
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
User since 05/14/05

User avatar
chunkyfrog
Posts: 34377
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:10 pm
Location: Nebraska--I am sworn to keep the secret of this paradise.

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by chunkyfrog » Tue Jan 30, 2018 2:26 pm

I like to wash my equipment when I soak my feet--but NOT in the same water!

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Airsense 10 Autoset for Her

Shnorky
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 5:49 am
Location: Switzerland

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by Shnorky » Mon Feb 12, 2018 4:42 am

Wulfman... wrote:
chrissypf1 wrote:My technician said to dump and excess distilled water from the tank and let air dry everyday and to either rinse or baby wipe the nasal pillow mask everyday. Then once a week use soapy warm water to wash hoses, tank and mask. Almost at week 3 total treatment.
What's the purpose of dumping the distilled water and drying it if you're going to put moisture right back in it?
Wasted efforts. If you REALLY feel the need to clean your equipment, do it before bedtime and then the residual moisture in the hose will be added to the humidity coming from the HH tank. The more you expose your equipment to unfiltered room air, the more chance it will be able to collect germs, viruses and bacteria. Many people hang their hoses in the bathroom to dry......talk about a "germ-ridden" environment!!! If you're doing that, you're nullifying whatever you did to "clean" it.

.
This might be true for where you are living. Around here, any moisture will attract mold, unfortunately.

User avatar
Wulfman...
Posts: 6688
Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:41 pm
Location: Nearest fishing spot

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by Wulfman... » Mon Feb 12, 2018 2:41 pm

Shnorky wrote:
Wulfman... wrote:
chrissypf1 wrote:My technician said to dump and excess distilled water from the tank and let air dry everyday and to either rinse or baby wipe the nasal pillow mask everyday. Then once a week use soapy warm water to wash hoses, tank and mask. Almost at week 3 total treatment.
What's the purpose of dumping the distilled water and drying it if you're going to put moisture right back in it?
Wasted efforts. If you REALLY feel the need to clean your equipment, do it before bedtime and then the residual moisture in the hose will be added to the humidity coming from the HH tank. The more you expose your equipment to unfiltered room air, the more chance it will be able to collect germs, viruses and bacteria. Many people hang their hoses in the bathroom to dry......talk about a "germ-ridden" environment!!! If you're doing that, you're nullifying whatever you did to "clean" it.

.
This might be true for where you are living. Around here, any moisture will attract mold, unfortunately.
You apparently missed one of my main points.
And, if there IS mold in your equipment, the spores are coming from inside your dwelling, which air you're breathing the rest of the day when you're not hooked to your CPAP. Your CPAP filters should keep them out of your equipment. You probably introduce more mold spores into your equipment by frequently taking it apart, cleaning it and hanging it up to dry.


Den

.
(5) REMstar Autos w/C-Flex & (6) REMstar Pro 2 CPAPs w/C-Flex - Pressure Setting = 14 cm.
"Passover" Humidification - ResMed Ultra Mirage FF - Encore Pro w/Card Reader & MyEncore software - Chiroflow pillow
User since 05/14/05

User avatar
scruffies
Posts: 74
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2018 2:21 pm
Location: Fremont,Ca

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by scruffies » Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:55 pm

I am into week 3 of CPAP and have been dutifully cleaning hoses and nasal pillows each Monday. After reading all the comments on this thread, I think I will just replace the pillows every 2 weeks (insurance pays for 6 per three month period) and replace the hoses and the humidifier chamber every 6 months when I get new ones. I think for me that will do. Pretty sure my cleaning days are over. :D :D

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: 11-15 pressure setting, CPAP starting 1-22-18

User avatar
greatunclebill
Posts: 1503
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:48 pm
Location: L.A. (lower alabama)

Re: How often do you clean your equipment?

Post by greatunclebill » Wed Feb 14, 2018 7:24 pm

scruffies wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:55 pm
I am into week 3 of CPAP and have been dutifully cleaning hoses and nasal pillows each Monday. After reading all the comments on this thread, I think I will just replace the pillows every 2 weeks (insurance pays for 6 per three month period) and replace the hoses and the humidifier chamber every 6 months when I get new ones. I think for me that will do. Pretty sure my cleaning days are over. :D :D
I babywipe my cushion and my face every night because it really really helps maintain the seal and keeps the leaks to a minimum.

_________________
Mask: Quattro™ FX Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: myAir, OSCAR. cms-50D+. airsense 10 auto & (2009) remstar plus m series backups
First diagnosed 1990
please don't ask me to try nasal. i'm a full face person.
the avatar is Rocco, my Lhasa Apso. Number one "Bama fan. 18 championships and counting.
Life member VFW Post 4328 Alabama
MSgt USAF (E-7) medic Retired 1968-1990