Used mask...Is there any way to sanitize it so I can use it?

I just purchased a pair of respironics machines. They came with one brand new hose and brand new mask as well as some used hose and used masks. Is there any way to sanitize the masks so I can use them? They are nice nasal masks with gel padding and I hate to throw them away. I'll toss them if I have to, but if there is a way to use them safely, I would like to know.

I wash in hot soapy water and that is good for me. Some people boil in water for a few minutes.

I was always good with a good hot soapy wash and soak in a whatever mild disinfectant I had on hand but if it bugs you too much you could use something like this.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Contro ... eaner.html

Some people are happy with a vinegar/water solution for soaking and killing of germs but I hate the smell of vinegar so I didn't care to use it.

Bugbarb wrote:I just purchased a pair of respironics machines. They came with one brand new hose and brand new mask as well as some used hose and used masks. Is there any way to sanitize the masks so I can use them? They are nice nasal masks with gel padding and I hate to throw them away. I'll toss them if I have to, but if there is a way to use them safely, I would like to know.

Warm water and vinegar soak with maybe a few drops of Method hand soap should do the trick for most masks, but I'm not sure about gel padding.

@grayghost4 -- I would think boiling would make the gel part would make the gel fall apart. Does it?

If you're concerned about really bad germs, you could also try a citircidal like GSE, just a few drops in your vinegar water soak:
http://www.amazon.com/Nutribiotic-Liqui ... ed+extract

Bugbarb wrote:I just purchased a pair of respironics machines. They came with one brand new hose and brand new mask as well as some used hose and used masks. Is there any way to sanitize the masks so I can use them? They are nice nasal masks with gel padding and I hate to throw them away. I'll toss them if I have to, but if there is a way to use them safely, I would like to know.

google up the manuals for the masks, and in the back, there's usually a section on the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning them between users.

though, like grayghost says, I usually just use soap and water myself.

Don't overthink it, just use a good soap and tap water as hot as you can stand it and you'll be fine.

You know they reuse masks between patients at a sleep study, and I'd bet that they don't go to extreme lengths to sanitize those either.

old dude wrote:

You know they reuse masks between patients at a sleep study,

Really?! Eewwwww....sorry, my "at home" test didn't include machine or mask...and when I got my equipment, the masks she brought were in sealed packages.

Thanks a lot. I guess I was over thinking it and being a bit paranoid. These masks haven't been used for a while, so their germs are probably dead, anyways. Washing them will go a long way in reducing the ewww factor. I suppose I could do the same for the hoses as well?

Yes...you can do the same for the hoses.
You might want to test for holes that you can't see...just fill the hose with water and carefully hold your hands over either end to stop the water from leaking out the ends, and hold the hose up and look for dripping.
No sense in bothering to clean if there are holes in them.

Tatooed Lady wrote:

old dude wrote:

You know they reuse masks between patients at a sleep study,

Really?! Eewwwww....sorry, my "at home" test didn't include machine or mask...and when I got my equipment, the masks she brought were in sealed packages.

most masks have reprocessing instructions in the back of the manual to sanitize them between patients.

the masks she brought were in sealed packages.

I have a package sealer. It is very useful for returning bagged items to the store 'unopened'.

Yuck on the idea of using the masks unsanitized.

There are links to the ResMed multi patient sanitizing instructions in the links in my signature line. The hot water process is the one that would be most practical.

I dishwash all my parts first. I use the hottest "sanitize" setting in my dishwasher with regular dishwashing powder and an extra rinse. I don't dishwash cloth or foam parts. I disassemble whatever I can disassemble. Most manufacturers say not to dishwash the mask, but I've done it for 10 years with no obvious problems.

For most used parts I get, after dishwashing, I heat up a big 10 quart(?) pot of water on the stove to a good, rolling boil, then turn off the heat, drop in the parts, put on the lid and let it cool down. Use some caution to be sure all the parts get wet without any big air bubbles.

I don't use hot water on cloth or foam parts. Some hoses, especially "short" hoses on masks may be damaged. The newer ResMed S9 "non-dishwashable" or standard water tanks are damaged by the hot water. The S9 dishwashable tanks have had no problems. I don't know about A10 tanks. Respironics tanks had no problems with the hot water.

If you've got stuff you're ready to throw away if you can't clean it up well enough, try the water and throw it away if it gets damaged.

Our sponsor, cpap.com, sells Control III disinfectant for sanitizing CPAP equipment. Be sure to read the directions. The concentrate is nasty, but the diluted solution is pretty safe and reasonably pleasantly scented.

I did the hot water and Control III on my last batch of used CPAP stuff.

Realize that neither boiling nor Control III kills ALL germs.

As for hoses, if they're not heated, they're pretty cheap. I just bought 4 genuine Respironics hoses off of e-bay for under $20 delivered. Hoses are hard to really clean well, so I buy new ones every so often.

As others have mentioned, Control III is effective because it kills most classes of bacteria and viruses. Here's a list from our host CPAP dot com:

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Contro ... eaner.html

I'm not crazy about the soapy smell it leaves behind but it goes away after a few rinses. Don't use it straight... dilute it as the instructions on the bottle recommend.

Having performed a few sleep studies, I can tell you the hospitals use a sanitizing wipe very similar in construction to a baby wipe, but with much stronger chemicals. It's strong enough they require you to wear gloves while using it. I use it on all my Respiratory Therapist tools as well.

For home use, I would use hot soapy water with a touch of vinegar or chlorine. Then dry outside on a line where the wind can blow through things, which also cleans/clears out bacteria.

A good soap alternative sold at most pharmacies is surgical skin wash. It smells good, softens your skin and kills a lot of varieties of bacteria as well.

I hope this helps,

Dave

Sponge anything you can with good vodka (Stoly, Gray Goose), and have a nice-sized glass before bed.
Now do you really care if it is perfectly clean?