washing new supplies

I am wondering when I get new supplies from my DME am I suppose to wash them or can I assume they are clean when sealed. TIA

ldyjane1 wrote:I am wondering when I get new supplies from my DME am I suppose to wash them or can I assume they are clean when sealed. TIA

speaking for myself, I've never felt the desire to wash brand new medical supplies.

of course, it's not the same as opening a bandaid and washing it, since those are supposed to be sterile, and new masks don't make that claim.

Many masks are manufactured in third world countries, so it might not be a bad idea.
I don't, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead.
No judgement.

Waste of time - they (at least supposedly) are packed in sterile conditions and it's highly doubtful that your (likely already used) soap and towels will be an improvement.

Sometimes, washing helps with that plastic smell. Being sealed up in airtight packaging can stink.

I don't wash items that come from a sealed package but I understand that some people do because the odor of the plastic is a problem and some people have let the masks sort of "out gas" for a couple of weeks because they are particularly sensitive to those types of odors.
It hurts nothing to wash the equipment though. Each to their own and what lets them be comfortable with whatever cleaning routine they want to use.
I am lazy...I admit it...so the less work I do the happier I am and I never have noticed any unpleasant aromas from the plastic.

I have noticed the smell, but unless my eyes burn, I don't do anything.

As someone who catches a cold from a shopping cart unless I use a wipe on it I'd say wash it! It's been years since I was able to go to a DME for a mask but last time they gave me several to try on in the office including a Nasal Aire which I wound up taking home with me. Makes me wonder what they did with the ones that people tried on. Did they reseal them?

I do wash nasal pillows before using because they go directly in my nose and the initial silicone smell bothers me. Other than that, I don't wash anything else before using, as long as it's new in a sealed package. And I wouldn't use a towel to dry things, any cpap stuff that gets washed is air-dried.

Why not just wash them?

Plastic parts sometimes ooze various chemicals from the manufacturing process. They might not be hazardous, but they are unpleasant at best. There might also be some stickiness or slipperyness. There's also the question of picking up smells from wherever they've been stored. Even many of the original factory packages are not sealed and have breathing holes. I presume these holes are to let the plastic smell leak out.

It's also a good way to check the parts for defects. Especially if it's something like a mask, where you need to assemble and disassemble parts.

IMO it's strictly a feel good thing to do, unless you're buying your masks, hoses, pillows etc from some fringe internet CPAP supplier and seriously suspect that they are selling nearly new items. It's not hard to re-package items to look new, merely by having a plastic bag sealer in the back room (I know this cuz I worked in a big box store for awhile and repackaged video games as new that had been returned). It's happened before on this forum, but not recently that I've heard of.

I'm a sensitive type. No, really, quit laughing. Actually, my sinuses are VERY picky to odors. I might not be able to name what I smell, but if it's bothersome, I want it GONE. Or at least minimized. I wash my stuff, just because once cleaned, I can smell the dish soap I used, which is far more pleasant a scent and easier on my poor innards than new plastics.

You read so many reports of DMEs giving a nasal pillow mask (like a P10) to people with 2 pillows of same size. Since the mask comes with 3 pillows of different sizes in mfg packaging, obviously someone is opening them and touching them to take out 2 pillows and insert another.

So my recommendation is to wash everything in soap and water before use.