Removing odor from inside CPAP machine

[DigiSage]

Hey, I've got a M-series A-flex with humidifier with an odor problem. For the longest time I thought it was my mask/hose and kept cleaning it but it never went totally away. Just now I tried smelling the air coming right out of the machine, without the hose connected, and it's definitely coming from in there. I also clean the water container regularly and the smell isn't there either. Same goes for the two filters.

So basically, the smell is somewhere inside the machine. It's hard to say exactly what the smell is - I think it's kind of a stale Pursleep smell, but I am apprehensive to say that because I've read that pursleep leaves no after-odor. But that's sort of what it smells like.

Anyway, how to get rid of it? I read one post where someone had a machine impregnated with a tobacco smoke smell; it was suggested that they run the machine outside for a while, where it would suck in o-zone that would clean it. If this is what I should do, how long should I run it for? Four hours maybe?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Slinky]

Don't just clean those filters REPLACE THEM WITH NEW, do this BEFORE you run it outside for several hours AND REPLACE W/NEW again when you are done running it outside.

[Captain_Midnight]

D.S., my M-series had a "new car smell" for a few weeks. It slowly improved, and after about a month I would just fire it up for 10 seconds to purge the odor, then it was fine. It eventually left the machine completely.

Slinky - - you suggest...Don't just clean those filters REPLACE THEM WITH NEW, do this BEFORE you run it outside for several hours AND REPLACE W/NEW again when you are done running it outside.;

...maybe I've been missing something, however I'm not sure how this would help. Are you suggesting that the filters are the source of the odor? If so, I've never noticed an odor assoc w the filters. Although I suspect if they were left in long enough, they might develop an odor, (icky).

I quite agree about using new filters, though. I never wash the black ones. There's no way to tell which face was excurrent and which was incurrent. Some particulate material is sure to remain entrained after washing, and if one replaces opposite to previous orientation, you could receive a blast of pollen or whatever. (And, they're not that expensive.)

Regards all -- Capt M.
.

[Patrick A]

I use a M-Series Bipap. I noticed it seems to have an odor to it. I changed the filters. Nothing I changed the hose. Seems to have helped.

[J-Mac]

Oh, weird - I have always washed my black foam filters and never had a problem with them AFAIK. Never got a noticeable odor from them. That is across six CPAP/APAP machines over the past 10 years. (Darn! 10 years!?! I guess it is - I started on CPAP therapy in January 1999. January 19, 1999 to be exact. Wow...)

Anyway I am now using a Respironics M Series A-Flex machine that I purchased at CPAP.com last May. I did get an odor from this machine for a while - and it was a couple months after I started using Pursleep, so I imagine that it could be because of that. I ran out of the scents that I liked - the remaining ones I had from the Deluxe kit were a bit strong and I didn't like them. So I stopped using them altogether until I could get more of the scents I did like. Also, there was one night when the water in the built-in humidifier got so low that the chamber was pretty dry by morning - you know you can't always tell by just flipping open the humidifier door and peeking at the chamber; it had looked pretty much full I thought. Obviously it was not!

So perhaps a combination of low water in the humidifier and having used Pursleep for two months but running out of scent and not using it for about a week. Oddly the machine was only two months old and I had never before smelled anything at all like this from my previous machines. I was really surprised at my new machine emitting a small at all.

Haven't used any scent since then and I also make sure now that the humidifier is completely full each night. Seems odor-free now.

Jim

[DigiSage]

I always replace the white filters and wash the black ones. It's been about a year on the black ones so I ordered new ones to replace it, however I apparently ordered the wrong ones because they're gigantic.

Anyway, none of my filters have this smell. Neither does my hose, mask or any other part of anything to do with the machine that is external or removable. The smell is literally coming from inside the machine. THAT is what I need help with removing.

So, start with new filters, run outside for hours, then change filters again, and that should help the smell? If that doesn't do it, what else?

[SleepGuy]

Things that smell are, by definition, volatile--meaning that they're small molecules that release into the air. Running your machine constantly should expedite that process--whatever the cause. If it's coming from plastic components, however, the smell might just keep reloading....

The hose will have the largest total surface area eposed to the air you're smelling, so you might want to check that as well. Total surface area inside the machine is very small compared to the hose....

Good luck!

[J-Mac]

Things that smell are, by definition, volatile--meaning that they're small molecules that release into the air. Running your machine constantly should expedite that process--whatever the cause. If it's coming from plastic components, however, the smell might just keep reloading....

The hose will have the largest total surface area eposed to the air you're smelling, so you might want to check that as well. Total surface area inside the machine is very small compared to the hose....

Good luck!

I agree on the surface area point, though I break out a brand new hose every six months - always have for 10 years now - and never got the smell before. Maybe it's something in the M Series machines?

Jim

[DigiSage]

The whole system had a plasticky smell when it was new, which is normal, right?. Anyway, that has long since gone away. The unpleasant smell I have now is like a stale version of my favorite Pursleep flavor. I can disconnect literally everything from my machine - hose, mask, humidifier housing, and be left simply with just the M-series aflex (without humidifier attached) and a power cord. I can turn it on and aim the air output at my face and it reeks. Changing all filters makes no difference. I hope this clarifies things with regards to the smell coming from anything other than the CPAP machine itself.

My original post was soliciting advice on how to remove a smell that has taken up residence inside the machine itself. So far I've read about letting it run outside for a while- I will try that tomorrow. If that doesn't work, however, what alternatives are there?

[nobody]

If that doesn't work, however, what alternatives are there?

Get used to it or buy another machine. Some perfumes can hang on for weeks. Just because that pursleep stuff CLAIMS to be eliminated quickly doesn't mean it actually is in practice.

[ChipChris]

I read on one of these forums to use vinegar. I cant remember the exact directions but I would assume you just run the thing with a bowl of vinegar near the intake. It kind of makes sense, it's what i use to freshen my washing machine and also to remove mildew smell.

You might want to do a search. I cant remember which forum it was though. I do remember that whoever it was was VERY excited about removing the odor (smoke?) from her machine.

Good luck!

[elader]

I tried to get rid of potpourri smell. Ran the machine for days with bleach on a cotton ball. FInally faded. But each night when I turn on the machine, I get one whiff of potpourri and then it fades.

What about those sprays designed to kill poop odors.

[sleepymatthew]

I have an M series Pro cpap machine, and have had the same problem with odors. I have not used any fragrances at all. It's coming from the machine, not the mask, hose, filters, or humidifier. It started about a month after I started cpap (I've been using the machine for 3 months total).

The odor to me smells like something decomposing (rubber? cardboard?), so I have been disconnecting all the hoses and leaving the humidifier door open all day long, and that seems to have helped, but I still get a whiff of it when I start the machine each night.

From the other people saying they have the same problem with their Respironics M series machines, I think there is some kind of issue with them that needs to be addressed by Respironics.

[sleepymatthew]

Oh, and I was thinking of spraying febreeze odor control spray in there, letting it dry (using a small fan), and see what happens (power off of course).

[Slinky]

Nope. I would NOT put ANYTHING INTO the device! Vinegar is a natural deoderizer as is Baking Soda but you would want to "suck" the vinegar oder or Baking Soda (mixed in water) odor into the device by putting a container of it in front of the intake opening NOT by putting either INTO the device itself.

Try running a search in the forum on Ozone. I think I remember reading that that is what is used to professionally deoderize homes after fires, etc.