Tips to help with Daily Cleaning routine

[chunkyfrog]

Aside from removing obvious schmutz, any additional cleaning is counter-productive.
It wears the equipment out faster and wastes time and money.
Unless you are OCD, there is no benefit whatsoever.
If it calms you, go for it---cheaper than psychotherapy and safer than drugs.

[Pugsy]

I just top off the water (I used distilled because my tap water is super hard with a very high mineral content).
Maybe wash the water chamber every month or so when I think about it which isn't often.
If I used tap water (which I have done in a pinch) I would just empty the chamber in the morning...rinse it and then let it air dry...refill at bedtime.

When I used a nasal pillow mask I washed the pillow maybe once a month. Never touched it otherwise.
The hose and frame and headgear...rarely got a washing.

Now I am using a mask that the part that touches my nose is disposable...it gets thrown in the trash.
The mask frame and hose gets washed when I think about it which again isn't very often.

This daily cleaning of anything is for the birds but if that's what someone wants to do and it makes them feel better then who am I to tell them differently.
Different strokes for different folks. I learned a long time ago that this stuff won't kill me if I don't clean it daily or even weekly.
Over 10 years on cpap now....my lack of cleaning anything suits me just fine.

[remstarcpap]

Hi all,

So I rinse my nasal pillows and water chamber every day. But it's such a pain, especially when I'm short for time in the mornings.

Do people have any tips for making life easier with their daily cleaning?

Cheers
Chris

You could do what I do. Nothing! I top off my tank every other night with distilled water. I never clean anything, unless I smell something funky in the mask, and that is rare. When it happens, I clean out the tank with soap and water, and also rinse my nasal pillows with soap and water. The hose? Never. I'd say I actually clean tank and mask about once every 3 weeks or so, and it takes maybe 5 minutes. Just use distilled water, and you can basically skip all the fuss, and go to work without stress!

[Withywind]

Well, this thread alone made joining the forum completely worthwhile Hello, everyone!

As an all-around noob here (7 nights in cpap therapy), I was finding the “recommended” cleaning drill a bit much. So glad to hear others’ cleaning regimens are a lot less, hmm, rigorous than what I was told.

[Cardsfan]

Whatever cleaning you are doing now, cut it in half. And leave the long hose alone. There is nothing in it. After you figure out you are still alive after a month, cut your cleaning routine in half again. That should do it.
Baby wipes are great to clean your mask where it gets oily from your skin. A little squirt of hand sanitizer on a baby wipe works great. takes 1 minute and you don't have to take the mask apart.

[dreamingofdreaming]

I wash my nasal cushion every morning in hot soapy water (Dawn dish soap). The frame gets thrown in a couple times a week. The hose and humidifier chamber I do once a week. I dry everything in my CPAP dryer everyday. I wash my head gear and chinstrap once a week.

[palerider]

I wash my nasal cushion every morning in hot soapy water (Dawn dish soap). The frame gets thrown in a couple times a week. The hose and humidifier chamber I do once a week. I dry everything in my CPAP dryer everyday. I wash my head gear and chinstrap once a week.

ugh.

[raisedfist]

Wipe mask with wipe and top off water tank using distilled water is all I do. I change the filter every month or two or just whenever I remember/feel like it. Only if I have a cold and sneeze into the mask or something will I actually wash anything.

[zorki1c]

Once a week we wash tanks, masks and heated hoses in warm, soapy water then air dry. During the week we add distilled water as needed. Bear in mind we live in a dry high desert climate so bacteria and mold isn’t a real concern. If we lived in Florida or Hawaii we might do more cleaning. The cleaning machines are a waste of money IMO.

[nansaidh]

Wow, this thread has been an eye-opener. It has bugged me to dump out my still-nearly-full tank of distilled water every morning. What a waste. Going to start "topping off" only - MANY THANKS for that reassurance! I'll probably still wash my mask pillow (Airfit F30) every morning as my skin tends to be a bit oily so washing it along with my face isn't a bother. I'm going to STOP worrying about the hose too - and you caught me just in time (Amazon window currently open with ozone/UV hose/machine cleaner thingies...) thank goodness. I amOCD, however cleaning things is not one of my triggers. I have indulged in a hose wrap thing but mostly because the "corrugated" bare hose is noisy when I turn over and irritated me. And, since trying the Pur-Sleep / Form-Fit buckwheat hull pillow, I think I have my infrastructure sorted.

Thanks to those who chimed in on this thread with real life confirmations and experience.

Nancy

[zonker]

Thanks to those who chimed in on this thread with real life confirmations and experience.

Nancy

hat-tip.gif

that's why i'm here.

well, that and to annoy people.