Mold in Heated Respironics Tube.

[clkerl]

I currently have a Dreamstation one and I have been using it for at least a couple of years. Before anybody says, I know, I'm a very lazy idiot who hasn't been properly cleaning their very important medial device. I haven't been washing all of the pieces of my headgear and tubing every day, only occasionally. As far as I can tell, the end of the heated tube is the only place I can see any actual mold (pictured in attachment). Trying to clean it off with my fingers has yielded no success so far, it's basically stuck on there. I've already ordered a new tube, but I wanted to know if there might be a way to reliably clean it off so it'd at least be usable again.

I'd also like to know if this is likely to be the cause of my nose feeling very "stuffed up", both when I sleep and periodically throughout the day. It's not actually filled up with snot, it's like I have sinus inflammation or something that makes breathing through my nose difficult, which I fear is effecting my treatment.

Thanks in advance.

[ChicagoGranny]

I'm a very lazy idiot who hasn't been properly cleaning their very important medial device. I haven't been washing all of the pieces of my headgear and tubing every day, only occasionally.

Around here, you could get called an idiot if you have been washing all of the pieces every day. If that is indeed mold, it may have grown from your washing the hose and hanging it up to dry. Some of us use the same hose for years without washing it. We never have a problem with mold or dirt of any kind.

[chunkyfrog]

Agreeing with granny 100%.
I never wash the hose, and only wash the tank when it gets stuff growing in it.
I wipe my nasal pillows with a baby wipe, but not often.
New ultrafine filter every 3 weeks.
I did exactly the same through 4 months of chemo last year; with no ill effects.

[zonker]

New ultrafine filter every 3 weeks.

oh, somebody mentioned filter, time to check mine.

thanks froggy! it still looks good.

[chunkyfrog]

You are welcome!
I do stuff old-school--recording my daily essentials-plus data in a notebook.
My notebooks have 21 lines, so the end of the page triggers a new filter, pillows,
and laying down the columns for the next page.
Less for my little amphibian brain to remember.

[clkerl]

If that is indeed mold, it may have grown from your washing the hose and hanging it up to dry. Some of us use the same hose for years without washing it. We never have a problem with mold or dirt of any kind.

See, when I do wash it I almost always wash it before bed. I don't leave it up to dry.
Is it really okay not clean every day? To be clear, I am using the humidifier.

[chunkyfrog]

Totally OK, especially if you are using only distilled water.

[ChicagoGranny]

See, when I do wash it I almost always wash it before bed. I don't leave it up to dry.

Aha! That may be the source of the mold. The connector still has a bit of water on it when you connect it to the machine and mask. Once firmly connected, the water won't dry - mold potential!

I'm not suggesting you dry the connector. Just quit washing the hose.

Is it really okay not clean every day?

You have our experience. Now, it is up to you to choose. If you choose washing, we will remember you when you come again complaining about mold.

[Pugsy]

Many, many years ago (before even heated hoses) I had one of my hoses develop maybe 3 little specks like yours.
So not nearly as much....but they were there and in just about the same place as yours.

I never washed my hose back then even....so I don't think it is related to not washing of the hose.
I tried everything I could think of to get rid of the black spots but I couldn't.
Now mold (if that is what it is/was) is actually easy to get rid of but I think that maybe what I saw after cleaning was a stain from whatever it was. I know our first thought is mold and it scares us but mold is really easy to kill and remove.
Stains not so much so. Now I don't know for sure but I think what you may be seeing is residual staining that just won't come off. I know I tried Comet cleanser on mine and it didn't touch it.

I tried every cleaning product I owned and couldn't remove the stain.
You can keep trying and maybe you will get lucky but I would just toss it. Hoses are cheap. Peace of mind is priceless.

[southerndoc]

Did you use regular or distilled water?

[Ray4852]

dirty hose. get a new one. you got your monies worth out of that hose. The purpose of cleaning a hose is prevent bacteria getting in a hose. if you don't clean it. you are putting yourself at higher risk of getting sick of outside germs. I clean my hose every day. it smells nice and fresh.

[zonker]

if you don't clean it. you are putting yourself at higher risk of getting sick of outside germs.

what do you do about the outside germs you breath when not on cpap?

[palerider]

As far as I can tell, the end of the heated tube is the only place I can see any actual mold (pictured in attachment).

IF that is actually mold, it happened because of the way you're "cleaning" things.

If you look the part of your connector is the part that has the discoloration is what is *covered* by the plastic part of your mask connector, there's no way that anything can get to that part of the connector when you've got the mask plugged into it.

[palerider]

dirty hose. get a new one. you got your monies worth out of that hose. The purpose of cleaning a hose is prevent bacteria getting in a hose. if you don't clean it. you are putting yourself at higher risk of getting sick of outside germs. I clean my hose every day. it smells nice and fresh.

The real purpose of 'cleaning' the hose is to degrade it so that it will fail sooner and have to be replace, thus generating more profit for the DMEs and manufacturers.

[Grumpy48]

I'm thinking the spotting inside the hose end might be a dark colored fabric lint that may have adhered to the mask connector at some point when it was washed and still wet and subsequently stained the rubber in the hose(?)

Mold most usually needs a spore and dampness to start growth. If there are mold spores as dried dust present in the air or surfaces where you washed the hose and mask, it's possible the hose/mask could have become contaminated and growth could have occurred. Is there a remote chance there might be a mold issue in your house? The bathroom in particular if hot showers are taken and the air isn't exhausted well.
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/7287/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20351519

If it were me and I wanted to try and save the hose, I might try a 1:1 solution of household bleach and water and use a cotton Q-Tip to swab around the inside of the connection and a cold water rinse to remove any residual bleach. Wash it after as noted below and let it dry well.

I do wash my hose and mask usually once a month if I remember. The mask and headgear get put in a large plastic container that has a screw on lid (large nut container). A couple drops of Dawn dish liquid and hot water to 3/4's full, shake vigorously followed by a couple cold water fills and rinses. The heated hose gets a couple drops of the Dawn and filled with hot water and 'sloshed' back and forth a few times followed by a hot water flush at the tap. Both the hose and mask/headgear are hung outside in the sun to dry. One of the hoses I cleaned this way lasted well over a year and the only reason I replaced it was the DME had supplied me with replacement hoses and not because the hose fell apart or was defective in any way. I have never had and black spotting or other grime what so ever for the two years I've been doing this and the gear smells 'Dawn' fresh after. The water chamber gets a similar cleaning with Dawn and hot water. Daily if I remember the mask gets a wipe down with a baby wipe.