Cleaning Rituals?

bozmon · Post by **bozmon** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:37 pm

Hello...been cpap'ing for 3 months now. The part I think I hate most is the cleaning rituals...mask & water holder daily, all parts weekly. It seems like every time I clean the hose...it's water all over the kitchen floor...not to mention that it takes forever to dry the hose (I hang it from the shower head to dry after rinsing). Maybe I should get two pieces of everything and just rotate them each week?

I have two questions: 1) how does everyone else handle the cleaning?...2) has anybody used the cleaning kit sold on eBay, which has the daily spray and wipe for the mask and the weekly solution for all other parts?

Thanks for any feedback.

Procrastinator · Post by **Procrastinator** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:44 pm

How often are you supposed to clean the hoses? I hated the thought of cleaning the mask daily, let alone everything else.

bozmon · Post by **bozmon** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:53 pm

I was told once a week, but tried going without it. However, the air just didn't feel as fresh as going with the 1x weekly cleaning. Also, they say to let it soak after cleaning with a small amount of vingar added to water, and then rinse it with just water. What a pain!

jean19540_0 · Post by **jean19540_0** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:55 pm

i was cleaning my mask daily, the first week, but then a friend who's been on cpap for 12yrs told me to clean the mask thoughaly every 3/4 days, and the tube ect every couple of weeks. we have no humidifyer so thats not a problem. think about it, theres only you using it, no one elses germs, and unless you have a virus or cold ect, then i now think, that its often enough realy. jean...

sawman91660 · Post by **sawman91660** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 5:38 pm

Been using my CPAP for 18 months--have never cleaned the hose. I clean the mask as needed(to remove skin oil). I Don't have a humidifier.

snamvar · Post by **snamvar** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 6:06 pm

I read in the manual for the CPAP and mask to rinse and wash the humidifier water every day. Bacteria can grow in the water. Alaso wash the mask, hose and humidifier container every week. All tese parts get a certaign amount of water, specially if using the humdifier.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 7:40 pm

My CPAP technician said that the instructions said to clean the humidifier every day, but he (and he uses CPAP himself) said it was okay to clean it every three days. So I basically clean it every time the water level gets low, which makes it easy to remember. I have a large bottle of cheap white vinegar in the bathroom, I pour some into the humidifier chamber, swish it round, rinse it two or three times with tap water to get the vinegar smell out, and then in with the distilled water (which I also keep in the bathroom).

As for cleaning the hoses and stuff, yes, I too was told to clean them once a week (and the mask every day) and I do get slack about it. However one thing that helps is if I do the cleaning when I take my shower. I keep a bottle of dish-washing detergent in the same shower rack as my shampoo etc, and then I just squirt some on the things that need washing, rub it around if I can (like with the mask) or fill it up with shower water if it's the tubes, and then rinse it and hang it up to dry. I take my shower in the morning, so it has all day to dry.

RubyKat · Post by **RubyKat** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 7:45 pm

Oops, that was me. Dunno what happened with the login.

RubyKat

53now · Post by **53now** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:34 pm

Been on Bipap for nearly 5 years.........no sinus infections or problems due to dirty equipment.
My Routine
I clean my mask everynight (with warm water & baby shampoo)
I clean my water chamber and hoses about once a month (same solution as above)
PS I was a "clean freak" in the beginning but daily cleaning is not necessary. "Bottom Line">>>>> do whatever makes you comfortable
Rich

PS Of course this works for me ....maybe not for everyone

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:49 pm

If you are using distilled water in the humidifier the only thing that should need to be washed is the mask. Because the hose is under "continuous positive air pressure" (cpap) It is not exposed to respiratory air. The hummidifier chamber would actually be exposed to potential contaminants by washing. The minerals and organic matter in the tap water and some soaps if left on the surface could grow mold and mildew (especially in a heated environment). I just pull my hose off the machine and hang it to dry and just keep refilling my humidifier chamber with fresh distilled water. I let my mask soak in warm soapy water once a week and most importantly wash my face everyday before I go to bed.

Ionizer · Post by **Ionizer** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:22 pm

I expose my mask and hose to massive amounts of radiation. 1000 REM does the trick.

No bugs here. No clean up. No Mess.

And to think the health food lobby is against food irradiation .

If it works for our elected officials it should work for me right.

Ionizer

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:24 pm

Ionizer,

Do your chickens lay fried eggs?

Marie · Post by **Marie** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:21 pm

My instructions say not to hang the hoses to dry in the bathroom.
I hang them on a coathanger in the bedroom. I change the humidifier water every day(distilled water).
Wash hoses and head strap once a week
Wash nose mask every other day,every day if I have a cold.
I do it every Sat.morning so I won't forget.
It was a pain at first,but now I'm getting used to it,been on cpap for 4 months.

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:29 pm

I just received my aussie heated hose. I didnt clean it before use. Now I have a souvenier from down under . A bad sinus infection.

Cheers.

Chris

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:33 pm

Chris,

Send it to the Ionizer. He will sterilize it for you. I think he lives near you in TX.

Cleaning Rituals?

Cleaning Rituals?

cleaning!

Drying hoses in bathroom