Humidifer Maintenance

[gabs.herb1]

I am a new CPAP user - 12 days now and so far am having fairly good success. Still trying to get the mask fit down, but making progress. I was surprised to see how much maintenace is required for this equipment. Is it REALLY necessary to empty the humidifier every night and refill with distilled water. It seems to me like I am wasting a whole lot of water!

[LSAT]

Maintenance can be a pain, BUT, it doesn't need to be.

If you use distilled water you can avoid cleaning the humidifier. Rinse it maybe a couple times a month. The hose doesn't need cleaning...if it makes you feel better rinse it out once in a while. The mask is the only thing that may need cleaning on a regular basis...maybe once a week. Be sure to change the CPAP filter on a regular basis.

WHY DON'T YOU REGISTER AND LIST THE EQUIPMENT YOU ARE USING

[gabs.herb1]

Seriously??? The instructions they gave me were to clean the mask and humidifier every day and then once a week to soak the hose and humidifier in a vinegar/water solution for 30 minutes to disinfect it.

[snardo]

Maintenance can be a pain, BUT, it doesn't need to be.

If you use distilled water you can avoid cleaning the humidifier. Rinse it maybe a couple times a month. The hose doesn't need cleaning...if it makes you feel better rinse it out once in a while. The mask is the only thing that may need cleaning on a regular basis...maybe once a week. Be sure to change the CPAP filter on a regular basis.

WHY DON'T YOU REGISTER AND LIST THE EQUIPMENT YOU ARE USING

Good advice. Particularly if you're using distilled water, there's no need to get overly obsessed with cleaning the humidier. If you start to see particles floating in the water it's probably time to dump and rinse. If the air coming from the mask smells funny you might want to rinse the hose in some warm, soapy water. Otherwise just make sure you take good care of your mask - a wipe-down in the morning with a baby wipe or similar and weekly washing with warm, soapy water (mild dish detergent works well, avoid heavy scents or anti-bacterial stuff) should be the extent of your routine.

I had my first machine for over 6 years, only washed the humidifier tank a few times a year and it still works like a champ. I keep it around as a back up.

[Tip10]

Seriously??? The instructions they gave me were to clean the mask and humidifier every day and then once a week to soak the hose and humidifier in a vinegar/water solution for 30 minutes to disinfect it.

Seriously.

The recommendations are to clean everything associated with the mask nightly and the humidifier and hose weekly.

And you'll likely find folks (probably only a very few but...) on here who do that.

You also find a whole lot of folks who do a whole lot less.

I clean masks sometimes weekly and sometimes go as long as two weeks. I religiously use distilled water and will usually dump and rinse my humidifier tank maybe monthly (yeah, right -- more like every six weeks). Hose gets cleaned, well let's just say I just replaced my hose at 9 months and I believe I cleaned it twice -- both times within the first 3 weeks of starting CPAP.....

Filters -- another story -- filters usually get replaced weekly.

[apneawho]

Filters -- another story -- filters usually get replaced weekly.

I have an S9 also. I thought the filters could be replaced once every 6 months as long as you take it out and look to make sure not visibly dirty. The RT told me to flick it with my finger to shake any dust particles out.

[pickuptruck]

I cleaned mine 2 times in 12 months. No issues. Use only distilled water.

[Roger2]

Is it REALLY necessary to empty the humidifier every night and refill with distilled water. It seems to me like I am wasting a whole lot of water!

As you can see already, there is an array of answers as most of us differ as to what extent and how often we clean our equipment. Since I have copd in addition to sleep apnea and seem to be more prone to lung and bronchial infections I am very cautious about keeping everything clean. I wash everything including the water tank, mask and hose in mild soap (baby soap) in the sink three times a week and once a week usually on Fridays I do the same and then soak it in a diluted solution of Control III for 1/2 hour.

I agree in advance that this is probably overkill but then after spending 8 days in ICU last spring with pneumonia and severe bronchitis I am not about to take a chance. I already had another case of bronchitis last month and the cost of the antibiotics they prescribed ran me into the donut hole with Medicare. This is something you need to evaluate for yourself and just how cavalier you want to be with a possible lung infection.

Roger

[GumbyCT]

Is it REALLY necessary to empty the humidifier every night and refill with distilled water.

No it's not. Either don't dump it or learn to put in just enuff (distilled water) to get thru the nite.

IMO - more cleaning can lead to more bacteria entering the parts opened or left exposed to "air dry" all day. And how do you get infected with your own germs?

IF you feel the need to clean, avoid doing it in the bathroom where there are prob more bacteria than anywhere else in your home.

EDIT: So why do the DME's tell you to clean so much, so often? It's called liability. Too many lawyers + too many sue happy people. People who think they hit the lottery when they do something they should be taking responsibility for. So we all have to pay for their mistakes.

[HoseCrusher]

It always makes me feel more youthful to hear people promoting actions to strengthen their immune system...

Remember digging into your diaper as a toddler and grabbing a hand full of crap? Those are your germs too.

Is periodic cleaning necessary for xPAP use? No. Does periodic cleaning eliminate a variable when it comes to sores on the face, sores on the nose, respiratory issues and so on? Yes.

Can periodic cleaning help prevent a sore on the face from getting a staph infection? Yes.

Can you live a long healthy life and never clean your xPAP equipment? Probably yes but it depends upon how strong your immune system is.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

I wash my hands frequently during the day and have no problem frequently washing my xPAP equipment.

[debra.ibioserv]

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[GumbyCT]

Remember digging into your diaper as a toddler and grabbing a hand full of crap? Those are your germs too.

Call me lucky but I have no independent recall of ever making such achievements, ever. You should wash your hands but the OP was not asking about hand washings.

Is it REALLY necessary to empty the humidifier every night and refill with distilled water. It seems to me like I am wasting a whole lot of water!

I thought my answer was pretty fair and clear.

No it's not. Either don't dump it or learn to put in just enuff (distilled water) to get thru the nite.

I don't think I could be any clearer.

[squid13]

My therapist at my DME told me the filter that comes with the S9 AutoSet is washable. I take mine out and let warm run thru it from the smooth side to the fuzzy side and then pat it dry. Just like washing a permanent filter for your house A/C. From the clean side thru to the dirty side.

[greg-g]

A dirty filter as long as it's just dust will actually filter better than a clean filter up to the point where it becomes too clogged and is restricting air flow. I wash mine every 6 months or so.
We have a very good town water supply, I boil about 1 litre of water weekly to remove the chlorine and just top up the tank every second night never allowing it to run out. When I need more water the tank and mask get washed.
When the tank starts to show mineral deposits it gets washed in vinegar.
I wash my heated hose about every 6 months as its always dry, but if I used a standard hose it would be washed weekly along with everything else.
The biggest areas of concern are those that stay damp. This is one reason I'll always use a heated hose.

[jilliansue]

I have found that I do not need to completely fill the humidifier to the fill line. After awhile, I guess I have gotten a feel for how much I use in a night, so I am not wasting water. I dump mine most mornings, give it a rinse and swish and dump it out. I try to detach the hose from the machnine and hang it up to dry most mornings. I do wash it out with soapy water on the weekends...and I also do the vinegar and water soak of the humidifier most weekends.

I use a pad-a-cheek liner and so do not have to wash off the edges of my mask cushion as frequently as I used to.

Good luck!
Jillian