Cleaning rubber mask

[archangle]

Please fill in your equipment on your profile for future reference.

Disassemble the mask, and wash everything but the headgear in the dishwasher. Hottest cycle, no dishes in the same load, extra rinse, no heated dry. I've been doing this to my masks since 2004 and I get good lifetime out of them.

Don't wash any foam mask parts this way, if your mask has foam parts. I wouldn't dishwash any hoses this way unless you figure out some way to hang them in the dishwasher so that the dirty water won't collect inside the hose between cycles.

Boiling is probably not particularly beneficial for regular cleaning. Some people have found that some silicone parts like flaps/cushions and the pillows for nasal pillow masks get cloudy and don't flex and fit right after a while. Some people have success with boiling their degraded silicone parts with baking soda (or even baking them) restores them somewhat. Try it with your spare degraded silicone parts once you get replacements.

You do need to replace the cushions/flaps occasionally and insurance will usually pay for them once a month or so. Get a couple of spares as your insurance will pay and keep them handy.

[acidragon]

Ive been washing my mask everyday with palmolive pure soap. But then again Ive had my machine for just under a week. I take it from what I read on here that that will stop for me... lol

[pgjackson]

Although boiling did not clean the gunk off, it did seem to refresh the rubber.

[LSAT]

Boiling in distilled water with baking soda should make the silicone come out crystal clear.

[pgjackson]

Boiling in distilled water with baking soda should make the silicone come out crystal clear.

I did not use distilled water. I just used straight tap water. I'll try again.

[Muddpa]

Sound good. Do you add the baking soda before or after it come to a boil?