New guy saying hi

[hotrodbiker]

As a forum owner myself, the typical etiquette is an intro.

I'm Tim and new to the sleep apnea world. I also enjoy salsa dancing, Olympic curling and woman's softball... well, just women in general.

I picked up my first cpap machine from craigslist last week for $425, brand new with the plastic and zero hours (super lucky find). The dme I was directed to was going to charge me $590 for two months rent on the same machine with the required "supplies", which covered my $390 deductible. I'd have to guess people don't check the internet for the price of medical equipment before dealing with those rip off artists. I feel bad for older folks who are on fixed incomes and probably too trusting.

I picked up my mask from easybreathe.com because they dealt with my insurance company and I only paid $21. I almost bought from here but never got a straight answer about reimbursement from my insurance company.

The dreamwear mask has been great and using my cpap has been a piece of cake. I've read the horror stories, and the need of a support system, but have been lucky enough to breeze right past all of that. My wife is happy, as am I, that my snoring has been eliminated and we can share our bed again. 5 days out of 5 days, not an issue.

I'm here to learn. Looking for information on the very basic and essential cleaning for my gear right now. Thanks for having me.

[Michelle-OH]

Welcome to the forum, sounds like you have been very lucky with everything cpap so far, hope that keeps up for you!

[Julie]

Hi - as far as cleaning goes, just wipe down the machine itself on occasion... 'dusting', no more is necessary. The humidifier tank (if you use it) can be rinsed with vinegar/water weekly, but if you see faint pinkish stuff inside, you might want to rinse it out more often. The hose can be ignored indefinitely/forever as they don't get dirty from anything, though some persist in rinsing them out at times... lot of us think it's a waste of time. The mask should be cleaned at least weekly if not more depending on your take... baby wipes do a great job as long as there's no alcohol or petro. jelly in there, but baby shampoo or Dawn will work as well.

[knothead]

Welcome to the forum hot rod,
these folks know their stuff and can steer you in the right direction. A world of info on this site...
I usually wipe my mask with a baby wipe before bed time... my water tank gets cleaned with white vinegar once a month, hose, never, unless I'm bored...
So really not to hard for us fellas to keep up with...

[Sheriff Buford]

Howdy fellow Texican! Work all your issues that may crop up. Looks as tho' you are off to a good start.

Sheriff

[hotrodbiker]

Any cleaning considerations with the hose and the humidifier? I used it for the first time last night, just to use it and since I have a gallon of distilled water now. It are you guys using the humidifier and not worrying about the hose?

Baby wipes, got it. I did order some of those cpap wipes from Amazon the other night. Should I send those back?

[LSAT]

Any cleaning considerations with the hose and the humidifier? I used it for the first time last night, just to use it and since I have a gallon of distilled water now. It are you guys using the humidifier and not worrying about the hose?

Baby wipes, got it. I did order some of those cpap wipes from Amazon the other night. Should I send those back?

Baby wipes do the same thing as CPAP wipes but run about 1/4 the price. Scent free/alcohol free.

[stienman]

My humidifier usage leaves it about half full each day. So my pattern has become: use it two days in a row with just refilling it between, then swishing it around on the second day, pouring it out, and letting it air dry. I've only been using mine for two weeks, and I'm using reverse osmosis water rather than distilled water. So far no deposits or anything showing up in it.

I haven't washed the hose. I don't see how, under normal operation, anything but filtered cpap air could get inside. Further, the machine goes through a "cool down" cycle when I turn it off which, it seems to me, would clear any water left in the tube (I've never noticed any, though, it's a heated climateline and my machine is set to "auto" so it shouldn't have any condensation anyway).

As such I'm not sure I'll ever need to clean the hose.

So far I've washed the nasal pillows once a week, and I've not noticed any deposits, oil, or anything on them, but I'll wipe them with a tissue occasionally to see if there's something there that I can't see against the silicone. I haven't tried baby wipes. I'm worried even the unscented ones will still leave a scent behind, but I have plenty of "unscented" alcohol-free baby wipes available if I feel the need to use one.

I'm just glad my toddlers haven't chosen to chew on the various hoses and mask parts. Yet.

[hotrodbiker]

Thanks for the tips everyone. I used the humidifier for two nights just to see, I doubt I'll use it again anytime soon.

Now to research some software options here.

[Julie]

Tissue can leave tiny fibers... wipes won't leave scents if 'unscented'.

[Mudrock63]

I wash mask, hose, and humidifier once a week in warm water with Dawn dishwashing liquid. Have had no issues. If I am having any sinus issues, I clean the mask more frequently.