cleaning of CAP

[moosie1__@hotmail.com]

Just started using CPAP and wanted to know how to clean the hose,mask and filter? I have been told different things and am not sure which is correct. Also does the water need to be changed daily in the tank? Is it really necessary to buy a So Clean machine or can I do it manually? Thanks.
Moosie

[TASmart]

You will see a lot of different opinions here, some quite strongly held. I'd deep six any thoughts of buying a so clean and just wash your stuff as recommended by the manufacturers, or do as I have been doing with no adverse events: I wash my stuff when I get around to it, which is not very often, maybe monthly.

[Julie]

Skip the hose entirely - pointless - and add to water rather than emptying just to re-add, but if you use distilled, you shuoldn't have a problem, though examine weekly for pinkish stuff possibly in corners and use a Q-tip to remove, then rinse. Baby wipes on the silicone of the mask weekly will keep it lasting longer than daily soap and water.

[ChicagoGranny]

stop worrying about germs
so clean will kill them

SoClean does not kill any germs. If you follow the instructions in the user manual, the germs are gone before the So Clean machine is used.

1. Pre-washing your Equipment
Use ¼ of the included pre-wash with
a gallon of water to wash your CPAP
equipment (mask, hose, and reservoir), then
rinse thoroughly with clean water.


Note: The SoClean uses no fluids in its
operation. The pre-wash is supplied for
hand washing your CPAP equipment only

[Goofproof]

stop worrying about germs
so clean will kill them

SoClean does not kill any germs. If you follow the instructions in the user manual, the germs are gone before the So Clean machine is used.

1. Pre-washing your Equipment
Use ¼ of the included pre-wash with
a gallon of water to wash your CPAP
equipment (mask, hose, and reservoir), then
rinse thoroughly with clean water.


Note: The SoClean uses no fluids in its
operation. The pre-wash is supplied for
hand washing your CPAP equipment only

===========

wrong again
so clean does kill germs

the question is do they need killing at all

We don't count the germs you set the machine down on! Jim

[chunkyfrog]

Don't waste your money.
Baby wipes for the cushion/pillows, Dawn for the tank--maybe once a month.
Change the hose when it gets funky (takes a looong time)

[Okie bipap]

My hose has been in use since December, 2015. The only time it has been washed is after a bronchitis event. The mask gets washed weekly, and the water reservoir once a month when I check the filter. I clean my wife's equipment on the same schedule.

[chunkyfrog]

She is lucky to have a sweetheart like you taking care of her, Okie.

[LSAT]

Just started using CPAP and wanted to know how to clean the hose,mask and filter? I have been told different things and am not sure which is correct. Also does the water need to be changed daily in the tank? Is it really necessary to buy a So Clean machine or can I do it manually? Thanks.
Moosie

clean off the gunk in the mask with water and a lint free wiper

use filtered sterilised water in the tank
and clean it if you see anything growing which can happen if you dont change it all often enough

stop worrying about germs
so clean will kill them but they are just yours that you have every day so why bother

Follow manufacturers instructions and only use distilled water in your humidifier.

[ZzzCatcher]

I'm not a germophobe by any stretch of the term, but I don't like the idea of using a tube and mask that's humid all the time. So I do the same thing I do with my water bottle and my shoes - have a spare, and let them thoroughly dry every so often. Every week or two I swap out my hose and mask. Give the ones I'm using a rinse, then hang them to dry and air for the week or two until I swap again. Any moisture in them will be well and truly gone, and the back of my mind won't worry about mildew and whatnot. Whether there IS mildew and whatnot is certainly up for debating, but it puts me at ease. And I swear the air I'm breathing at night smells better with fresh stuff, so if nothing else, that's good.

[ChicagoGranny]

I clean my wife's equipment on the same schedule.

I suspected there was something special about you.

[akirish]

Glad to see this thread. I started using my Respironics Dreammachine with a Nasal Pillow in July and have been using only Distilled water. I have been cleaning the nasal pillow daily with water, and the humidifier and hose twice a week with Dawn and hot water, air dry. I started seeing a red film in the bottom and along the nooks and crannies of the humidifier after a couple of days. So question #1 - should I empty the humifier every day? I have been topping off until cleaning day. #2 - if I should empty every day, how much should I fill it? I don't want to waste the distilled water but want enough to get me through every night. I called my medical supply company today and was told 'yeah, they are hard to keep clean, you should do it every day' and then felt like I got a sales pitch for SoClean and a 5 yr plan for insurance

[TASmart]

Just started using CPAP and wanted to know how to clean the hose,mask and filter? I have been told different things and am not sure which is correct. Also does the water need to be changed daily in the tank? Is it really necessary to buy a So Clean machine or can I do it manually? Thanks.
Moosie

clean off the gunk in the mask with water and a lint free wiper

use filtered sterilised water in the tank
and clean it if you see anything growing which can happen if you dont change it all often enough

stop worrying about germs
so clean will kill them but they are just yours that you have every day so why bother

Follow manufacturers instructions and only use distilled water in your humidifier.

distilled was a given
i guess i have to spell it out for folks like you

You called out sterilized filtered water which is not the same as distilled, and in fact depending on the type of filtration, may well cause mineral deposits in the users humidifier chamber

[Okie bipap]

She is lucky to have a sweetheart like you taking care of her, Okie.

I had a hard time getting her to do the sleep study. I finally told our doctor that she was having apnea episodes at night, and she scheduled my wife for the sleep study. I made a decision to do what ever I needed to do to make sure she uses the machine. I had her hose cover special made since it normally does not come in the color she wanted. At the same time, I had a cover made for my hose so we have a pink hose cover and strap pads on one side of the bed and blue on the other. We also have matching CPAP night stands. We store water in one night stand and supplies in the other.

[ChicagoGranny]

So question #1 - should I empty the humifier every day? I have been topping off until cleaning day. #2 - if I should empty every day, how much should I fill it? I don't want to waste the distilled water but want enough to get me through every night.

Why are you using the CPAP humidifier?