How do YOU dry the hose?

[katcw]

Yup. I wash it in the shower, and rinse well. I hang it up to dry -- and several days later there still are droplets of water in the hose (I have two hoses). I don't want to dry it using air from the bipap because I think it would throw my readings off. What do the rest of you do to dry the hose?

[Gerald]

I built a hose drier using a computer fan, a 12v DC plug-in power supply, a switch off of a school bus, a pot plant rolling stand, some bilge pump plastic hose from Academy Sporting Goods, some A/C filter foam. a paper towell, and a boot drier from Harbor Freight.

My system dries all day....with a very gentle breeze of highly filtered air blowing through it. In fact, the drier actually takes care of two systems....mine and my honey's.

[DreamStalker]

There is no reason to wash it in the first place unless you somehow got it dirty. The air going through it from the machine goes through a HEPA filter so there is really no reason to wash it. In fact, washing it and not drying it properly is a sure way to get mold growth started in it.

But now that you have a mold medium developed ... I would take it outside and swing it around over your head for a few minutes to get as much moisture out as possible ... then hook it up to your machine and let it blow dry for another few minutes.

[Velbor]

I use a spare, cheap, old, basic machine for hose drying.

Another option (I haven't actually done this) is to jury-rig a connector to your household vacuum cleaner, to suck (not blow!!) air through the hose. No reason this shouldn't work, the air coming through the tube is clean (though unfiltered) room air, and the high flow rate should dry the tube quickly.

Using your main machine for drying should not affect machine readings. Most machines distinguish between constant flow, and the variations caused by breathing, and ignore the former. (It would still count toward unresettable blower-on time, decreasing the value of the machine if you ever want to sell it.)

[jdm2857]

You could always make something like what is used to dry the inside of clarinets. Attach a piece of clean, absorbent cloth that fits snugly into the hose to a string that is a bit longer than the hose. Attach a small weight to the other end of the string. Drop the weight into the hose and use the string to pull the cloth through.

[john_dozer]

First I twirl the hose around like a lasso to use centripetal force to get out as much water as possible.

Then I either,

1) attach it to my machine alone for 20 minutes.

2) attach it to my machine just prior to going to sleep. I let the normal airflow from normal CPAP use dry it. But I usually only do this if I've cleaned the machine and water tray. And if I'm using the Liberty mask which has an component that extents the hose about 10" and helps keep my exhaled breath from reaching the hose.

[plr66]

What DreamStalker said. Never wash the hose. Keep your filter clean by replacing it when indicated. I have an over-the-door clothes hook on my bathroom door that I hang my hose on every morning, just to neaten up the bedroom and night table. I do clean the part of my mask that has contact with my face, every day to remove any trace of skin oils, and hang it on the hook as well. Easy care.

[millich]

There is no reason to wash it in the first place unless you somehow got it dirty. The air going through it from the machine goes through a HEPA filter so there is really no reason to wash it. ...

Hmm. I'm not so sure about that. Don't we also exhale into it? Our bodies are full of all sorts of nasty bugs in low enough concentrations that they don't make us sick. But allow those bugs to multiply in a warm, moist setting and that is an entirely different situation. Think petri dish.

I'm pretty sure if you take your SmartCard out of your machine, the time spent drying your hose won't be recorded and therefore won't influence your stats.

[Hose_Head]

Yup. I wash it in the shower, and rinse well. I hang it up to dry -- and several days later there still are droplets of water in the hose (I have two hoses). I don't want to dry it using air from the bipap because I think it would throw my readings off. What do the rest of you do to dry the hose?

Having read the replies to date, I have to wonder why some enterprising individual hasn't developed and marketed a commercial solution. It seems to me that a compact and inexpensive solution would be a popular item.

Features that I'd look for include:

• - cost under $25

• - small, no larger than the humidifier on a typical cpap machine

• - on/off switch, with timer

• - include a filter

• - possibly add a small heater - warm air dries much more efficiently and in humid climates, is essential to effective drying of the hose.

• - possibly add a filter or damper valve on the exhaust end of the hose to seal it from dust and insects when the dryer is not operating.

I recall seeing on this board a home made system that used a light bulb in a box and convection from the air that is warmed by the light bulb to dry the hose. I wonder how well that worked out in the end.

[DreamStalker]

There is no reason to wash it in the first place unless you somehow got it dirty. The air going through it from the machine goes through a HEPA filter so there is really no reason to wash it. ...

Hmm. I'm not so sure about that. Don't we also exhale into it? Our bodies are full of all sorts of nasty bugs in low enough concentrations that they don't make us sick. But allow those bugs to multiply in a warm, moist setting and that is an entirely different situation. Think petri dish.

I'm pretty sure if you take your SmartCard out of your machine, the time spent drying your hose won't be recorded and therefore won't influence your stats.

When you exhale ... it goes out the CO2 exhaust vents of your mask ... else the CO2 rebreathing would kill 'ya long before any of the nasty bugs that are already in moist setting (your inner body ... think petri dish with lots of nutrients than your hose will ever have).

[millich]

All of our exhalation goes out that way??? Well, I'll be dipped.

[Hose_Head]

Yup. I wash it in the shower, and rinse well. I hang it up to dry -- and several days later there still are droplets of water in the hose (I have two hoses). I don't want to dry it using air from the bipap because I think it would throw my readings off. What do the rest of you do to dry the hose?

Having read the replies to date, I have to wonder why some enterprising individual hasn't developed and marketed a commercial solution. It seems to me that a compact and inexpensive solution would be a popular item.

Features that I'd look for include:

• cost under $25

• small, no larger than the humidifier on a typical cpap machine

• on/off switch, with timer

• include a filter

• possibly add a small heater - warm air dries much more efficiently and in humid climates, is essential to effective drying of the hose.

• possibly add a filter or damper valve on the exhaust end of the hose to seal it from dust and insects when the dryer is not operating.

I recall seeing on this board a home made system that used a light bulb in a box and convection from the air that is warmed by the light bulb to dry the hose. I wonder how well that worked out in the end.

[DreamStalker]

All of our exhalation goes out that way??? Well, I'll be dipped.

Yep. ALL except the stuff you rebreathe. However the masks are designed and approved by FDA to NOT cause you to rebreathe. It can still happen when pressure is set at lowest setting of 4 and you have a FF mask with a large volume and the patient has small lung volume or some other lung disorder ... but even then, you will just rebreathe the exhalation and it will NOT go back up against pressurized air of hose and back into the tube.

Now if you turn off machine and exhale ... then some exhaled air may indeed go back up tube and how much would depend on the lung volume. But again, your lungs have a much higher petri dish potential than the hose ever will.

[Marietjie]

Don't wash it....KATCW.....Don't wash it ! ! !

I wash the short tube 1 x p.w.
and the pillows every day.

[GumbyCT]

I don't get it - if it IS clean (as in just cleaned) why worry about drying it? Why not just put on and use it? You will just be adding more moisture to the dry hose, no?

To me drying it in room air will likely add many more impurities than you had before the cleaning.

On another note - doesn't Resmed make some models now that when turned off, leave the blower on to dry out the hose for a time?