Scale in the humidifier tank

[Bearcat42]

Okay, I am guilty of not cleaning my tank as often as I should. So now I have this scale in the bottom of my tank and no amount of scrubbing will get it out. Is there anything I can put in the tank and let it soak that will break up this scale? Any help is appreciated.

[Pugsy]

Vinegar... let soak, slosh around, scrub a bit if you can get to area.
Rinse numerous times to get stinky vinegar smell gone. Can you tell I hate smelling vinegar?

[Bearcat42]

Do you mean using straight vinegar, with no water?

[drj130]

Yep, it is strongest that way. Then just wash it normally.

David

[builta]

Hi,

Use white vinegar, its fairly inexpensive.

Fill it up and let it sit for an hour or so. Dump it out rinse it out, with tap water and then wipe it out with a tissue. If there is still crusty residue repeat. No scrubbing is necessary, but you do need to sometimes wipe out some soft powder like film.

You can soak the plastic/silicone/rubber parts at the same time.

I've done this for a friend, who only used tap water and was just adding tap water night after night. Three cleaning cycles and then a good final rinse and the little tank was good as new.

I personally use distilled water and have never had a mineral build up. When traveling, I use local tap water. When using tap water I always fill the tank to the full mark and dump it nightly. I've been running on the same tank for 2.5 years and never had any mineral build up.

[Slinky]

Try hot water and PoliDent Denture Cleansing tablet soak. When all the bubbling is done give some good shakes then the rinse, vinegar water rinse, rinse. You can repeat the PoliDent Denture Cleansing tablet as many times as needed if more than once is needed. I've also read of adding some dried beans to shake around to clean off any scaling. I've never had to resort to more than one PDDC tablet but then I've never used anything but distilled water in my 5 year old tank.

[TooGroggy]

Vinegar works. But a more effective way to remove scale building is with a citric acid solution (you can find it at brew stores) or a product like Descal which is used in coffee machines. All of these products are biodegradable and non-toxic and are just as effective as the toxic chemical-based descalers they'll try to sell you at Home Depot.

[Slinky]

And check w/your insurance. Medicare will replace a humdifier tank once every six months if I remember correctly. Most insurances follow Medicare replacement schedules pretty closely.

[avi123]

Okay, I am guilty of not cleaning my tank as often as I should. So now I have this scale in the bottom of my tank and no amount of scrubbing will get it out. Is there anything I can put in the tank and let it soak that will break up this scale? Any help is appreciated.

I bet that you used tap water that in your area is "hard water". Otherwise, distilled water would leave no residue (it suppose to have no minerals in it).

But, what's wrong if you use it as is with the residue on the bottom and replace the whole container after a couple of years?

In a previous post about NOT using distilled water I suggested to use drinking water b/c the distilled water sold in U. S. stores is too acidic.

And if at any time the top plastic becomes opaque then just replace it for $42.

[avi123]

And check w/your insurance. Medicare will replace a humdifier tank once every six months if I remember correctly. Most insurances follow Medicare replacement schedules pretty closely.

Slinky, not so fast. My DME has its own rules about replacing parts under Medicare rental. To be more specific, every employee ("clinicians")there has her own rules. One told me that I could get a FF mask replacement every 3 months. When I showed up then another "clinician" said that it's actually every 6 month. And when I asked about the Cushion (mask interface A 4031) she said that they don't replace FF mask cushions b/c they get those masks (Quattro) all assembled. At that point I asked why do they offer those cushions separately on their Online business. She replied: "O, yes,you could buy it privately there". And a Quattro mask I could buy sooner also privately there. What a mess! So I ended buying the mask ($176) and a spare cushion ($54) for cash.

[TooGroggy]

what's wrong if you use it as is with the residue on the bottom and replace the whole container after a couple of years?

That residue is a good insulator and will reduce the effectiveness of the heater in a humidifier (assuming the heat source is below the humidifier).

And replacing the whole container is a waste of money, regardless of who pays for it, and resources.

[bucko]

I use coffee pot descaler solution to clean my tank like new. I've had the tank several years and it has had no effect on the tank or seals. After soaking for 1 hour it comes out factory new.

[bwexler]

Our sponsor sells the chambers for $22.50 for the PR S1 series 60 and $33 for the H5i.
By the time you buy the cleaner of choice and spend the time to clean 2 or 3 times I would prefer to "waste"the money, especially if my insurance company will pay for it. With my plan they will pay 100% upto $99.
My time is still valuable. I could be napping, or posting here.

[palerider]

Our sponsor sells the chambers for $22.50 for the PR S1 series 60 and $33 for the H5i.
By the time you buy the cleaner of choice and spend the time to clean 2 or 3 times I would prefer to "waste"the money, especially if my insurance company will pay for it. With my plan they will pay 100% upto $99.
My time is still valuable. I could be napping, or posting here.

perhaps some people prefer not to contribute anything more to landfills than they have to?

[Bill44133]

Okay, I am guilty of not cleaning my tank as often as I should. So now I have this scale in the bottom of my tank and no amount of scrubbing will get it out. Is there anything I can put in the tank and let it soak that will break up this scale? Any help is appreciated.

A while back we had a thread on how to clean your humidifier tank. I always use this method it makes everything shiny like new:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=94916&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p878155


I wish you well