soap and warm water... is it enough?

[Izabela]

Manufacturers recommend to clean CPAP equipment with just soap and warm water. It seems like many folks have resorted to using other methods like germicides and even straight up alcohol.

I know there are lots of ways of getting the job done. But what are your feelings about the recommended simple soap and water method? Do you use that method, and do you personally feel it's effective enough?

Mostly just looking for opinions.

[apneawho]

Warm soap and water is what I use once per week on mask pillows, hose and humidifier tank. Once per month if I think about it, I use 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar in humidifier tank only and let it soak for 15 minutes. Most people don't even bother with this. If you are using distilled water in the tank, you should be good to go with soap and water, I use Ivory liquid for cleanliness.

[Sheriff Buford]

There have been many variations of this topic discussed here before. To me... soap and water is fine. I use baby shampoo, some folks use Ivory, and arch uses the dishwasher. Be careful about using vinegar. I suspect a little doesn't hurt, but most manufacturers specifically recogmend not using it. Never use alchohol. It breaks down the plastic seal on the mask and your mask will start leaking. I scrub my mask every Saturday with a toothbrush and soak for a few hours. On weekdays, I wipe my mask down with baby wipes (no aloe or alchohol). The sensitive skin wipes work well. Since I don't use a humidifier, I don't worry with cleaning the hose. I replace it anyway about twice a year.

You'll get random responses on this topic.

Sheriff

[Slartybartfast]

There have been many variations of this topic discussed here before. [snip]
You'll get random responses on this topic.

Sheriff

And, from the other tail of the bell curve, I have never washed anything but the nasal pillows. Those, I do wash with soap and water, but only a few times over the last year. I don't replace anything unless it doesn't work, and at just over a year, everything is working fine. I have spares, but haven't had to use any of them.

Onlyl thing I've changed is that I am using deionized water now in my humidifier. Got tired of cleaning the boiler scale out of it, so I fill a couple of jugs from the DI system at work where we have it piped into the labs. But water here in So Cal has 700 ppm total dissolved solids, mostly sodium. It's so salty, you can taste the minerals in it.

[Izabela]

Thanks, Sheriff. I figure the responses will vary widely but I am interested in what people will say. It's sort of amazing how some people can swear by a risky method and others will swear against it. (Alcohol, for example.) I'm with you on that one, though.

[LinkC]

Mask: Soap (Ivory Pur) and water. About once a week, or if I drool into the mask.
Hose: Once.
Humidifier tank: I only use it to muffle the machine noise. So, not since I stopped using tap water in it.

I'd guess everyone goes by their own comfort level.

[RandyJ]

I think it is enough (as others have said above) with one caveat: these parts (cushions, hoses, humidifier tanks) are being replaced by new ones after 3 to 6 months, roughly. This way you do not have to be concerned about bacteria build up over time.

If you get the flu or a bad cold and are constantly sneezing into your mask, then washing out everyday would be required. Otherwise many wash the interior of the mask every 3 to 5 days as needed. If you are not using a mask liner, you may need to wash the cushion every day or every other day to eliminate facial oils.