Mold in CPAP Humidifier Tank

[chunkyfrog]

I check the water every night, and if it looks or smells even a little bit "off", I wash by hand with Dawn,
hot water, and a bottle brush reserved for the tank. Only had pink stuff when using questionable store water.
My home-distilled aqua distiller has never grown alien pink spawn.

[ger365]

I've gotten pink mold a couple of times with Wally world distilled water, but never with our home-made distilled water. --yet!

I have tested distilled water with a tester I have for testing my water filter for the refrigerator. It is a pass/fail...anyway most of the "distilled" water from wally world fails...think it's just filtered tap water.

[ger365]

I've gotten pink mold a couple of times with Wally world distilled water, but never with our home-made distilled water. --yet!

I have tested distilled water with a tester I have for testing my water filter for the refrigerator. It is a pass/fail...anyway most of the "distilled" water from wally world fails...think it's just filtered tap water.

[Wulfman...]

I've gotten pink mold a couple of times with Wally world distilled water, but never with our home-made distilled water. --yet!

I have tested distilled water with a tester I have for testing my water filter for the refrigerator. It is a pass/fail...anyway most of the "distilled" water from wally world fails...think it's just filtered tap water.

WHERE did you test the samples and what kinds of tests did you do? Just saying "tested" doesn't mean diddly squat.
Walmart gets their water from different sources from around the country and typically from sources nearer to their distribution warehouses. I've checked the labels in various stores in different parts of the country I've purchased it from. All the labels I've checked show the source for the water and the processor.

On the other hand, I've also used filtered water and never had anything growing in it either.
Nothing "bad" is going to be carried out of the humidifier tank to the user anyway. The water vapor molecules are too small.


Den

.

[Katman55]

Has anyone tried Chlorhexidine solution for disinfecting? I have been using it for many years with my CPAP. Rinse the house and mouth piece with hot water, leaving water in hose. I put about 10 drops of chlorhexidine in and run hose back and forth then drain and air dry. Rinsing sounds like a good idea, but I never have. I use Pepsodent in my humidifier tank weekly, but still will get mold occasionally, so I clean well and soak in dilute Chlorhexidine for a couple of hours. Chlorhexidine kills bacteria and mold, is food safe and skin safe and commonly used in human and veterinary medicine for a variety of disinfection uses. It is available at some pharmacies and on Amazon. Note: read the instructions, it is effective at very very dilute concentrations. Don't use the oral dental rinse. Check on it yourself before using. Dilution is something like 2 ml in 32 oz of water.

[D.H.]

Best idea is to do vinegar first, then rinse, then Polident (or Efferdent).

Once that is done, I suggest emptying the tank every morning, and running the machine for about half an hour to make sure that the tank is bone-dry! Also, use only distilled water, if at all possible. In the U.S., distilled water sells for 88¢ per gallon at Walmart (a little bit more at most other supermarkets). If you live elsewhere, you'll need to find out.

[Guest]

I use Pepsodent in my humidifier tank weekly, but still will get mold occasionally,

You haven't mentioned what your source of water is? Well? City?

Certainly you shouldn't have a mold problem if using distilled.

[Goofproof]

Sounds like Katman55, never heard use fresh clean distilled water ONLY in a HH, don't be afraid to dump and rinse the HH out daily. Jim

[EdNerd]

I'm sure this has been answered before, but I can't find it right now.
And it might be relevant to this question.

What's the difference between "distilled" water and "processed" (RO, etc) drinking water?
Why isn't the 25 cents a gallon water from the grocery story machine good enough for my CPAP?

Ed

[palerider]

I'm sure this has been answered before, but I can't find it right now.
And it might be relevant to this question.

What's the difference between "distilled" water and "processed" (RO, etc) drinking water?

distillation is a particular type of water processing, wherein water is evaported to vapor, leaving most of the contaminants behind, then that vapor is condensed into a much more pure water. same process that is used to get high proof alcohol. distilled.... think 'still'.

RO (Reverse Osmosis) is a process where water is forced through a remarkably fine membrane that doesn't pass much besides water molecules.

other methods are... other methods.

Why isn't the 25 cents a gallon water from the grocery story machine good enough for my CPAP?

it probably is.

[Okie bipap]

What's the difference between "distilled" water and "processed" (RO, etc) drinking water?
Why isn't the 25 cents a gallon water from the grocery story machine good enough for my CPAP?

It would be the same as using filtered tap water in your machine. You may end up with mineral deposits in your water reservoir. If you never run out of water at night, and empty and rinse the reservoir every morning, you may never get the mineral build up.

[chunkyfrog]

I got a couple gallons of RO water at the grand opening of the Fresh Thyme natural grocery.
The MANAGER said it was the "same as distilled". I decided not to argue and try the FREE water.
I ended up cleaning a small deposit of powdered limestone out of my tank.
Not something I want to do all the time.

[D.H.]

Distilled water is the best option. Purified water is the second best option (although it generally tends to be more expensive than distilled water). "Distilled" water from a petrol station (or that is unsafe to drink) should be avoided!

If you can't get distilled or purified water, any potable water (except carbonated, flavored, or colored) can be used, but it will leave a deposit.

Distilled water is available readily in the U.S. and Canada. Not sure about other countries.

[palerider]

What's the difference between "distilled" water and "processed" (RO, etc) drinking water?
Why isn't the 25 cents a gallon water from the grocery story machine good enough for my CPAP?

It would be the same as using filtered tap water in your machine. You may end up with mineral deposits in your water reservoir. If you never run out of water at night, and empty and rinse the reservoir every morning, you may never get the mineral build up.

RO filters out most, if not all, of the minerals. depends on the filter membrane.

[Goofproof]

Distilled water is the best option. Purified water is the second best option (although it generally tends to be more expensive than distilled water). "Distilled" water from a petrol station (or that is unsafe to drink) should be avoided!

If you can't get distilled or purified water, any potable water (except carbonated, flavored, or colored) can be used, but it will leave a deposit.

Distilled water is available readily in the U.S. and Canada. Not sure about other countries.

It depends if they hang up the hose between filling the bottles, don't buy it if the hose is stored in the restroom!

What bothers me is why are people so dumb they can't follow the instructions to use distilled water, even in undeveloped countries. It's not like the formula is a State Secret! It removes everything but H2O and sterilizes it at the same time, from there all you have to do is keep it sterile. You would have to be really DUMB not to be able to grasp that! Jim

True you can use other things and ways, that's free Will, but so is Stupid!