Cleaning water tank

[tashabear]

Oh Crap, the DME got the best of your insurance company with that machine...

So that machine is not good? Seems fine so far...

It's fine. That's what I have, too. Some people are just CPAP snobs, I think.

[echo]

I wouldn't use bleach; I'd be afraid it would etch the plastic. White vinegar is a GREAT cleaner for all sorts of applications, and a gallon of it is wicked cheap. Rinse well, and you'll smell nothing.

That's what i thought too... but recently I've been getting the moldy critters in my tank, (and though i had been a bit lax about the cleaning thing, skipping some weekly cleanings), a good bleaching removed everything. (Be careful not to use too much bleach though, i think i overdid it and i've been smelling chlorine for a couple of days now).

BTW I'd been using vinegar on the hose too, but I bleached the heck out of that as well.

YMVV of course.

I'd say for the most part stick to the vinegar, but once in a while, and ESPECIALLY if you see floaters or the air smells funny, dip it in some bleach. But as they say, better safe than sorry.. so i'll be bleaching monthly now.

[yorkiemum01]

Whew..relieved to know I'm not the only one using an occasional
bleach soak/rinse. I do use distilled water, but my tank does get
a minor grime mark developing usually after a few weeks, and it
cleaned up very well with the bleach. I rinse very thoroughly though,
as I do realize this tank forces moisture into my lungs, and dont
want any ill side effects.

[birdshell]

RE: chlorine bleach

I do not know the concentration, but have been told that some of the sleep techs use bleach. (Yep, those folks who are crazy enough to get paid for watching us sleep.)

Now, that said, it doesn't mean that all of the professionals use bleach, nor does it mean that it is the exclusive cleaner. I've just heard an RT say that she was going to bleach the Swift I had just returned...and another tech mentioned bleach, too.

I use vinegar because that is what my RT taught me to do at the very first session. That, of course, doesn't mean it is the ONLY way...just read this thread!

Karen



BTW, allowing the tank to sit out in the open will allow the residual bleach to dissipate. In other words (IOW), when using tap water with chlorine in it for one's fish tank, allowing the water to sit open overnight will allow the chlorine to evaporate. The proof of this is that the fish have actually lived.


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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): swift

[JimmyJ]

cleaning and maintaining your humidifier tank.
I've had my system for about 4 years now and have made every mistake in the book.

1. If possible only use distilled water.
1a. I've used bottled water, home filtered water, and tap water, none of which is a good idea for a variety of reasons.

2. once you've contaminated the tank there are two things you have to do. first you have to clean the tank/hose. I've used bleach (full strength) in both the tank and tube to kill off bacterial infections. I have also used 90% medical alcohol as a sterilizer if you're afraid of the bleach. I have used both vinegar and (get this) soda (Coca Cola, etc) to remove mineral deposits. You have to use them on both the tank and the hose. Once they are pristine again, you can just go back to distilled water.

3. Use filters both the foam and the hyperclean paper filters. I bought 50 paper filters on the internet for less than $20. the foam can be washed and resused but they cost about $.50 on the internet. Every cpap medical supply house i've used has been a joke. they give you two filters at a time and they don't automatically send you the necessary supplies.

4. At least once a week take a good look at everything in bright light (half light drunken observations before bed don't cut it) Everything is clear and visible. If the water is cloudy or there are deposits in the tank or tube, take action. Rinse the mask out with tap water, its clear and you can see everything. I've never had anything accumulate/build up in my mask.

5. If your home environment is filled with contaminating elements, people, children, pets, vermin, pets, then you might institute a regular decontamination/cleaning regime, but the first six months i had a machine, I used distilled water religiously and had absolutely no problems, the tank did not cloud up, everything worked well, I slept well. Then i got lazy and sloppy, forgot to get distilled water (its only a dollar a gallon) used bottled water that i had been drinking from already, used tap water, used home filtered water and reaped everything i had sown. Eventually I got it all back to baseline.

6. If you have pets, ie cats, (esp kittens), ferrets, raccoons, lizards, any critter with small sharp teeth and claws, they will consider the hose to be some sort of prey and mess with it. After several months with a new kitten I was cleaning the hose and discovered that Sam (my kitten) had turned in into a soaker hose. It must have had 50 pinhole sized leaks in it. Time for a new hose. So the general lesson here is occasionally fill the hose and pressurize it from the tap to make sure its not leaking.

7. Lets try and apply some common sense here. I see ads for cleaning systems that you drop your mask into every night. Why dont I see cleaning systems that I drop my pillow into every night? Or my sheets, etc, etc. This not a shared device only one person uses it. the germs in it come from you, so you're already infected. True, it does have a heated water tank, but the air going into it is filtered and the water going into it should be distilled. If it begins to look contaminated, clean it, just like you would clean a plate or a cup.

8. in the bleach vs vinegar debate, here are the issues. Chlorine bleach is very toxic and kills almost all bacteria on contact, but it is basic not acidic so it doesnt work well on mineral deposits. Just make sure you rinse well to remove trace amounts. Vinegar is acidic and will eat away mineral deposits. But all you really need to remove the mineral deposits is some sort of acidic solution, vinegar and soda work, tea and coffee would probably also work. So RT techs will use bleach because they are dealing with equipment used by different people with different bacteria (viruses, prions, etc) and bleach is a very effective sterilizer. Bleach doesnt work in every situation because its hard on some metals (chrome) especially if you let it sit for a while. Isopropyl alcohol is also a good sterilizer and safer for metals, cloth, etc and it is generally less toxic and it evaporates quickly.

[Julie]

You're responding to a 10 yr old post!

[Goofproof]

Ten year old posts lives matter! Jim

[chunkyfrog]

On vacation.
Forgot my distilled water.
Used tap water.
Chlorinated---MUCH,
I smelled chlorine for the first 2 hours.
Nobody drinks the tap water in that town, I discovered later!