The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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chunkyfrog
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by chunkyfrog » Mon May 09, 2022 12:26 pm

Pugsy wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 8:05 am
. . .
The "don't do much" has worked for me . . .
And for me, as well--even through four months of chemo.
99.99% of the "germs" around us are harmless;
and killing too many puts our immunity at risk.
Many harmless microbes are there to build our immunity to the bad ones.

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Grumpy48
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by Grumpy48 » Mon May 09, 2022 12:28 pm

babydinosnoreless wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 11:25 am

I personally use alcohol wipes but to each his own. ymmv.
Alcohol wipes are excellent cleaners and sanitizers, so long as they are kept out of contact with rubber based components which can be dried out and caused to harden and crack by alcohol (has a similar effect on rubber as ozone does). Probably not much for rubber components anyhow on a CPAP that would need cleaning other than the hose ends(?)

Good discussion here. Always interesting to hear what others are doing or not doing :mrgreen:

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GearChange
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by GearChange » Mon May 09, 2022 12:34 pm

Good point.
Most don't understand that isopropanol or "Rubbing alcohol" in alcohol wipes can damage rubber/silicon based compounds by altering their molecular structure. They just go ahead and wipe the crap off of every seal and mask and then when their machine starts to leak like a sieve , they go online complaining about the "poor quality" of their machine and not knowing how to fix it.
Alcohol wipes are great to wipe your hands and surfaces with, but I wouldn't go cleaning my mask and machine with them.
Last edited by GearChange on Mon May 09, 2022 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Even though I have had extensive experience with the use and functionality of several types of different PAP machines,no information in my posts should be put in practice unless cleared by your own medical practitioner first.

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by Dog Slobber » Mon May 09, 2022 12:40 pm

GearChange wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:34 pm
just go ahead and wife the crap off
Yup, Mother's Day was yesterday, return to normal.

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zonker
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by zonker » Mon May 09, 2022 1:11 pm

ChicagoGranny wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 7:53 am
Another Ridiculous Cleaning Thread
that's it, i'm going to have to memorize ARCT.
people say i'm self absorbed.
but that's enough about them.
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GearChange Is a Confused Puppy

Post by ChicagoGranny » Mon May 09, 2022 1:48 pm

GearChange wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:34 pm
Most don't understand that isopropanol or "Rubbing alcohol" in alcohol wipes can damage rubber/silicon based compounds by altering their molecular structure.
You are digging your hole deeper. Isopropyl alcohol is recommended for cleaning silicone. (It's silicone, not silicon. Silicone is a man-made polymer derived from silicon. The two products have different properties and different applications.)

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https://www.customadvanced.com/chemical ... chart.html

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by babydinosnoreless » Mon May 09, 2022 2:12 pm

Grumpy48 wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:28 pm
babydinosnoreless wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 11:25 am

I personally use alcohol wipes but to each his own. ymmv.
Alcohol wipes are excellent cleaners and sanitizers, so long as they are kept out of contact with rubber based components which can be dried out and caused to harden and crack by alcohol (has a similar effect on rubber as ozone does). Probably not much for rubber components anyhow on a CPAP that would need cleaning other than the hose ends(?)

Good discussion here. Always interesting to hear what others are doing or not doing :mrgreen:
I haven't had that problem. I got my equipment in 2018. I have gone through one hose (dog ate it shortly after I got my cpap machine). Since I settled on a mask I've gone through one frame (broke it by accidentally setting something heavy on it). I broke one water chamber again stupidity on my part. I change cushions maybe once or twice a year if they need it or not. Basically because of the ick factor after a cold or something (even with the alcohol wipes I want sick germs gone lol) According to Oscar my leaks are low. As all the parts have long outlasted their "recommended replacement schedule" I don't think alcohol really hurts things enough for it to be an issue. I don't clean anything inside the machine so maybe it would hurt the insides ?? But as for wiping down the cushions or swishing it around the water chamber I really haven't had a problem.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by chunkyfrog » Mon May 09, 2022 2:24 pm

I destroyed two hoses in total--both during disassembly for CLEANING.
I learned my lesson, just not quite as fast as others.
(Some say I have the learning curve of a frog.)

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by palerider » Mon May 09, 2022 3:06 pm

GearChange wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 9:27 am
To all the tar-n-feather know-it-all contributors;
You're missing the point. If you use Ozone cleaners, you not only run the risk of denting your own health, you will also definitely damage the foam inside your machine, a material that almost all PAP machine manufacturers use. Ozone helps disintegrate foam molecules which in turn can end up in your lungs.
If that was the "point", then why was it obfuscated so much with you telling people what to do, instead of just saying "Resmed will void your warranty if you use an ozone machine and the determine it's caused damage to the inside of the machine" (which it will).

Also, I don't know where you get off making the 'tar-n-feather' sarcastic remark... I don't think anybody disagree with you other than saying that they didn't think it was necessary to wash hoses.

but, I guess if your feelings are especially delicate, you might be wanting an apology...

Don't hold your breath though.

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by palerider » Mon May 09, 2022 3:09 pm

Grumpy48 wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:28 pm
babydinosnoreless wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 11:25 am

I personally use alcohol wipes but to each his own. ymmv.
Alcohol wipes are excellent cleaners and sanitizers, so long as they are kept out of contact with rubber based components which can be dried out and caused to harden and crack by alcohol (has a similar effect on rubber as ozone does). Probably not much for rubber components anyhow on a CPAP that would need cleaning other than the hose ends(?)
Some people (who've apparently never seen a chemical compatibility chart) are under the mistaken impression that alcohol is terrible for silicone. quite the contrary, silicone doesn't care. :)

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by palerider » Mon May 09, 2022 3:10 pm

GearChange wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:34 pm
Good point.
Most don't understand that isopropanol or "Rubbing alcohol" in alcohol wipes can damage rubber/silicon based compounds by altering their molecular structure.
No, IPA doesn't affect silicone. Neither does ethyl alcohol.

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by zonker » Mon May 09, 2022 3:11 pm

palerider wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 3:06 pm

Don't hold your breath though.
if one holds it long enough, it becomes central apnea.
people say i'm self absorbed.
but that's enough about them.
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Grumpy48
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by Grumpy48 » Mon May 09, 2022 3:35 pm

palerider wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 3:09 pm
Grumpy48 wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:28 pm
babydinosnoreless wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 11:25 am

I personally use alcohol wipes but to each his own. ymmv.
Alcohol wipes are excellent cleaners and sanitizers, so long as they are kept out of contact with rubber based components which can be dried out and caused to harden and crack by alcohol (has a similar effect on rubber as ozone does). Probably not much for rubber components anyhow on a CPAP that would need cleaning other than the hose ends(?)
Some people (who've apparently never seen a chemical compatibility chart) are under the mistaken impression that alcohol is terrible for silicone. quite the contrary, silicone doesn't care. :)
Yup, silicone elastomers do not react to many chemicals that natural rubber does. Good to see you comprehend that distinction.

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palerider
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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by palerider » Mon May 09, 2022 3:47 pm

Grumpy48 wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 3:35 pm
palerider wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 3:09 pm
Grumpy48 wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 12:28 pm
babydinosnoreless wrote:
Mon May 09, 2022 11:25 am

I personally use alcohol wipes but to each his own. ymmv.
Alcohol wipes are excellent cleaners and sanitizers, so long as they are kept out of contact with rubber based components which can be dried out and caused to harden and crack by alcohol (has a similar effect on rubber as ozone does). Probably not much for rubber components anyhow on a CPAP that would need cleaning other than the hose ends(?)
Some people (who've apparently never seen a chemical compatibility chart) are under the mistaken impression that alcohol is terrible for silicone. quite the contrary, silicone doesn't care. :)
Yup, silicone elastomers do not react to many chemicals that natural rubber does. Good to see you comprehend that distinction.
I'm one of the people that's been posting links to material compatibility charts in response to people saying "I was told not to use alcohol" Plus I wiped my first cushion with alcohol every night for five years (yes, my first cushion lasted five years, probably because I didn't clean it vigorously every day. And I note that I used alcohol because it effective at removing facial oils, not to 'sanitize' the cushion. :)

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Re: The only (HEALTHY) way to sanitize your PAP gear

Post by lazarus » Mon May 09, 2022 5:22 pm

Every time I heard a ring-around-the-collar commercial as a kid, I heard my mother mutter, "or you could just keep your neck clean instead."

I cleaned a hose once. I think. But I've seen enough threads on cleaning opinions and quotes that I don't mind one bit anymore if some people wanna try using multicolored lasers and dancing flamethrowers on their own equipment.

Go for it.
The people who confuse "entomology" and "etymology" really bug me beyond words.
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