Cleaning CPAP Equipment

[gasparama]

I refuse to let the Amarillo water touch my mask. It may cost a little more, but my mask is cleaned in distilled water. Our water ruins the plumbing, the car paint and everything else it dries on. Why would I trust it to take care of a delicate mask? And as RG, the only way I want to clean my mask is to just leave it in one piece. I even leave the headgear on and hang it up to dry and a not so dusty place.

[RedThunder94]

i wash my mask maybe once a week or month, i like to use the cpap mask wipes from citrus II, i have been doing this for well over two years and it works great. the tank gets torn down and cleaned maybe once or twice every six months or earlier if we are going on a trip, thank god for distilled water. the hose never gets washed, just replaced after a few months, my bcbs is pretty liberal on the replacement schedule, a mask, hose and filters every 3 months, and headgear at 6 months which is ridiculous it usually should be replaced every 3 cause by then it is so stretched out it it won't hold a seal at all. but that is how i do it.

[Paul56]

I'm with snoregirl on the cleaning. I use distilled water for the heated humidifier, just adding more as needed. Months and months go by without my dumping the water out, much less cleaning the water chamber. Been doing that for several years with no ill effects.

Since I use the humidifier that fits the older "classic" Respironics' machines, I don't even remove the humidifier from the machine... I just add more distilled water with a funnel.

Same routine, or lack thereof, with the main air hose... I never "clean" it. If I'm figuring the distilled water in the humidifier is clean enough, I also figure the humidified air is clean enough all the way up through the hose. I've been using the same heated hose for over two years without ever having so much as rinsed it out except once.

Cleaning skin oils off the surfaces of a mask cushion or the nasal pillows does make for a better seal, as snoregirl mentioned.

Extensive soaking or taking things apart...nah, I'm just not going to do all that if I don't think something needs it. I believe we take more chances of picking up "something" just walking through crowded malls, eating out in restaurants, etc.

...and I'm with rested gal on all of this!

I add distilled water to my humidifier tank with very rarely dumping it. Last time it was dumped was when I packed the machine up for the return trip back here after Christmas holidays which was earlier this month. When the machine simply sits here I will top up the tank rather than dump it each day.

I washed the air hose once with no noticeable difference... I see no reason to do that again at this point. I will; however, purchase a spare hose in the next couple of weeks.

Mask... the most I take it apart is to remove the forehead & face cushions for their daily wash with Ivory soap. Occasionally I will remove the head gear and wash the mask frame but I never take it all apart for that. Getting a spare mask in the next coupla weeks as well. I simply don't feel comfortable rolling along with no spare parts here.

So my cleaning routine is as follows:

Daily: Remove the forehead & face cushions for washing. Wash my face prior to putting the mask on when going to bed.

Weekly: Will wash the mask frame while I have the cushions off.

As needed: Will change the filter on the machine. I don't go by the 3 month schedule... instead checking for a build up of dust on the filter surface. Using this criteria means I always change the filter before the 3 month time period is up. I always notice a slightly different... fresher if you will... smell when the filter is changed.

[RipVW]

Someone here mentioned that they use Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser, For Normal to Oily Skin to clean their mask. I tried it and love it--it reallly gets to mask sqeaky clean, removes oils, and smells great. I soak my mask once a week in hot water and a squirt of the product. Daily I just rinse in hot water. I like this better than the Ivory Liquid I used previously--cleans better, smells better.

[Debjax]

Before CPAP I had two or three colds per year. In three years using CPAP I had one cold and I think I know what caused it and it was not CPAP related.

I have crappy sinuses. They have been stuffy and swollen for years, with a constant draining in the back of my throat. Anesthesiologists hate my sinuses... I've been on CPAP for 5 weeks now. My sinuses have not been this clear in over a decade. My husband had a wicked cold a few weeks back, and I started to get it, but then the next day, it was gone.....I do believe that CPAP has been the cure for my sinus problem that over a decade of decongestants and sinus meds have not been able to fix.

[CPAP Jew]

I just got my set-up last week. Yesterday I took apart my mask and soaked and washed everything in warm water and ivory dish soap. The problem is I hung my hose over a towel rack to dry and it still hasn't. Good thing I have a second hose. Any ideas?

[RipVW]

Hello & Welcome, CPAP Jew! Glad you found this forum--SO much useful info and everyone here is so willing to help!

Some run their CPAP machine through the hose to dry it, but I don't recommend that, since that just puts wear and tear on the machine--a very expensive blow dryer! I've tried using my regular blow dryer, but ultimately it's just best to have a spare or two so they can hang up as long as needed to dry.

"You are getting sleepy . . ."

[Sleepyjohn]

Some of the comments on here quoting CME's only verifys what I have always thought.............no one should be making any reccomendations re CPAP usage, accessories, or cleaning materials/schedules unless they are a CPAP user themselves! There is more misinformation from them than facts! I'm going to rely on the info I get on here from those that seem (to me at least) to use some common sense.

[JOMOMA]

As far as water in the humidifier my book says water. It does not specify tap or distilled. My husband who is a clinical engineer who maintains and reairs hospital equipment. Ventilators and Bipap units included says that tap water is fine. The only part that is getting into the air is the water itself leaving behind the mineral residue. So I guess the choice is whether you want to deal with cleaning the resivoir more frequently or not due to mineral deposits.
My resp therapist and MD agree that either type is fine to use. Just depends on your preference.
Jo Ellen

[JOMOMA]

ewww! tapwater? i hope thats a joke, lol. i know that somebody died from legionnaires disease using tapwater in their humidifier at some hospital.

How do people get Legionnaires' disease?
People get Legionnaires' disease when they breathe in a mist or vapor (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. One example might be from breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected.

The bacteria are NOT spread from one person to another person.

Outbreaks are when two or more people become ill in the same place at about the same time, such as patients in hospitals. Hospital buildings have complex water systems, and many people in hospitals already have illnesses that increase their risk for Legionella infection.

Other outbreaks have been linked to aerosol sources in the community, or with cruise ships and hotels, with the most likely sources being whirlpool spas, cooling towers (air-conditioning units from large buildings), and water used for drinking and bathing.- From the CDC http://www.cdc.gov/legionella/patient_facts.htm

Legionella bacteria is an opportunistic organism. Meaning if you are elderly or have a weakened immune system you might succumb to the disease. Legionella is not found in normal tap water.

With that being said IF you have any concerns about the quality of your tap water either have it tested. Or used bottled water or distilled water as a safe alternative.

[RedThunder94]

still i wouldn't use tapwater for anything more than cleaning, the water that we have here is pretty clean but nonetheless i would never use it in a humidifier. there are alot of people on the boards that may have compromised immune systems that may have less than perfect water, and have less than perfect plumbing and may think it is ok to use tapwater and end up getting ill because somebody said it is okay.

i just think it should be put out there that this has happened to somebody using his cpap with the heated humidifier with a negative outcome before, it was in the news and was linked here by a fellow cpapper. i'm not trying to single you out or be mean. but whoever said they work in the medical field and said it was okay to use tapwater for that reason makes me very afraid for their patients which are more than likely to be the elderly or have a weakened immune system. most healthy people don't have to use oxygen or have to use any medical equipment. i know cleaning with tapwater is okay, but using it in a heated humidifier is something else. JMHO.

[GregWol]

I clean the masks everyday but don't take them apart like i used to. Too much work. Using baby soap is a great idea found some tonite and will try it. I always use distilled water and never cleaned the reservoir...just rinse in the morning with tap water shake and air dry. It still looks brand new. Also cleaned the hose once since starting (1 year). I think it may not dry enough to use it the next day. For nasal dryness I've been using NasoGel spray it works better than applying the gel with a q-tip. Only major problem I have is irritation on the bridge of my nose from both full face and nasal masks.

[tomjax]

It is truly alarming to see some of the chicken little posts here that are supposedly remotely accurate.

The case referenced was a charge. I bet it never went beyond first day of discovery if there was an attempt to link tap water in a HH to some form of legionares disease.
This does not happen.
Leg disease is spread from water droplets, not water VAPOR.
The bugs cannot attach to the vapor, yet someone always posts this.

All the posts never question the premise that disease can be spread this way. They simply describe ritualistic cleaning procedures that are more OCD than effective.
Be obsessive if you like, but please do not show ignorance by trying to pass it off as fact.

Simple answer- Use distilled water.
Clean equipment as you would anything else, but do not think it prevents disease.

[luv2mwah]

I am not a professional and have only recently been diagnosed with severe OSA. My health care professional stated that cleaning the mask/hose/humidifier water tank once a week in a mild soap is reccomended. Washing once a month in 1 part vinegar, 3 part water. I was also told not to soak the equipment, the soap and the vinegar can damage parts and always air dry. I personally take my equipment apart once a month for a thorough clean. Lastly, always use distilled water when the CPAP machine is in use, tap water can cause corrosion.

I've read anothers comments and questions. The one that I found hasn't been answered is "How to care/clean the headgear safely".
Does it also have to be hand washed or can it go in a load of laundry?

[roster]

I am not a professional and have only recently been diagnosed with severe OSA. My health care professional stated that cleaning the mask/hose/humidifier water tank once a week in a mild soap is reccomended. Washing once a month in 1 part vinegar, 3 part water. I was also told not to soak the equipment, the soap and the vinegar can damage parts and always air dry. I personally take my equipment apart once a month for a thorough clean. Lastly, always use distilled water when the CPAP machine is in use, tap water can cause corrosion.

I've read anothers comments and questions. The one that I found hasn't been answered is "How to care/clean the headgear safely".
Does it also have to be hand washed or can it go in a load of laundry?

Since you have not joined and filled out your profile, we do not know which headgear you have.