What is this GROSS stuff in my Headrest nasal pillow?

[djdixie]

I have been using a Headrest nasal pillow mask for quite a while and was fortunate that I could use both the medium and large nasal seals that came with it. Switching back and forth between the two sizes every few nights seemed to work well for me. However, a few months ago, while cleaning the medium pillows, I noticed some grayish debris inside it close to the part that goes in front of and into the nose. I quit using that one and have been using just the large pillow but this morning, again when I started to clean it, I noticed the same drebris in this one! It looks like fine grayish dirt, maybe a dozen or more little specks.

I'll confess to not cleaning it very often--could this possibly be (ugh!) mold?

Has anyone else had this problem or know what it might be?

I've taken a picture of this nasal pillow but don't know how to attach it or include it in this message. After I've chosen "copy" to put the picture on the clipboard, the "paste" option isn't abvailable when I get to this screen.

Thanks!
Debbie

[Billy6]

BOOGERS

[SleepyRose]

Hi Debbie
You cant copy and paste pics, you have to upload them to someplace, (Photobucket maybe) and then copy the name (blahblahblah.jpeg) and insert it between the IMG things. I upload to my daughters MySpace and that works too.

I really would like to see the pics, if it's mold or mildew I think it could be a real problem.

You can email the pics to someone and have them post them.

[djdixie]

SleepyRose - I'm not following you on how to get this picture posted. It's already named as a jpg file stored on the memory card from my camera, but how does that help me?

[SleepyRose]

It has to go from your camera to a website, not the computer, you cant load a pic from your camera to this site, it has to go to the web first. Make an account on Photobucket, upload the pic from your camera to Photo bucket.

After its on Photobucket and you can see it, right click on it and go to Properties. There you'll see the address; http://www.photobucket.com.images/blahblahblah.jpg . Highlight that and hit copy.

Come here and reply to a message. You'll see a rectangle box at the top that says Img. Click that and you'll get 2 img things(img)(/img) (similar to that.

past the pic between the 2 img things

(img)www.photobucket.com/images/blahblah.jpg(/img)

Hit preview and see if it shows. It should.

I hope that was all correct!

[Fire Man]

Hi Debbie,

Doesn't really matter what the gross stuff is, just dip it a mild solution of Chlorox and water. Whatever it is, that will kill it. Rinse well after doing this and the Chlorox won't hurt you or the pillow

Dave

[JoyD.]

Hi DJDixie . . .
As a retired microbiologist, I want to encourage you to clean the pillows DAILY. I use warm water and Ivory Liquid.

[Debjax]

Hi Debbie,

Doesn't really matter what the gross stuff is, just dip it a mild solution of Chlorox and water. Whatever it is, that will kill it. Rinse well after doing this and the Chlorox won't hurt you or the pillow

Dave

I don't think I'd use Chlorox. Perhaps a vinegar or citrus based cleaner,but not Cholorox.

[OCNorsk]

When I got my equipment I was told to wash it in a mild soap, not a detergent. So naturally I went to Ivory. Well, Ivory is no longer a soap it is a detergent. It is not 99 44/100ths % pure. I wanted to be sure, so I emailed whomever it is that makes Ivory and was told that it is a detergent.
So I use Palmolive because it was on sale.

I don't think I'd use Clorox as I would think it would break down the plastic.

[goose]

I certainly wouldn't use clorox. It will cause your pillows to deteriorate more rapidly for sure, not to mention smell really bad....

I clean my pillows about once a week or so in one small drop of dish soap, 1/2 cup plain white vinegar and about 1 to 1.5 cups of water (I never measure -- just a guesstimate on my part). You can use a Q-Tip to "scrub" the gross areas, but be sure you put it back in the solution and rinse very thoroughly so if there's any cotton debris from the scrub it's not left in the pillow.

I would think that it takes a while to grow a mold in the mask - but if you have mold spores around the rest of the house that time could be accelerated. But still it should take a long time -- perhaps cleaning it more often would be the trick.....

good luck
cheers
goose

[Bookbear]

Baby shampoo and very warm water.... daily. Really, the pillows (like any other silicone product, mask cushions and seals) need to be cleaned regularly. Skin oils will gradually cause the pillows (or cushions or seals) to loose pliability fairly quickly. Daily washing not only keeps things clean, it helps delay the need to replace the pillows (or cushions or seals). The WILL need replacement eventually, though.

[SleepyNoMore]

You can buy "Control 111" at cpap.com, it kills everything!
You can go to cpap.com and read up on it. That is what I bought to clean all of my used masks with.
Hope this helps
SleepyNoMore