Back from Mayo - CPAP Cleaning

[JDS74]

I got the following cleaning instructions from the Mayo CPAP store while on my recent visit. Hope these are a help.

These instructions are a guide for cleaning your CPAP equipment. Refer to the instruction manual that comes with your equipment for specific manufacturer recommendations.

Supplies needed:Mild liquid dish detergent (for example, Ivory, Joy)
Sink or basin
Clean hand towel
Device to hang tubing (for example, shower bar, towel rack, back of a chair)
Distilled water for humidifier
White vinegar

Mask - Wash daily because natural body oils on your face can wear down the mask, which can cause a poor mask-to-face seal.
1 Remove the headgear from the mask.
2 Wash the mask in warm soapy water.
3 Rinse the mask under running water.
4 Shake off excess water.
5 Place the mask on a clean hand towel to air-dry or use the hand towel to dry the mask.
6 Once a week, after washing the mask in soapy water, soak the mask in vinegar water (one part white vinegar and three parts warm water) for 30 minutes. Then follow steps 3 to 5.

Nasal pillows - Wash daily.
1 Remove the nasal pillows from the gray or blue shell.
2 Wash the nasal pillows in warm soapy water.
3 Rinse the nasal pillows under running water.
4 Shake off excess water.
5 Place the nasal pillows on a clean hand towel to air-dry or use the hand towel to dry the nasal pillows.

Humidifier - Wash daily. Water or moisture that sits in the humidifier when not in use readily begins to grow mold and fungal material. When these are blown with pressure through your nose, it can trigger allergies, rhinitis (clear, runny nose) and congestion. This makes tolerating CPAP difficult.
1 Empty remaining distilled water from the humidifier.
2 Wash humidifier reservoir in the dishwasher if the humidifier instruction manual says it is safe to do so and you have a dishwasher. Otherwise, follow steps 3 to 6.
3 Wash the inside of the humidifier with warm soapy water.
4 Rinse the inside of the humidifier thoroughly.
5 Pour out excess water.
6 Use a clean hand towel to wipe the outside of the humidifier and allow the inside of the humidifier to air-dry.

Once a week, after washing the inside of the humidifier with soapy water, pour vinegar water (one part white vinegar and three parts warm water) into the humidifier. After 30 minutes, pour out the vinegar water. Then follow steps 4 to 6.

PLEASE NOTE: Read your humidifier's instruction manual, as some manufacturers do not recommend using this procedure because vinegar may degrade the humidifier's metal parts.
ResMed S8 - OK to use vinegar
Fisher & Paykel 604/608 - OK to use vinegar

Tubing - Wash weekly.
1 Separate tubing from the CPAP unit and mask or nasal pillows.
2 Wash the tubing in warm soapy water.
3 Soak the tubing in vinegar water (one part white vinegar and three parts warm water) for 30 minutes.
4 Rinse the tubing under running water.
5 Shake off excess water.
6 Allow tubing to air-dry by hanging it so that water will drain out. Tubing also can be dried by reattaching it to the CPAP unit and turning the unit on for several minutes.

[Slinky]

Thanks for sharing, JDS. The folks at Mayo's CPAP Shop are just great, aren't they? Bob Schumacher was so very helpful to me when I was there.

[rested gal]

Thank you, JDS.

Those are good instructions for people who are inclined to do that every day.

There are many methods and many schedules (including the "very seldom" that I use ) that work for cpap users:

Links to Cleaning mask, hose, humidifier
viewtopic.php?p=567264#p567264

[Alshain]

Thank you, JDS.

Those are good instructions for people who are inclined to do that every day.

There are many methods and many schedules (including the "very seldom" that I use ) that work for cpap users:

Links to Cleaning mask, hose, humidifier
viewtopic.php?p=567264#p567264

Yeah, I agree. I clean my mask cushion every day by rising it it warm tap thoroughly. The humidifier is using distilled water, nothing is going to grow in that very quickly. I wash it maybe once a month. The tubing I might run water through once a week.

[Sheriff Buford]

In the past few weeks, I have seen vinegar "pop up" as a means of cleaning the mask. I normally soak my mask in water-soap solution for a few hours every weekend, then rinse well. I am aware of the great uses of vinegar.

You folks that have regulary use a vinegar solution for your mask, have you notice any mask deterioration? Do you think the vinegar solution erodes the mask plastic or silicone?

Just wonderin'

Sheriff

[Bobby269]

My DME suggested using vinegar but Resmed say's not to. http://www.resmed.com/us/service_and_su ... c=patients
It can be used for the humidifier water chamber.

[Sheriff Buford]

My DME suggested using vinegar but Resmed say's not to. http://www.resmed.com/us/service_and_su ... c=patients
It can be used for the humidifier water chamber.

Bobby: thanks for the heads-up. Vinegar started showing up on these threads recently, and I thought I read somewhere not to use it.

Sheriff

[archangle]

Disassemble and dishwash everything but the hose and headgear once a week has worked fine for me for 7 years. Everything stays clean. Mask cushions last at least 6 months, everything else seems to last forever.