Stinky Dirty Socks....Ewwww

[Mimmie]

Hey guys, it's been awhile since I've been here, which is a very good thing, I think. It's also taken awhile to catch up on the reading. Lots of new names, sorry to see, and I mean that in the best way possible.

I need you're help. A problem has developed that I just can't figure out. It's not major by any means, but annoying to say the least. I use distilled water only in my machine. I have to keep the humidity up because of COPD. It makes it so much easier for me with it cranked up to about 70%, with the temp around 65. I live in a humid state and have never used the humidity or temp on the machine but recently tried it after my COPD became worse. It's a miracle! Helps more than any of my updraft meds for the congestion.

I try to keep water in it at all times, but sometimes it does run out and when it does then it's AWFUL. The smell is stinky dirty socks. It is horrible and has to be cleaned immediately to rid it of the yucky smell. I clean my humidifier with vinegar on a weekly basis. I always have. So why is it doing this? Does anyone else have this problem? I can't for the life of me figure it out and it happens every single time that the humidifier happens to run out of water.

Many thanks. M

[grayghost4]

I would suggest, cleaning the chamber with vinigar and let it dry, then put it in with no water and putting your mask on and turning it on and see if the smell is there ..... if it is then remove the humidifier from the blower and connect the hose to the blower and mask on and see if it still smells.
This will tell weather it is the humidifier or not.

[AlabamaAl]

yes, when a machine runs out of water at night, it has a god awful smell, plainly said, it stinks. Most of the time the smell will gradually go away after you refill the chamber.

[TangledHose]

It gets hot enough without water that you get a burnt plastic smell.....it is bad smell to say the least!

The machine has a heat limit safety so theoretically you won't damage the machine, but it can't be good for it. So don't let it run out of water........I have my humidity set very high because my sinuses really like the humid air, if I stay on my machine for a full 8 hours or more I will run out of water in the humidifier tub, so when I use my S9 I will "top it off" in the middle of the night when I get up for a bathroom break. It's a pain to do but far better than running out of water and getting that terrible smell.

I recently got a new Airsense machine, same size water tub as the S9 (380 ml) but the tub is easier to remove than the S9, so I bought a second humidifier tub and now I fill both before bed and when I get up in middle of the night I just swap out the tub with the full one.....much easier process. I suppose you could do the same thing with the S9, but not as easy to swap out tubs with that design, might just be easier to top off at some point in the night.

Edit for clarification....when I say "top off" I mean I keep a small water bottle on bedside table and carefully just poor water right in the tub. I know you're not supposed to do it that way, but if you're careful it's really not a problem. The S9 tub is just a bit more difficult to pull the tub out to fill it, so I just pour water in being very careful not to miss or spill......it works for me with no issues.

[BlackSpinner]

It gets hot enough without water that you get a burnt plastic smell.....it is bad smell to say the least!

.when I say "top off" I mean I keep a small water bottle on bedside table and carefully just poor water right in the tub. I know you're not supposed to do it that way, but if you're careful it's really not a problem. The S9 tub is just a bit more difficult to pull the tub out to fill it, so I just pour water in being very careful not to miss or spill......it works for me with no issues.

That is what I do. It is so dry here in the winter with the heat on full that I run out near the morning frequently so I just reach over, turn machine off and open it to add some water. I don't have an Resmed so I don't know how yours works. If I am to lazy to wake up that much I just turn the knob to turn the humidifier off - which is what I did at 5:30 am this morning because an hour without it is ok for me.

[herefishy]

You might try a passover humidifier in line with your machine humidifier - it might keep you from running out.

[BlackSpinner]

You might try a passover humidifier in line with your machine humidifier - it might keep you from running out.

I prefer lots of humidity and I would rather go for an hour cold then spent most of the night uncomfortable.

[chunkyfrog]

If the smell resembles ripe socks, it may contain fungal agents.
Aggressive cleaning should help.

[Goofproof]

Doctor, doctor, when I hit my head with this hammer it hurts, what shall I do?

Doctor's answer: Stop hitting your head with the hammer, you will be cured, that will be $100, please pay the lady on the way out!

Other answers: Control mask and mouth leaks, and or lower HH temp, and or add water in the middle of the night. "A drinking bottle like used on bike's with a straw built in, would help control spills". Jim

[Mimmie]

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I know that if the water runs out then there is the smell. I do "top it off" until weekly clean day. Oh happy day on those days when I actually sleep so long without waking that the humidifier runs out of a full tank of water!! I guess what I was trying to ask, is why? Before I started using water, obviously the humidifier was empty and dry and there was NO smell. So after using water and it runs dry then why is there a smell? Is there some type of chemical reaction with the metal? It's distilled water so there shouldn't be any chemicals or is it just the heat on the metal that's causing it? Oh well, at least I'm not the only one with the nasty smell and it can be corrected easily. I was just wondering the reasons that caused it.

[Goofproof]

By adding to instead of dumping the water may sour, also stored distilled water, can develop a smell after the container is opened, some even when unopened.

If your HH is empty and off it won't heat up or smell. Turning the temp of the HH down will make it use less water. Running a humidifier in the room will add water to the air and extend the time before the HH runs out. Jim

[Sleeprider]

I don't want to start a tap water vs distilled thread, but many of us have never used distilled and have no problems. Dump leftover water and refill. Unless your tap water has quality problems like excess hardness or odors, it is a way to ensure water in the humidifier is fresh and clean. Give it a try.

[palerider]

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I know that if the water runs out then there is the smell. I do "top it off" until weekly clean day.

I'd say try dumping out the excess every day, maybe it's getting manky in between. and when that gets toasted on the hotplate, that's why it get icky.

[chunkyfrog]

I sometimes forget that some other folks have soft, pure water.
Our water is not the hardest, but makes crusty whatever it touches.
I'd rather de-lime the distiller--or get DH to do it!
I can easily picture that layer of lime making a home for icky critters.

[Sleeprider]

I sometimes forget that some other folks have soft, pure water.
Our water is not the hardest, but makes crusty whatever it touches.
I'd rather de-lime the distiller--or get DH to do it!
I can easily picture that layer of lime making a home for icky critters.

I'm definitely spoiled in that every where we have lived has exceptional water. I have seen the calcium stalgmites in a humidifier tray. People who live with high lime should stock CLR?