P10 vents are dirty

Not sure how but the diffused vents on the front are terribly yellowish brown after a few months of use.
I've tried soaking the mask in alka-seltzer and also a scrub with rubbing alcohol and toothbrush. Nothing seems to get them clean.
I can't tell if it's stained on the inside or outside. Where is it coming from? Am I inhaling/exhaling this brown stuff through my nose? I am not a cigarette smoker. Anyone have this issue and any luck cleaning them? Is it even something to worry about? Thanks.

Sluggish wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 08, 2019 3:44 pm

Not sure how but the diffused vents on the front are terribly yellowish brown after a few months of use.
I've tried soaking the mask in alka-seltzer and also a scrub with rubbing alcohol and toothbrush. Nothing seems to get them clean.
I can't tell if it's stained on the inside or outside. Where is it coming from? Am I inhaling/exhaling this brown stuff through my nose? I am not a cigarette smoker. Anyone have this issue and any luck cleaning them? Is it even something to worry about? Thanks.

I always used dawn dishwashing soap, hot water, and a toothbrush.

Chunkyfrog likes to use a waterpic with hers, and blast the things clean.

That said, Resmed says that they may discolor, but that's not a problem.

It's coming out of you.... unless your cpap is sucking it in, and it's making it through the filter.

The silicone will change color a bit as it ages. Happens with pretty much all silicone over time. Some faster than others.
Won't hurt you but it is a bit yucky looking. You don't breathe aging color changes though...so no worry in that regard.
I just noticed that the silicone in my Bleep frame area has started to look a bit yellowish. Doesn't surprise me...been using it since mid December.

I have tried various things over the years to reduce the yellowing effect but never really had much success except for somewhat successful when I did the boiling with backing soda trick to just nasal pillows. I am not sure I would try it on the frame of a P10 unless that frame was heading to the trash can anyway. I don't know how it would hold up to boiling...some parts to the frame might melt if they get too hot.

You might be interested in a thread on the Apnea Board entitled "EVIDENCE OF AIRFIT P10 VENT OBSTRUCTION CAUSING HYPERCAPNIA".

The OP of the thread has examined the vent under a microscope.

It's a long thread on the second page of the Main Apnea Board Forum.

I guess starting the thread was easier than dropping the frame into water with a DENTURE TABLET.
That will clean the dirty little thing like nobody's business.
And no work at all!

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:54 pm

I guess starting the thread was easier than dropping the frame into water with a DENTURE TABLET.
That will clean the dirty little thing like nobody's business.
And no work at all!

Easier, maybe. I was shooting for more effective.
In your defense, I did mess up by saying Alka-Seltzer when I meant DENTURE CLEANER.

To be clear, I tried DENTURE TABLETS. No effect. Maybe I can try a different brand. The ones I tried are from the dollar store. I didn't think it would matter.

I use brand name denture tablets.
The dollar store had none.
I actually prefer the water pic, because the tablets are too MINTY.

There is a difference between the vent holes actually being clogged with something and the silicone itself doing the aging changing of color. Color change doesn't obstruct vent holes.

Silicone will change color as it ages.....even in a sealed package. I have some very old donated mask cushions that are still sealed in original manufacture packing that are horribly dark yellow and not clear at all. They look awful...but they aren't dirty and no amount of cleaning is going to change the color. It's a chemical change within the silicone. So even sealed up...they will eventually change color.
Expose it to air and it will discolor even faster. Leave a brand new silicone whatever laying out on a cabinet exposed to air only...don't use it...it will eventually discolor. Some faster than others.
Color change won't hurt you except for the yuck factor in your head.
Color change doesn't equal dirty....but yes, it does look dirty...that's the yuck factor at work.

I have tried lots of stuff to alter that chemical change to yellow from simply aging....so far haven't had much success. Like I said...some minor success with nasal pillows and using the baking soda boiling trick. It works on some stuff great and not so great on other stuff and some stuff boiling will melt part of the whatever that isn't just plain silicone.....like frame pieces that might be more plastic that are attached to the silicone whatever. The P10 hose and frame and the part that has the vent holes in the P10 frame has some plastic involved...I am scared to do the boiling trick because of the stuff that isn't only silicone. It might help but it might also totally melt something.
Maybe one of these days I will give it a try with my rather yellow P10 hose and frame to see if boiling hurts those other parts of the frame that aren't pure silicone...but I don't have the time right now.
Just too much other stuff to do right now and I am out of baking soda...used it all up trying to clean up a nasty skillet bottom and BTW without success.

You should be replacing the P10 every few months based on what my doctor said due to stretching and wear and tear. Your insurance would cover these replacements units. I'd keep at least 1 replacement on hand.

Diotima wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 5:40 am

... based on what my doctor said due to stretching and wear and tear.

You'll find that the underlined portion above doesn't carry much weight around here. Even more so for advice from DME's.

For the stretching, if you search the forum some, you'll find options for shrinking the stretched headgear. But if you're all covered by insurance, by all means - get a new one whenever you feel it's necessary.

Actually, Resmed's solution for the stretching is to wash & soak the headgear.
I believe they know more about the product that any DME can ever know.