stored mask smells

i have only been using my cpap about a year now. i use the resmed airsense 10 with a AirFit F30i full face mask . when i first started using it i decide to try another brand of mask to see if it worked better for me . i purchased the Philips respironics Dreamwear . I cleaned and stored my AirFit mask in the package it came in and tried the Dreamwear . after a few weeks i decided to go back to the Airfit but this time i ordered larger size . So again i cleaned and stored the mask in the package it came in .

I used the larger size mask for almost a year but 3 nights ago after cleaning my cushion when i reattached the frame the plastic tab broke of the frame. i decided to get the old Airfit frame from the mask i stored and use it but when i took the mask and frame out of the bag i found it was covered in a white chalky coating and smelled very bad . i cleaned the mask . the smell was still there so i soaked it in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for an hour.

I then cleaned the mask again but the smell is still there .i put the mask back into the vinegar / water solution and left it over night . no luck so i put it back . MY wife read somewhere that it can take a few days of soaking to remove the smell .

I then went to check the dreamwear mask and found the same thing had happened . So now its 2 days later both masks have been soaking . i took them out and ran hot water threw both of 20 minutes each then hooked them up to the cpap and ran air threw them for an hour each . both still smell and are back in the vinegar bath.

Is there anyway to get rid of the smell ??? and what did i do wrong when i stored them ??

i have ordered a new frame and cushion but that is gonna take 2 weeks to arrive i am still hoping i can remove the smell. any help would be greatly appreciated .. also what is the best place to order masks or replacement parts ??? im not to happy with the wait times from the sites i have used so far

Let them air out on the hose with the machine running - check after a few hours to see how they smell and continue running the machine if necessary. It's possible the humidity in your room was high and they should have been left unpacked for a while rather than wrapped up even if they didn't seem obviously damp. Use baby wipes on them before any of the above, but keep them in the open til you're sure they're dry and clean after running on the machine.

vanin73 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 25, 2022 2:13 am

…but when i took the mask and frame out of the bag i found it was covered in a white chalky coating and smelled very bad . i cleaned the mask . the smell was still there so i soaked it in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water for an hour…

I have that sometimes as well and figured it came from facial oils and breath particulates expelled when breathing. I wipe down my F30 FFM daily with generic baby wipes, which for the most part removes the residue. I don’t put it away for long-term storage though as I switch between pillows and FFM fairly often. I clean the masks with dish soap maybe twice a year, same for the hose.

Not sure about using vinegar and its impact on silicon. I know ChunkyFrog has a lot of experience with different cleaning techniques, so hopefully she will see this and chime in.

Froggie uses vodka, I believe. I use rubbing alcohol on a cotton round. I will occasionally soak mine in dr bronners and warm water. That gives me the minty peppermint smell. I've also heard of others here using the dental teeth cleaning tablets or mouthwash. I've also on occasion boiled the silicone cushion which seems to restore the tackiness and helps make it seal better again.

Take it outside and let it in the fresh air for several hours.

The head band can be saved. throw away the cushion and frame.

I considered wrapping a charcoal briquet in a tissue,
and dropping it into the bag before storage with the mask and cushion.
Of course, cold charcoal from the fireplace or bonfire might work better.
That form of carbon adsorbs odor like crazy.
Prevention is easier than removal afterwards.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:11 pm

Prevention is easier than removal afterwards.

my mother told me that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.