Removal of Cigarette Smoke Odor in Mask

rozenbob · Post by **rozenbob** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:58 pm

Just "traded" unused mask cushions and the ones I received have a cigarette smoke type odor!!
Any tips on how to REMOVE the Odor??

IORHHI · Post by **IORHHI** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:11 pm

You 'n me both, RB.
What I've tried:
Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap
Fabric refresher (like Fabreeze)
burying the item in baking soda for a couple days or more
Simple Green household cleaner (which may be too toxic, but I was desperate)

Suggested to me, but what I haven't tried yet:
burying it in coffee grounds (dried ground coffee)

What I learned:
You can get the smell out of the hard plastic, but I could't find any way to get it out of the cushions. Sufficient laundering will get it out of the fabric headgear.
And it depends how sensitive your nose is.
A week in baking soda has really reduced the smell in the cushion, but I still can't stand to put it up to my nose.

I love to know what others tried.
Does anyone know about Cidex, that they talk about in the packaging for ResMed masks?
Barbara

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:19 pm

Anybody try a vinegar and water solution to soak it in for awhile?

Den

jum001 · Post by **jum001** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:29 pm

The other possibility that comes to mind is to bury it in kitty litter for a day or two. It's made to handle strong odors, but I don't know about smoke.

Julie

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:55 pm

Try soaking in white 50/50 white vinegar & water, followed by ZORBX spray.

Zorbx can be found at Meijer and Lowes Home Centers.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:57 pm

Interesting challenge. Sad part is that someone would sell a mask in such condition. Must say I have been deal lucky in that respect but all but a few 'bargains' that I bough, were all claimed to be unused.

The few that were used came from a DME clearing out his stock & I was interested in them just to see how they fit and how they were made.

I don't think I could bring myself to use a mask that was 2nd hand & smelled of cigarette smoke

Good luck with the efforts & sorry I can't add any helpful hints other than that the suggestions made thus far all seem viable. I am interested in if you succeed.

DSM

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:14 pm

jum001 wrote:The other possibility that comes to mind is to bury it in kitty litter for a day or two. It's made to handle strong odors, but I don't know about smoke.

Julie

Do you lock out the Kitty? Jim

I've bought one like that the smell must be locked in the Gel, It almost chokes me for the first minute, I've been using Lysol spray for surfaces in the blue/gray can, it helps but it's hard on the face. Soaps and washing doesn't help, it must have went inside the gel.

nomad · Post by **nomad** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:18 pm

Don't sleep labs use something called an autoclave to clean and sterilize their communal masks? Maybe if you talked nicely to them, they might clean yours for you. It's just a thought.

buckeyered · Post by **buckeyered** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:34 pm

If soaking in vineger and water doesn't do it I don't know what would. Maybe you could trade back would think that the sellers or traders would gladly refund or swap back, I even shipped masks before I have received payment, maybe I am to trusting. I hope you find a cure to your smell.
One last thought and I don't know if it would damage the seal or not but apple cider vineger and water might help.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:58 pm

No expert here, but isn't the Autoclave used for surgical instruments? Under great heat? I'm thinking the cigarette smoke smell from the melted and petrified mask would be gone, certainly. However, that mask might be a little tough to use! Still, turning to the sleep lab or even asking the DME provider for something is a great suggestion, Nomad.

Autoclave Information

I do not know if any of the no-odor sprays would work, but maybe one would at least lessen the odor. I used one called Zero Odor to remove the rubbery odor from my chin strap. I sprayed until it was as saturated with the solution as possible. Then I put the wet chin strap into a plastic sandwich baggie, sprayed a few more pumps of the solution into it, and squeezed out the air. This allowed most of the air to be forced out of the neoprene and the zero odor solution to be taken up into the cells. It stayed in the baggie for a few days. I had to do so twice, and washed it in the washing machine in between (hung up to dry). Now it does not smell, but it is still hot to wear! I had to use it on a recent trip when the mouth tape was nowhere to be found in the luggage.

Another thought is the animal odor controls with enzymes, such as Nature's Miracle. There is a version for skunk-sprayed animals, and nothing else would seem to be as smelly as a skunk. Perhaps soaking the gel part in such solutions would help. I don't know if the gel can be squeezed to allow air out and the odor controlling solution into the cells.

My guess would be that probably the best solution is to get the sleep lab to clean it for you (scathingly brilliant idea, Nomad). Alternatively, find out what the labs use and procure the solution for home use. Good luck, because that smell is absolutely annoying.

You may also want to consider what one of my professors shared with our class: that once an odor is introduced, the odor receptors in the nasal passages are sensitized to that odor for 8 days. This means that even a small bit of odor can seem as if it were a HUGE amount of odor during that time. So, taking a break from that mask for about a week after cleaning it may be a fair way to test the odor removal.

Please keep posting your progress. It may happen to others, and we would like to know what works!

IBTeri · Post by **IBTeri** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:54 pm

try using simple green. it will strip it right out of there for you. its not harmfull at all.

smells good too.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:55 pm

Yes the autoclave uses steam under pressure so it is hot. Some masks can be placed in a dishwasher-check with the manufacturer.

Sleep labs probably use something like a dishwasher or a cold disinfectant solution like Control II-it is for respiratory equipment and it has some ability to remove odors. Sleep labs don't usually have to deal with cigarette smoke. If a mask has been kept in an home where cigarettes were smoked it could have really gotten into the silicone. Be careful what you use as it could be just trading one odor for another-I would go with the vinegar let it soak overnight. If 1:1 vinegar:water doesn't do it try full strength white vinegar. Then plain water soak changing the water several times to get rid of the vinegar-again let it soak overnight. You may be stuck with trying to exchange odors-how do you like baby shampoo-try a soak in warm water with baby shampoo in it-they have lavender-it is supposed to be relaxing-consider it aroma therapy.

It is probably too late now but the usual temptation is to use hot water and soap to wash out plastics with an odor. Hot water can "set" the odor in plastics so it is better to wash off anything with cool water and soap first-then the soak in cool vinegar water and cool rinse-let it dry and see if the odor is still there. If it is still there then take the hot soapy water to it.

PS After you are done cleaning this mask it may not have a very long lifespan.

rozenbob · Post by **rozenbob** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 11:43 am

Thanks for advice

greyhound · Post by **greyhound** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 12:59 pm

Could you share the user name of the person who traded you the mask with the smoke odor? Might save another user from getting stuck with a similar problem. Same question for any others who have gotten an "unexpected" item in a purchase or trade.

Mask

Additional Comments: SleepyHead & Dream Mapper>>>PR S1 model 960

Removal of Cigarette Smoke Odor in Mask

Removal of Cigarette Smoke Odor in Mask

White Viniger works!!