CPAPtalk.com

Either get a exterminator or one of those foam heads they keep wigs on, and strap it on (He, She, Her or It) for the daytime. Jim

How to tell if the Roach came from the XPAP or had climb in the mask!

Take it out and set it on the nightstand, if it came from the XPAP, it will be dizzy and won't be able to walk a straight line. Jim

I don't use distilled water and haven't for 3 out of the 3.5 years I have been on CPAP.

Showers are considered one of the biggest sources of indoor air pollution because of the chlorine-related gases they release into the air. Like many people, I dechlorinate my bath water just because the chlorine products in it make my skin itch more.

When I mix my own nasal rinse, I notice that it is much less irritating if I use distilled water than chlorinated tap water.

So the idea of breathing those fumes quite unnecessarily through a CPAP doesn't strike me as a good idea.

hit the hay after slapping on his mask then before he was fully asleep the air stopped flowing - he pulled it off & found a cockroach stuck in the swivel joint.

Sounds like just the kind of place a cockroach would love. Surprised this is the first I've heard of this.

Just before I moved away from Texas (huge roaches!) and back to Oregon (by and large cockroach-free), I happened to catch an entomologist speaking on TV about how people do not realize that cockroaches love to eat things like dried tears and bits of human mucus and hence will crawl on sleeping people's faces to feast on such delights. CPAP goop would, of course, be a treat, but if you've got 'em, according to that entomologist, they're going to be on your face anyhow.

So still not a good reason for mask hygiene -- the problem is really just having cockroaches.

Also, the guy said, they find toe jelly irresistible...and I did twice while in Texas awake to discover a cockroach messing with my toes. And once put on a slipper only to notice something competing for toe space that was big...crunchy...and wiggling wildly...

(I wash the silicone nose piece of my Aura frequently because when it is clean it sort of sticks to my face and feels more secure.)

Grace

Ugh!!!! I'm horrified! If I found a roach in my equipment or anywhere near my equipment, I'd probably keel over from a heart attack. Here in Houston our Cockroaches are HUGE, and I'm scared poopless of them.

gracie97 wrote:
Also, the guy said, they find toe jelly irresistible...

...this cockroach story is really getting ugly now.

I would get an Iguana or some kind of lizard, and let it roam the house at night.

Regarding the cockroach issue: when we travel, I always put the mask in a two gallon size baggie and zip it closed with only the hose sneaking out that is still connected to the humidifier. I also cover the machine with a bath towel.
I also let it run for about a minute before I put on the mask. THose warm climate destinations are full of bugs. It is almost impossible to have a completely bug free room...even in the better hotels.

Regarding cleaning the mask & hose: I clean the mask, hose and humidifier once every week. Soak for a few minutes in large tupperware bowl filled with warm water and baby shampoo. THen I manually clean the pillows to make sure all mucus, etc is removed. If I am sick, then I follow with a diluted vinegar soak for about 10 minutes. Let air dry. THe 6ft hose goes in the shower with me. Clean with baby shampoo and do arm exercises in shower to clean well and rinse well. Also follow up with vinegar, if I've had a cold.

I worry about microscopic mold forming in the hose from the dampness.

Barb

There were bedbugs in the motel I stayed at in AL recently. I knew what to look for after I read about them when they were mentioned on this fourm. I checked out in the middle of the night, hopefully before the bed bugs infested my machine and luggage. Talk about creepy. When I got home, I left my luggage in below freezing temperatures overnight, just in case, to kill any unwanted visitors.

Wow - looks like I started the "gross-out" topic of the year! Do I get any sort of prize like a mask disinfection kit???

Being totally honest here . . . I am extremely lazy when it comes to cleaning my equipment (and too ashamed to admit just how lazy) . . . and haven't noticed any problems. I've been on cpap for going on 4 years and just replaced my mask a few months ago (same type). It was losing some of its elasticity but that happens no matter what. My original 6' hose is still going strong and I almost never clean that. I have replaced a few $15 disposable water chambers, though. And I've never found any critters in my equipment . . . .