Alcohol And Cpap Cleaning

I have been using Cpap for along time now and have done a few things that seem to work great. I use the Resmed Airsense10 model Cpap machine with a full face mask. When it comes to cleaning the unit I have found the following things most effective. Especially for people that are smokers like myself. Washing your face with soap and water before bed insures a better seal. There are some other things that I do to make sure that I can get a great night sleep with extremely fresh smelling air.
#1 Filters I used Cpap Hepa Filters for my unit that are very cost friendly that I buy on Amazon.com that catch even the smallest particles. I recently was sleeping in the same bed with my wife who had contracted covid19 at work at a casino. After she caught it I thought I was doomed to get it. I never did!!!
#2 I use Rubbing Alcohol ONLY ON THE FACE CUSHION NOT ANYTHING ELSE. I make sure it is COMPLETELY dry of alcohol before using it.
#3 I have a special bucket to soak my other equipment in. Nothing else goes in this bucket except tubing Water tank and gasket and the plastic portion of the headgear. I use a White Vinegar and water solution 1/2 gallon of vinegar with 2-3 gallons of water. I soak it for as long as I want, it can be all day it will Not damage it. I start it in very warm water with a mixture of a scent free dye free soap that can be bought at almost any grocery store, Walmart or Amazon.com.
#4 Head Gear Strap I usually gently wash it with a hot washcloth never soaking it or the Velcro. This is important to keep clean also. Just because you’re not breathing through it it gets filthy and can cause irritations from bacteria and germs.
If you are ever desperate for equipment for your Cpap machine amazon.com can get you most things in a day or 2 sometimes overnight.
#5 Drying your tubing, some hang it over the shower, I dry it off, plug it in and turn my Cpap machine on for 15 minutes it drys it out completely. Dry other equipment with lint free paper towels or any other type of microfiber cloth making sure it is completely dry.
CHANGE YOUR FILTER WEEKLY IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE !! And it is honestly cheap enough to do.
I hope this helps any newbies having issues with seal issues cleaning issues and possibly other issues. I hate smelling funky air when I sleep and the above steps have made my air always smell FRESH AND NEW ! If this helps 1 person have a better nights sleep. I have achieved my goal.
I was a paramedic for 17 years and know my stuff when it comes to Cpap and Bipap products. Just because a Cpap company says not to do something that is to protect themselves from issues of liability. I do not use SoClean or other Ozone related cleaning systems because I don’t like the way it makes my Cpap smell. I have tried it and NO THANKS ! Save yourself money ! Clean it manually.

OMG...This really helped me.....I read it and it helped put me to asleep.

What ever floats your boat. Personally, I prefer using a few drops of dish soap in warm water once every week or two and let everything air dry. Change the filter when it looks like it needs it. Never wash the tube unless I have had a respiratory problem such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Much simpler, and quite effective for us.

Dawn for the tank, baby wipes for the mask, and vodka.
One for the tank, one for the frog.
Headgear goes into a bra bag, to take a wet ride with my clothes.

thank goodness, someone has finally come along to tell us how to clean cpap and mask!

zonker wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 11:42 am

thank goodness, someone has finally come along to tell us how to clean cpap and mask!

I like my way of not doing things better but it never occurred to me to advocate to everyone that my way was the best/only way.

Oh well...whatever floats your boat is fine by me. I don't go to anyone's house and tell them how to clean or not clean...and I sure wouldn't appreciate someone coming to my house to tell me how to clean or not clean.......unless they are willing to do the cleaning for me and then I would be happy to let them.

Each person has to decide what they want to do (or not do) that lets them be comfortable with things.
There really isn't a right or wrong way (except the ozone thing which is potentially dangerous) ..there's just whatever works for each individual person that lets them sleep well at night and not worry about anything.

Every few months someone starts a cleaning thread like this. I really appreciate it because thats when I remember to go change my filter. If you all didn't remind me it would probably not get changed until my machine started acting weird.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

Especially for people that are smokers like myself.

Here is a tip. Quit all cleaning and quit smoking. You'll come out way ahead of where you are going now.

ChicagoGranny wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 1:06 pm

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

Especially for people that are smokers like myself.

Here is a tip. Quit all cleaning and quit smoking. You'll come out way ahead of where you are going now.

The bullfrog quit smoking Good Friday1972.
I never started.
I quit obsessively cleaning all my cpap stuff about 4 months into therapy.
Almost 11 years of being rational.
Hooray for common sense.

Oh, spare us, another freaking novel as a first post. :sigh:

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

#1 Filters I used Cpap Hepa Filters

There's NO SUCH THING as a HEPA filter for a cpap, NONE, zip, nada, none.
There are low allergy filters (hypoallergenic), but no HEPA filter.
Here's a pic of a legit HEPA filter (for an oxygen concentrator)

Now, one could probably figure out how to fit one of those to a CPAP, but you haven't done that.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

#2 I use Rubbing Alcohol ONLY ON THE FACE CUSHION NOT ANYTHING ELSE. I make sure it is COMPLETELY dry of alcohol before using it.

As do many people, it gets rid of facial oils nicely.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

#3 I have a special bucket to soak my other equipment in.

Is this also where you soak your head? maybe you should.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

blah blah blah

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

#4 Head Gear Strap ... This is important to keep clean also. ... it gets filthy and can cause irritations from bacteria and germs.

Have you ever considered washing your hair?

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

#5 Drying your tubing, some hang it over the shower,

So it can pick up fecal spray from toilet flushes? Nice.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

CHANGE YOUR FILTER WEEKLY IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE

What? do you live in a coal mine? Perhaps the dust bowl? Ridiculous.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

!! And it is honestly cheap enough to do.

Not if you're actually using HEPA filters, which you're not.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

I hope this helps any newbies

I can't imagine how it possibly could, unless they've got insomnia.

Sirulrich03 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 05, 2021 12:12 am

I was a paramedic for 17 years and know my stuff when it comes to Cpap and Bipap products.

Oh, here it is, trying to create some sort of credibility, even though being a paramedic has absolutely NOTHING to do with cpap and BiPAP™ devices..
"Uh oh, this guy has abdominal injuries, possible cervical injuries, and we need to stabilize that tibia"
Sirulrich03:"I'll get the CPAP!"
Everyone else "SHUT UP YOU IDIOT"

Obviously, mandatory retirement--due to age-related mental incapacity.

Lol

keep an eye on this thread, kids.

that is all.

I am, however, contemplating how I can adapt one of my spare oxygen concentrator HEPA filters to my cpap... allergies? HAH! TAKE THAT!.

Now, whether I should bother to do that or not, that's another thing.

So it can pick up fecal spray from toilet flushes? Nice.

So you don't close the toilet cover when you flush? I do that every time, regardless of whether it's a #1 or a #2.