How much time do you spend cleaning in the morning?

samofny · Post by **samofny** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:27 pm

I get up around 5:30 for work, and hate to think about waking up 30 minutes early to clean my gear (nasal pillows, hose, humidifier, etc.). I haven't started therapy yet, but I'm curious about how long it take you all to clean things up in the morning?

roster · Post by **roster** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 2:48 pm

[quote="samofny"]I get up around 5:30 for work, and hate to think about waking up 30 minutes early to clean my gear (nasal pillows, hose, humidifier, etc.). I haven't started therapy yet, but I'm curious about how long it take you all to clean things up in the morning?

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:02 pm

I only clean once a week now. If then. Today, I can't be bothered to wash the hose. I plan to wash the mask and HH chamber. It takes me about 3 minutes to wash all of the gear with Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap, then if I'm feeling like it, I'll soak it in a vinegar/water solution for a few hours.

BTW - what you have a for a mask will dictate your cleaning schedule. That, and cats, dogs, birds, etc. in your environment. My NAII is very forgiving. The Hybrid I test drove HAD to be cleaned daily or it would not seal.

Cheers,
B.

Bookbear · Post by **Bookbear** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:05 pm

I use a Breeze interface. I rinse the pillows and the plenum the pillows insert into and the short hose each morning. Hot water in the bathroom sink with a good splash of mouthwash. Three to four minutes, then rinse with hot clear water, then dry the plenum and pillows with a kleenex. Reassemble and hook back up to cpap (which for some reason runs for about 40 min. with a very low speed, almost imperceptible air flow) while I shower. The air flow dries things out nicely. Once every couple ofweeks, I clean the main hose with hot water and mouthwash and hang it in the shower to drip dry. 5 min. tops, and I can do other things while things soak or dry.

I use distilled water in the tank, so that stays really clean. If I am away from home and have to use tap water for some reason, I give the tank a soak in vinegar for 15 min. when I get home, then rinse it out thoroughly before using it again. Tank is 15 months old, looks brand new.

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:19 pm

I am very lazy when it comes to cleaning my mask and hose and don't see many adverse consequences for failing to do so. I do wash my face every night, however.... Not that I'm recommending this approach; it's just reality for me. I use RO water in my humidifier and it seems to work great. I stopped using tap water after the minerals ate a nice hole through the aluminum bottom of my chamber.

REK · Post by **REK** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:46 pm

I use the Quattro FF mask. I take it apart and wash it every morning with one of the recommended soaps (Nutrogena), rinse and let it air dry. My humidifier chamber I usually clean it with soap and water every other day and once a week soak it in a vinegar and water solution. I have two humidifer chambers so I can also alternate. My hose I have been washing it once a week, again I have two hoses so I can alternate between the two. My insurance allows me to replace the humidifer chamber, hose, and filter every month, but I try not to take advantage of it that often once I had several humidifer chambers and hoses to use. I am also able to replace my mask every three months. I usually spend about 5 to 6 minutes cleaning each morning (I never really timed myself). Once in a while if I am running late I may skip a morning but not very often.

Elle · Post by **Elle** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:47 pm

I clean the cushion daily, the head gear monthly and have never cleaned the hoses...gulp. I use distilled water so I figure they are ok. They look clean.

j.a.taylor · Post by **j.a.taylor** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 4:05 pm

I wipe my mask off everyday with a baby wipe or a disinfectant wipe as soon as I wake up.

I clean the mask and hose once a week (usually Saturday morning) in a solution of hot water and baby shampoo. I let it soak for about 45 minutes, then rinse, hook it up to the machine and blow some air through it to dry, then let it hang to finish drying out for the rest of the day.

Occasionally clean everything in a solution of white vinegar, followed by a rinse, baby shampoo, then rinse again.

I fill the humidifier tank with distilled water, and almost never clean it. Once and a great while, I'll give it a quick rinse, then refill it with distilled water.

I've only been doing this since the end of July, but no problems so far.

lilsheba · Post by **lilsheba** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 8:33 pm

I clean the mask parts every day, wash the head gear about every 2 weeks, wash the hose every week, wash the humidifer about every 2 weeks (it's doing ok since I use distilled water and drain it out very day and let it dry). I keep a dry cloth over the machine so I haven't actually cleaned the outside of that, doesn't need it.

When I wash the mask parts first thing in the morning I put them in a mesh laundry bag, like they use for pantyhose, and let it dry all day there. I reassemble when I get home.

I also unplug the machine every day so there is no way it can be turned on accidentally.

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:00 pm

I use a resmed elete & resmed sullivan humidaire both are 8 years old plus hoses,nobody has said anything about the filter in machine i replace mine every 3 mo it only pumps air across the nose,hoses look at them once a year,wakeup take off mask hang on,headboard ,get ready for work it only pumps air how often do you replace house filter? i use distilled water in humidaire if you change filter in machine would it not keep it cleaner.by the way anybody know a fexit shop for cpap machine works great but motor bearing start to make noise. cringe with fear.resmed will not fix.but after 8 years it still works if i have to i will get another resmed.with a nose mask.

RAINSUX · Post by **RAINSUX** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 10:16 pm

I'm on the one minute schedule. I rinse the nasal pillow of my Swift in warm tap water every morning. I clean the rest of the stuff every couple of months, but it never looks like it needs it, and I can't tell the difference afterwards. I wash the gray filter at this time, and replace the white one when it starts looking gray. I don't see any need to get crazy about this stuff. YOU're the only one using it, right?

Sam

roncron · Post by **roncron** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:17 am

Like most others, I don't fuss much in the morning. I just rinse the nasal pillow attachment with water, or occasionally with Trader Joe's peppermint castille soap and water. I dump out the leftover water from the humidifier tank and let it air-dry. I also detach the hose from the machine and hang it on my closet door.

Once a week, I clean the rest of the mask in a little dishpan with water and castille soap, and disinfect the hose and humidifier tank with a water-vinegar solution (approx 1 part vinegar to 2-3 parts water), letting them soak in the solution for 10 minutes, then rinse, then let them soak in water+castille for 10 min, then rinse thoroughly and dry.

I rarely wash the headgear and should probably do it more often (ideally every 2-4 weeks?).

I have two hoses and two humidifier chambers so I can alternate.

Despite living in a very dry climate, it takes quite a long time for the hose to completely air-dry, because the little ridges inside hold water. I am uncomfortable letting water sit in those ridges for more than a day. So I shake the hose real good to try to dislodge the water from the ridges, and attach the hose to my machine (with an empty humidifier chamber and no mask) and run the machine on straight CPAP, high pressure, no ramp time for 20-30 minutes, which dries out the hose very nicely. It sounds like such an obvious thing to do, but I never would have thought of it on my own, I read it on this forum.

SleepingBeauty · Post by **SleepingBeauty** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:39 am

I have the Aura, so I just twist off the pillows and just wash them while I'm in the shower. I dump the water out of the humidifier and set both the pillows and tank on a towel to let air dry.

On Saturday, I pull the hose and mask and grey filter and give them a wash in the sink.

I change out the little white filter once a month.

That's it for my maintenance!

A friend who is also an "air-addict" has three identical mask/hose systems. She has a lot of allergies and has found this the best system for her. She will have a dry/clean one on her machine, a just-washed setup, and one almost dry for the next night. She washes very thoroughly every day and cycles through them. She is also retired and has the time.

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:12 am

This topic pops up like clockwork and lots of folks come up with their rituals.

It is nice to clean anything we have. Sometimes for esthetic reasons, sometimes for health reasons.

For some reason pepple confuse these.

I rarely clean mine- maybe every 3 to 4 months. Maybe rinse my pillows with soap every couple of months.

How often do we sterilize our toothbrushes?
How often do we sterilize our nasal passages and oral cavity?
Imagine the pillows or mask as an extension of out nose.
For cleanliness it may be helpful the same as our underwwear.

Just do not think it is all that necessary for health reasons.
Our bodies do a sufficient job of that.
Evolution helps a lot here.
Anyone ever hear of the hygeine hypothesis?
We may be doing more harm than good with our obsessive cleaning.

Farewell Al berto Gonzales. M Chertoff next- maybe?

j.a.taylor · Post by **j.a.taylor** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:18 am

tomjax wrote:Farewell Alberto Gonzales. M Chertoff next- maybe?

Talk about a cleanup!

How much time do you spend cleaning in the morning?

How long to clean everything?

How much time do you spend cleaning in the morning?

Re: How much time do you spend cleaning in the morning?

cleaning

cleaning

Re: cleaning

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Avg. AHI .4