keeping stuff clean

My husband has been having flu like symptoms that no one in the house is getting. I think its cause the cpap humidifier is dirty. How are you supposed to clean that tank? He has a respironics remstar pro with c-flex and a heated passover humidifier. Couldn't find much guidance on cleaning or cleaning solutions for any of the equipment!

Thanks for any help ya'all can give. You all were very helpful about the corneal erosion problems. He is patching the one eye at night and we are looking for a better fitting mask. So far...so good!

Thanks again!
Cindy

Check out this thread in our discussion area--lots of diverse opinions, as well as cleaning directions.

Ted

viewtopic/t26199/Schedule-for-cleaning- ... -mask.html

In the first place, the air flow couldn't carry anything from the humidifier tank to him.....so his flu-like symptoms are probably from something else.

But.....
Is he keeping his (foam) intake filter clean?
Does he use an ultra-fine (white) filter in the intake, too?

Does he use distilled water in the humidifier?
If he's using the humidifier unheated/pass-over, just dump the remaining water periodically.....then rinse it out and refill. I leave mine in there for months at a time and just keep adding. Don't take the humidifier tank apart. I've seen too many instances where people didn't get them back together properly and they leaked.

Den

Sometimes if I skip a weekly cleaning by accident I feel like cold-like symptoms - flu sypmtoms is probably the flu though. You can wash the tank with a little vinegar and the rest of it just mild dish soap like Ivory or babywash and warm water. Also be sure your filter isnt overdue for a change, I get irritated much easier if my filter isnt changed regularly, or if my stuff isnt cleaned,or if my pillow cases and sheets arent changed regularly and any dust is in the vicinity. I have sinus issues abd am very sensitive so if my stuff isnt cleaned regularly, or any irritant is present I suffer from an instant cold. Also having the humidifier too high or too low can cause congestion or dryness issues as well.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier

Please have your furnace flue checked to make sure it is functioning properly. My brother recently serviced our furnace cause it stopped working and so needed to fix it. He had a cow fit when he took a look at things as the flue had completely rusted off and it was letting the carbon dioxide in to the house. He says I am lucky to be alive as much as it was leaking and was near the bedroom. He asked if I had any flue like symptoms and I told him I had been having headaches and a run down feeling which I contributed to the OSA and still getting use to treatment.

Every persons tolerance levels are different so please be careful and have your gas appliances checked for carbon dioxide.

I rarely ever take my HH tank apart anymore. The first one I had I cleaned regularly and after a couple months the O-ring that seals it apparently wore out because it started to leak ( I cleaned with vinegar, mild dish soap and water).
Fortunately I get a new one every 3 months. The latest tank has not been emptied or cleaned since I put it in about a month ago.....I just replenish the water every evening.
Mask and hose are regular clean up item though. Same solution -- vinegar water, mild dish soap and water - soak for about 30-60 min., rinse thoroughly and dry for the rest of the day).
I use only distilled water in my HH tank -- very important IMHO!!!!!

Check the filters periodically -- I change my foam filter and clean it every month at a minimum. The white paper filter gets changed about every 2 to 3 weeks depending -- but I live on a dirt road in a very rural area so especially during the summer when the dust level is high it gets changed more often.

With the filters in place I don't know how any virus' would invade the HH tank, but I'm not a micro-biologist!!!

Good luck!!!!
cheers
goose

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If you use Control II, just make sure to rinse everything properly. I recently had a cold/flu and so after it was over I decided to give my mask a good cleaning with it. Well, I had it left over and hated to see it go to waste, so I cleaned my humidifier with it, too, at the last minute on a whim. That night, when I put my mask on and started breathing it was a horrible chemical smell . I took the mask off and sniffed it but there was no chemical odor. Then I tried the tank. I think I forgot to rinse it out . After I rinsed it thoroughly, the chemical smell was gone.

I normally use vinegar for the humidifier every week or so and clear dishwashing detergent on my mask. I may not need to, but it just feels better to me. I have so many allergies, I just want to be sure.