Poll: How Often Do You Clean Your Tank?

Lou Cypher wrote:I use distilled water and wipe it dry every morning, even using Qtips to get in corners..

Wow that's very effficient! But yea, that really is a good idea. You're a lot like me, detail oriented.

Wulfman wrote:

NeedSomeAir wrote:I heard in about two posts here that they don't clean the water tank at all and they use distilled water only. I, too, only use distilled water. But my user's guide says to clean the tank every day. Personally I don't see the need to do it. But if I don't do it, I feel like it is dirty. It's only water (and distilled at that) and it's only in there for a few hours.

So what do you think? What do you do?

Depends on what the definition of the word "clean" is......

I answered "Never", because I've never taken my humidifier tank apart or used soap, chemicals, scrubbing, etc.
I don't use heated humidification so I just keep adding (refrigerated) distilled water about every third night or so. After several months, I let it get a little lower and then dump the remainder of the water, rinse it out with hot tap water and then refill with distilled. My humidifier tank still looks like new.

Dump and rinse......Yes.
Soap/chemicals/scrubbing......No.


Den

I like this Den. I am going to experiment with using humidifier without heat and see how I like it.

But I have a question of keeping the water in there so long. I used to keep pet birds and I'd change the water everyday because if you didn't, that slimy scum could build up if you didn't. Does distilled water get like that? By keeping the water in there awhile, is there any danger of bacteria getting in there? Thx.

NeedSomeAir wrote:

Wulfman wrote:

NeedSomeAir wrote:I heard in about two posts here that they don't clean the water tank at all and they use distilled water only. I, too, only use distilled water. But my user's guide says to clean the tank every day. Personally I don't see the need to do it. But if I don't do it, I feel like it is dirty. It's only water (and distilled at that) and it's only in there for a few hours.

So what do you think? What do you do?

Depends on what the definition of the word "clean" is......

I answered "Never", because I've never taken my humidifier tank apart or used soap, chemicals, scrubbing, etc.
I don't use heated humidification so I just keep adding (refrigerated) distilled water about every third night or so. After several months, I let it get a little lower and then dump the remainder of the water, rinse it out with hot tap water and then refill with distilled. My humidifier tank still looks like new.

Dump and rinse......Yes.
Soap/chemicals/scrubbing......No.


Den

I like this Den. I am going to experiment with using humidifier without heat and see how I like it.

But I have a question of keeping the water in there so long. I used to keep pet birds and I'd change the water everyday because if you didn't, that slimy scum could build up if you didn't. Does distilled water get like that? By keeping the water in there awhile, is there any danger of bacteria getting in there? Thx.

I've never had any indications of any "slime", "scum" or anything growing in the tank water. The air is filtered coming into the machine (I wash/rinse out my filter ever other weekend). Theoretically, distilled water is "pure" and should not have any impurities in it to begin with, so there shouldn't be anything in there to "grow".

Other than a brief little bout with some flu-like symptoms in May of this year (some idiot at work spread it around), that's the only time I've had anything resembling an illness since Thanksgiving week of 2005 (another flu epidemic that went around). Otherwise no colds or respiratory events.

The first morning after I started therapy, I DID dump my humidifier water......and thought "Why do I need to do THAT?" and that was about the last time I used heated humidity and dumped the remains the next morning. (I also experienced some rainout that night, too......which was another reason to go "passover".)


Den

I've had my machine since April and I have never cleaned the tank. I empty it out if I am traveling to pack it up and just top it off with distilled water every few days. No problems for me - the tank still looks a new as they day I got it.

Put me in the NEVER column. Been using distilled water in the heated humidifier for years (nearly 10) and never had any problems. Still looks shiney new. The heating element will probably go first, or maybe I will.

My vote was "Every So Often",
I to use Distilled Water and I used to clean my tank, mask & hose every single day for about the first year...
Then I finally decided to try not cleaning it for a month to see what would happen, "It was 100%" fine so for the past year that's what I have done, the once a month cleaning (with hot water and Ivory dishwashing liquid) and it still to this day (TWO years later) as fresh and clean as the day I bought it!
PS- I have NEVER and I repeat NEVER used tap water in it!

For the people that voted never, do you at least wipe it out once in a while? It seems like even with distilled water it's possible that mold spores or bacteria could get in there and grow eventually, right?

After reading this, I soaked my water tank with vinegar and water and rinsed it with tap water. Otherwise I would have forgotten to clean it. I use distilled water and it never gets dirty.

nobody wrote:For the people that voted never, do you at least wipe it out once in a while? It seems like even with distilled water it's possible that mold spores or bacteria could get in there and grow eventually, right?

Nah! The mold gives the air that je ne sais quoi, sort of quality!

I answered never, but I've only had my machine for less than two months. Nothing looks like it is growing in there and I live in Colorado. Mold? What mold!?!

I will probably rinse it out and inspect it soon though to see if there is anything funky going on in the tank.

nobody wrote:For the people that voted never, do you at least wipe it out once in a while? It seems like even with distilled water it's possible that mold spores or bacteria could get in there and grow eventually, right?

I voted never but that isn't quite true. I found a very small amount of slime in it one time about a year ago and then cleaned it thoroughly. So one time in about 2 years. I always use distilled water. Tank is crystal clear and easy to see if anything looks funky when I fill it. Other than that one time, I don't wipe it out. If I'm packing it up to travel, I swish the leftover distilled water around a bit prior to dumping it.

Dan

I have been using my machine for six months and have never cleaned the tank.
I alway use distilled water and empty it out every morning.
If it ever gets dirty I suppose a vinegar rinse is what I would use.
My DME sent me a new humidifier tank at three months (still unused).
I have since told them only to send me one if I request it.

Mark

I clean mine out after I've used something other than distilled water in it.

So, once after the first few days before I got distilled water (used filtered tap water)...first week of January. And, when I came back from a trip (used bottled water).....first week of May. Next time I'm probably gonna clean it...first week of December, after I get back from my next trip. Not sure about trip in December, considering putting a couple bottles of distilled water into my checked bag. Don't know if there'll be a checked bag on my Thanksgiving trip.

The Dreamer.

I don't actually use distilled water I just use filtered water and change it every 1-2 days. I started out using filtered water but was going through it far too quickly (it was quite expensive !). My water filter is supposed to filter out most of the impurities so I figure it's good enough to put into the humidifier !

Every 2-3 weeks for me, or if I notice any floaties or film when I'm adding water. I use distilled water, the one time I used even fitered tap water I had a buildup in the tank after only 2 days.