cleaning this stuff

Okay, yeah, I'm really new to this stuff. I've been reading about all this stuff for cleaning the mask and assorted accouterments. I can't use antibacterial soap unless I make a small tub of it and dump it somewhere because I found it messes up my septic tank bacteria by killing off all the good ones.

I read some people use baby wipes to clean it but the instructions on the equipment said "no alcohol based products" should be used.

What is the best way to get around all this and what is your regime for cleaning equipment and changing water in the humidifier?

Thanks. It seems like you spend as many hours cleaning the equipment as you do using it.

No need to spend hours with the cleaning! Lots of us use baby shampoo to clean mask cushions or pillows. Clorox non-bleach wipes are very effective and have no adverse effect on your cushion or pillows--also good for travel. Frequency preference for mask cleaning varies widely, and can affect the seal of the mask to your face. Pays to experiment with daily or less frequent cleaning of the mask. I am one of many who recommends never cleaning your hose, so you don't add residue from soap that just can't get rinsed out, and thus collect possible bacteria or other stuff. Just hang it up during the day when not in use. Tank cleaning does not need to be done daily. I and others find that once a month or even less frequently will be fine. Just use the baby shampoo and nothing abrasive to clean the tank, and rinse well with hot water. I never really change the water. When it is nearly used up, I add enough to come up to the high-level line. That's it!

Now that sounds more like it. Thanks. Now I can spend more time trying to sleep instead of cleaning

Here's a link to a collection of threads on this subject (by rested gal).

viewtopic/t52546/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50 ... ng#p460694

I'm also a "minimalist" when it comes to cleaning.


Den

Wulfman wrote:
I'm also a "minimalist" when it comes to cleaning.


Den

Me too, Den.

Jeanette

My routine for cleaning my BiPap and my Dad's CPap..

Warm water in the sink with a splash of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Soak for about 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Let air dry. This is for the filter, the humidifier tanks and the masks/hoses. Once a week.

For the humidifier water, I just top off each night. My Dad empties his and has fresh water each night, but I have never done that. I don't know which is the best way though.

Hi there,

When I first started a few months ago, I bleached my bathtub, then ran warm water in the tub, and soaked my hose, and humidifer
container, and my nasal pillows and the little extra hose every morning for a half hour... then I rinsed it and hung it to dry..

Its sort of like when I got a new car, and did not let one spec of dust hang around in there the few first few weeks! OMG, there maybe
things growing under the seats now!

I read on the literature for cleaning my s9, just to hang the hose to dry daily, and wash it once a week.. wow, is that easy!


So now, I just walk in the bathroom, and squirt some shampoo into my nose pillows, wash them a minute, do the same with the
little nose add on hose, and dump my tank, rinse once, and thats it.. now it takes about two minutes..

I take the hose into the shower with me and rinse it out once a week... and I do put a dab of shampoo in that too..

I love the idea of the wipes to wipe the little humidfier port hole, and the head gear plastic..

Jaylee wrote:My routine for cleaning my BiPap and my Dad's CPap..

Warm water in the sink with a splash of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Soak for about 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Let air dry. This is for the filter, the humidifier tanks and the masks/hoses. Once a week.

For the humidifier water, I just top off each night. My Dad empties his and has fresh water each night, but I have never done that. I don't know which is the best way though.

This is what I do at home too.

I used to be in the habit of just adding more water to the humidifier as needed, until that day when I discovered yucky pink slime growing in the tank. It was absolutely gross.

So now I dump the extra water in the morning, and let the tank dry out during the day.

I think it depends on where you live and how dry or humid the environment is.

The instructions that came with my machine said to use a gentle dishwashing liquid such as Ivory. I soak my hose, mask and cushions, filter and head straps too in the sink full of water with the soap in it, rinse then I just hang all the things over my shower rod to dry.

Laura