Is it really necessary to clean your mask & tubing ?

Hi--I am one of those that never wash my hose and tubing. I do wash my nasal pillows every day--quickly. No soaking. I use the Peppermint Dr, Bronner's All natural liguid soap--makes the pillowa smell good and it is always fresh. I have not died yet and I never get sinus infections or any kind of other problems. To each his own--it is all what you are comfortable with. LOL!

Carrie

Wulfman wrote:

erika wrote:My husband has had his CPAP machine for 10 years. I've never seen him clean anything- mask, tubing, filter.
I've had mine for a month and have been cleaning the nasal pillows daily. I haven't cleaned anything else though.

The fact he doesn't clean his grosses me out. He does get a sinus infection about once a year. I wonder if it is related.

One thing I definitely clean/wash on a regular basis is the (foam) intake air filter (once or twice a month). Depending on the machine model, most of them are washable.

You might want to check his out. For one thing, if they get plugged up, it's hard on the machine and will wear it out sooner. The other is that the air coming in could be restricted.......and affect the performance of the machine......besides being somewhat "dirty".

Den

I also use the white disposable filter, is that necessary? It never looks dirty, maybe slightly greyish but every month I change it anyway.

DoriC wrote:

Wulfman wrote:

erika wrote:My husband has had his CPAP machine for 10 years. I've never seen him clean anything- mask, tubing, filter.
I've had mine for a month and have been cleaning the nasal pillows daily. I haven't cleaned anything else though.

The fact he doesn't clean his grosses me out. He does get a sinus infection about once a year. I wonder if it is related.

One thing I definitely clean/wash on a regular basis is the (foam) intake air filter (once or twice a month). Depending on the machine model, most of them are washable.

You might want to check his out. For one thing, if they get plugged up, it's hard on the machine and will wear it out sooner. The other is that the air coming in could be restricted.......and affect the performance of the machine......besides being somewhat "dirty".

Den

I also use the white disposable filter, is that necessary? It never looks dirty, maybe slightly greyish but every month I change it anyway.

Not from what I've read. I've never used them......just rinse out my foam filter once or twice a month.....dry it (squeeze it with a clean towel), let it air dry some more and put it back.
From my observation, when you get both filters squished in there, it seems to me that it would somewhat hinder the incoming airflow.......and I don't want that with MY machines......so I don't use them. I think they're more for people with asthma, hay fever and other respiratory conditions where further filtering may help. I also think the humidifier tank (and water) acts as an additional filter if anything may get that far through the machine.
These are just my own thoughts and opinions.......others need to make up their own minds.


Den

Hmm, that's a good point about the air flow so I removed the white filter. If it's true that it might be hindering air flow, what difference in comfort could Mike be feeling without it and will it make a difference in AHI,Leaks,etc.? Thanks.

DoriC wrote:Hmm, that's a good point about the air flow so I removed the white filter. If it's true that it might be hindering air flow, what difference in comfort could Mike be feeling without it and will it make a difference in AHI,Leaks,etc.? Thanks.

It's designed to use the white filter too. The gray you see is what will be in your lungs if you don't use the filter. I change mine every three weeks and wash the foam on too then chase the spiders out of my mask. My Classic filters may be a little bigger that the "M"s Jim

Goofproof wrote:

DoriC wrote:Hmm, that's a good point about the air flow so I removed the white filter. If it's true that it might be hindering air flow, what difference in comfort could Mike be feeling without it and will it make a difference in AHI,Leaks,etc.? Thanks.

It's designed to use the white filter too. The gray you see is what will be in your lungs if you don't use the filter. I change mine every three weeks and wash the foam on too then chase the spiders out of my mask. My Classic filters may be a little bigger that the "M"s Jim

I was really concerned if using both of them could be restricting air flow in any way. Mike doesn't have any respiratory problems and I do wash the foam every month and interchange with my extra one. Thanks.

DoriC wrote: I was really concerned if using both of them could be restricting air flow in any way. Mike doesn't have any respiratory problems and I do wash the foam every month and interchange with my extra one.

I think what Den may have been thinking about is making the machine work harder to pull air in at the back. Perhaps shortening the life of the motor. I don't know that adding the white filter along with the foam filter would cause any appreciable extra work, but that's a thought. I've never used the white filter. Like Den, I use only the dark grey foam one and wash it the same way he described.

I don't think there would be any restriction of air that the machine would PUSH out in front, since it would be measuring the pressure and would give whatever "push" was needed to deliver that pressure. Thus, with one filter or two, it's not going to make any difference in the pressure your husband is getting from the machine. I can't see that removing one of the filters would change his treated AHI at all.

rested gal wrote:

DoriC wrote: I was really concerned if using both of them could be restricting air flow in any way. Mike doesn't have any respiratory problems and I do wash the foam every month and interchange with my extra one.

I think what Den may have been thinking about is making the machine work harder to pull air in at the back. Perhaps shortening the life of the motor. I don't know that adding the white filter along with the foam filter would cause any appreciable extra work, but that's a thought. I've never used the white filter. Like Den, I use only the dark grey foam one and wash it the same way he described.

I don't think there would be any restriction of air that the machine would PUSH out in front, since it would be measuring the pressure and would give whatever "push" was needed to deliver that pressure. Thus, with one filter or two, it's not going to make any difference in the pressure your husband is getting from the machine. I can't see that removing one of the filters would change his treated AHI at all.

Yep. Laura knows me pretty well by now.
Earlier this year, I was talking to someone who works on these machines and he told me that the blower/fan motors in these machines run in excess of 20,000 RPMs. That's alot of spinning over long periods of time. If, and I mean IF.....the extra (fine) filter makes the motor work harder to pull the air through, it seems to me that it MAY shorten the life of the blower (by building up heat), so, I'm doing what I can do to help increase the useful life of my machines.


Den

Laura, thanks for explaining what Den meant! Well, since I'm doing all this with a long-term plan in mind, I need this machine to keep on "spinning"! FWIW, I removed the white filter and last night his AHI was much lower (0.3) although occasionally he's gotten that before, but it seemed to me that the machine seemed quieter too.

Wulfman wrote:

rested gal wrote:

DoriC wrote: I was really concerned if using both of them could be restricting air flow in any way. Mike doesn't have any respiratory problems and I do wash the foam every month and interchange with my extra one.

I think what Den may have been thinking about is making the machine work harder to pull air in at the back. Perhaps shortening the life of the motor. I don't know that adding the white filter along with the foam filter would cause any appreciable extra work, but that's a thought. I've never used the white filter. Like Den, I use only the dark grey foam one and wash it the same way he described.

I don't think there would be any restriction of air that the machine would PUSH out in front, since it would be measuring the pressure and would give whatever "push" was needed to deliver that pressure. Thus, with one filter or two, it's not going to make any difference in the pressure your husband is getting from the machine. I can't see that removing one of the filters would change his treated AHI at all.

Yep. Laura knows me pretty well by now.
Earlier this year, I was talking to someone who works on these machines and he told me that the blower/fan motors in these machines run in excess of 20,000 RPMs. That's alot of spinning over long periods of time. If, and I mean IF.....the extra (fine) filter makes the motor work harder to pull the air through, it seems to me that it MAY shorten the life of the blower (by building up heat), so, I'm doing what I can do to help increase the useful life of my machines.


Den

I don't have a choice, since without the fine filter, allergies are much worse ; my nose runs and I sneeze all night.

It makes sense that the pump has to work harder to pull air through the fine filter, but I assume the designer of the machine considered that. OTOH, is it possible that the motor pumping air with more particles in it (finer than the sponge alone can trap) could also shorten its life?

I gently wash my disposable filter once a week with baby shampoo and rinse it out and pat dry it..


I wash my nose pillows every night, and the little tubing every night, and the long hose once a week..

If I dont wash it starts to smell like morning breath.. ewwwwwwwww!


I have a really good sense of smell, so I want everything to smell fresh and clean

I can even tell when the filter is getting dusty, because I can smell it..

I now have a used set of nasal pillows that have never seen the sink (just baby wipes)--I can't tell them from the brand new set.
These will be my emergency back-up.
If I have the flu or a cold, I plan to wash in distilled water and unscented hand soap.
I have cleaned the old pillows and Micro cushions in Dawn, rinsing with distilled water.
Washing with tap water and baby shampoo made these parts turn white, soft and stinky;
They now look and smell better, but still feel flimsy.