Staying at a Smokers House with Cpap

Hi Everyone,

My cousin has asked me to stay at his house for a week and to dog sit his two dogs. I have to say I am not at all interested in going, but he has been good to me in the past helping me get a job and I just got out of school and I am looking for a job and have no money, so what ever he pays me would be a great help at the moment.
Anyways, I just don't like staying at other peoples houses, because I have really bad insomina, and just perfer to be in my own house and bed. My grandmother lives in the little attached inlaw appartment, and is unable to take care of the dogs, because one is a really high strung dog that jumps a lot and would knock her over in a moment.
So my main concern is that there house is a smoker paradise. I can't stand the smell of smoke, and I am worried about the smoke and my cpap machine.
Do you think the smoke will affect my Cpap in a negative way if I am staying there for several days.
Do you think the fine hypoallergenic filter might help to capture some of that smoke smell.
I am thinking that I might have to use some aroma therapy, but it really is not something I care for. I have the clear pur sleep, which will be great when I have a cold, but I tried it one night with out a cold just to see what it was like and it was very strong and overpowering, to the point it made me feel ill.
Are there any sense that you can recommend that are lighter and no so strong?
Any other ideas for how to use my machine in this enviorment or how to cut down on the amount of smoke I will be intakes.
I have even thought about putting the machine up to a cracked window to help get fresh air, but can't think of any other ways that may be helpful, and I kinda doubt there are too many things that I haven't already thought of, but I hope you will prove me wrong.

Get some extra filters and put a new one in every night of the disposable ones. Make sure you have a couple of fresh filters left for when you return home.

How old is your CPAP? They have a foam padding inside to reduce noise, etc. of the motor. If your PAP is a year or more old you may be able to have the foam padding changed as part of annual maintenance.

During the day you might want to run it outside for a while every day just to let it bring in fresh air and blow out any smoke odor dragged in during the night.

Hopefully they don't smoke in the bedroom (many smokers don't), so that room should not be as bad. Opening all the windows in the house for a while will help. Any fabric surfaces that reek of smoke can be sprayed with Febreze which will help with, but not eliminate, the odor.

If the bedroom has a strong odor, best of luck. I wouldn't be able to stay there even one night.

Do you have another relative in the area where you could sleep at night? If not, check craigslist in the area under "rooms & shares". This category frequently has weekly furnished rooms that you can rent, and you could do your dog/house sitting during the day. Another option is http://www.hostelbookers.com. With any of these you would want to verify that it is a nonsmoking environment.

A few suggestions to go with the ones already made:

1) if anyone you know has a portable HEPA air cleaner, see if you can borrow it for the duration of your stay, and start it running in the bedroom you'll be sleeping in, with the door closed, as soon as you get there. I do not smoke (heaven forfend!) but I do have allergies and I have these running in both my bedroom and my son's bedroom. They make a huge difference. (If you can swing buying one, they really are a good investment that will pay you back in clearer lungs and calmer nose.)

2) Wash all the bed linens as soon as you say "g'bye" to your cousin. If the bedspread isn't the machine-washable type, hang it outside for a while if that's possible, or even put it in the dryer on "air" - that will pull an amazing amount of smoke smell out of it all by itself.

3) Febreze the carpet and upholstery in the bedroom, and vacuum a bunch of times.

4) If you find the smoke smell (or dog dander) getting to you in the rest of the house, you could consider a lightweight surgical mask for your waking hours there.

Good luck!

If your grandmother who lives in the attached apartment doesn't smoke and it's clear in there ask her if you can sleep in there even if you have to sleep on a pallet on the floor or the couch.

I tried staying at my Mother's house (who smokes) early in my CPAP journey. Never again. I woke up at 3:00am and my nose felt like it was clogged with concrete. I actually got up and took a shower hoping the steam would relieve the congestion in my nose. That was about 12 years ago and I've never slept in a smokers house (or motel room) since. Not worth it.


JeffH

BTW, I smoked for 20 years so maybe I'm worse than the usual suspect.

I would sleep some where that there is no smokers! I would not risk such an important piece of medical equipment to house sit. I would also let your cousin know that while you are willing to come and care for the dogs. You can not stay due to your medical conditions and allergies to cigarette smoke.


My mother is a chain smoker. I have pretty much stopped communicating with her unless its on the telephone. I can't stand the smell and everything about her, her house belongs, any gifts, car and even my step father..flat out reeks to high heaven.

It takes me like three days if I go to see her to get rid of the stench! Showers, washing clothing, air and cleaning the car and any belongs that go into her home, washing hair etc. I have to do a serious cleaning and disinfecting of anything in that environment.

So I personally would not risk it. Though I am rather sensitive. I don't even bother to befriend smoker because of the smell.

I attended a party at a bar with my hubby, many years ago, before the clean indoor air act.
The next morning, my eyes were swollen shut.
I looked like I had been beaten in the face.
I do avoid smoky houses, and if we visit, I make some excuse to get out early--very early.
Stupidly, I lent my backup machine to a relative for 4 days. It REEKED!
The machine didn't smell normal for 2 or 3 months--luckily I didn't need to use it.
I washed the mask & headgear 3 times--with lots of Febreze.
I could still smell the smoke. The relative does not smoke; but her husband does.

pick a room, empty it of all furniture, wash walls,floor and ceiling down.
Pick up a cheap air mattress. Bring your own linens and an air purifier.

Are the smokers going to be gone while you're there? That should help a lot. Maybe you can put a fan in the window and air out your bedroom during the day. Air out the whole house the first day.

The smoke shouldn't hurt your machine in a week, if the smokers are gone. It may stink for a while, though. You might want to unplug it and put it in a plastic container when not in use. Be sure to remove the humidifier tank before moving the machine. Dump the water daily. The water might absorb some smells.

It could still be rather unpleasant for you, though.

Don't use any kind of air freshener into the machine. That could damage the air sensors in the machine.

You talk about the smoke a lot,what about the dogs. I cant stand to have a dog in my house.