Cleaning rubber mask

How do you guys clean your rubber mask? I've been using hand soap and warm water. After about 2 weeks it starts to get dirty (that doesn't wash off) and the seal isn't so great due to oil that can not be washed off. After about 3-4 weeks it's really frustrating. I wash my face before bed with water and use a wetwipe. Just wondering if there is a way to keep the mask fresh longer. I get new masks sent to me every month.

Just like you're doing. Hand soap and warm water. Nothing fancy. I have the same mask I was given 2 1/2 years ago and I still wear it most every night.

Some hand soaps can leave a residue behind and may even include anti-bacterials. I use a mild dish soap on my masks, and they generally last about six months.

You could also try using the shampoo that you use on your hair. Shampoo's job is to remove body oils, plus it's a scent you are already use to. They also make specific "pap" cleaning products, but I don't think they are any or much better than stuff you probably already have at home.

Use simple, pure soap to clean the mask parts. Ivory or pure glycerine soap. Or for a liquid soap I use baby shampoo. Someone on here once recommended it and it seems to work fine. Do that and you should not have any oily residue.

There will be a whitening of the silicone over time, regardless of cleaning soap used. It occurs as a result of ...well we're not really sure what exactly causes the cloudiness. However some people have boiled their masks in water and baking soda to eliminate the cloudiness in the plastic. Whether it decreases the life of the materials is not sure. But some people do use the method.

I find baby shampoo works fine for me too. Also give it a nice smell.

How often are you washing?

pgjackson wrote:How do you guys clean your rubber mask? I've been using hand soap and warm water. After about 2 weeks it starts to get dirty (that doesn't wash off) and the seal isn't so great due to oil that can not be washed off. After about 3-4 weeks it's really frustrating. I wash my face before bed with water and use a wetwipe. Just wondering if there is a way to keep the mask fresh longer. I get new masks sent to me every month.

I assume that the 'rubber' you are referring to is silicone. Depending on what mask you are using, you may be able to boil the silicone. It usually comes out like new.

I wash and soak my mask once a week in baby shampoo. Every day, I wipe the oil off with a cpap wipe or Pampers Thick Wipes for sensitive skin. You can use generic wipes, but make sure the wipe does not have aloe (leaves a film) or alcohol (will eat up the rubber/silicone).

Sheriff

We need to know which mask you have.

Please fill in your equipment in your profile. There's a link in my signature line with hints on how to do this.

I have the Resmed Quattro FX. Can that be boiled to clean?

Just undo the silicone part and boil it in water with a little baking soda(about 1/4 a teaspoon) . Just wipe down the rest of the mask with a baby wipe.

The hard plastic parts may not be able to survive boiling.
Wash in unscented mild dish detergent and rinse in soft tap water or distilled water, then air dry.
Diluted vinegar may be used as a preliminary rinse (1 part vinegar to 8 parts water)
--but don't soak unless you love the smell of pickles.
Some masks have a cushion that is part silicone/part hard plastic.
This may be a design to discourage boiling.

Well, boiling didn't do much...but washing it with laundry detergent sure did. Looks like new. I noticed that the hand soap I have been using to wash it has aloe in it.

I have Quattro FX and Innomed Hybrid masks. I boil the just the silicone cushions for about 5 mins in distilled water with 2 tsp of baking soda.
I use a 2qt sauce pan, and use just enough distilled water to cover the cushion. Bring the water to a boil, then drop in the cushion, flip it over after about 2 mins.
It always works perfectly and restores the silicone to like new condition.(gets rid of the hazy-foggy look) It makes mine look like brand new!
It does not degrade or harm the silicone at all. (Silicone will withstand way higher temps than you can generate by boiling).
The baking soda will foam up a little bit, this is normal. After boiling, rinse the cushion with some fresh distilled water. (some just rinse it off under tap water.)
You will immediately see a difference. If you want a like-brand new Quattro FX cushion, do this.
You must use distilled water and baking soda. Tap water will leave mineral deposits.
Do not boil any other part of the mask, as the plastic will not enjoy it.