Speed drying for Cpap Hose?

A hose may not every dry in some climates. I made a "demustifyer" but I can't find a link to it now. I put a small computer fan in a container that I could plug in a hose. It will dry my hose in 30 minutes.

Pictures are here:

http://www.abnormal.com/cpap/demustifier/

I simply take the hose outside and take hold of one end and swing it in a circle for a few seconds...also try leaving it hang in a verticle position in the sun, or a sunny window during the day. It works for me!

Wulfman... wrote:

surf_rower wrote:Wow. This is the weirdest thread I ever read. You guys really don't know why someone would want to wash their hose? How about because the instructions that come with the machine say you are supposed to wash your hose?
Like the OP, I have wanted to dry my hose (the short one attached to the Tap Pap that must be rinsed daily because it has been in my mouth) so that when I first put it on and try to go to sleep, there aren't annoying drops of water tickling the edges of my nose, making it hard to fall asleep. (I don't use a humidifier.) I wash it every morning and place it near the radiator on top of a towel. The Tap Pap mouthguard could get soft and change shape if it gets too warm, though. If there is still a bit of moisture visible before bed, usually around the nasal pillows, I let air blow through it from the machine before putting it on. Just five minutes usually takes care of it.
The longer portion of my hose only gets washed about once a month, but the instructions say once a week.

The manufacturers are in the business to sell "stuff". The more you clean the equipment, the more often you have to replace the "stuff".

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How do you figure that? Serious question.

-tim wrote:A hose may not every dry in some climates. I made a "demustifyer" but I can't find a link to it now. I put a small computer fan in a container that I could plug in a hose. It will dry my hose in 30 minutes.

Pictures are here:

http://www.abnormal.com/cpap/demustifier/

That's great! Very creative. I like it. I hope I see it on Sharktank next season.

I just turn on my dehumidifier and let the air blow into either end of the hose; the other end stays 90* or inline with the air flow. (so both ends don't receive the same pressure) It circulates dryer air than room air into it and usually dries in about an hour. Works great drying headgear too.

surf_rower wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:

surf_rower wrote:Wow. This is the weirdest thread I ever read. You guys really don't know why someone would want to wash their hose? How about because the instructions that come with the machine say you are supposed to wash your hose?
Like the OP, I have wanted to dry my hose (the short one attached to the Tap Pap that must be rinsed daily because it has been in my mouth) so that when I first put it on and try to go to sleep, there aren't annoying drops of water tickling the edges of my nose, making it hard to fall asleep. (I don't use a humidifier.) I wash it every morning and place it near the radiator on top of a towel. The Tap Pap mouthguard could get soft and change shape if it gets too warm, though. If there is still a bit of moisture visible before bed, usually around the nasal pillows, I let air blow through it from the machine before putting it on. Just five minutes usually takes care of it.
The longer portion of my hose only gets washed about once a month, but the instructions say once a week.

The manufacturers are in the business to sell "stuff". The more you clean the equipment, the more often you have to replace the "stuff".

.

How do you figure that? Serious question.

About 50% logic from reading the manufactures' cleaning instructions and about 50% from reading the posts on the forum for about 9 years.
The more you take this stuff apart, wash, heat and scrub it, the more wear and tear there is on the parts......not to mention that oftentimes parts are broken, torn and lost in the process.

Also, MANY, MANY users rely on their insurance to supply them replacement masks, filters and other parts at somewhat regular intervals. Consequently, they have little incentive to actually take care of this equipment or desire to make it last. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've read "My insurance pays for........." on these forum pages over the years.

From a personal perspective, MY insurance reimbursed me for 80% of my purchase from CPAP-dot-COM in April of 2005.
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I've purchased with regard to this therapy since then has been out-of-pocket. Having seen many abuses to the insurance system over the years, I have chosen not to go that route.


Den

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Guest wrote:leaving the hose open & exposed for a week allows ample time for bacteria and other bugs to get inside after your diligent disinfecting process

You're breathing in whatever germs are in the air 16 hours a day anyway. You're taking in 10 liters a minute for that whole time. If your hose sitting out for a few weeks unconnected, there's not going to be that much volume of air to carry germs into the hose, even over a few weeks of sitting out in the open. Inhaling whatever collects in the hose in a few weeks is not going to produce any more germs than a few minutes of breathing normal, unfiltered air.

archangle wrote:

Guest wrote:leaving the hose open & exposed for a week allows ample time for bacteria and other bugs to get inside after your diligent disinfecting process

You're breathing in whatever germs are in the air 16 hours a day anyway. You're taking in 10 liters a minute for that whole time. If your hose sitting out for a few weeks unconnected, there's not going to be that much volume of air to carry germs into the hose, even over a few weeks of sitting out in the open. Inhaling whatever collects in the hose in a few weeks is not going to produce any more germs than a few minutes of breathing normal, unfiltered air.

Thank you for being another voice in confirming why "cleaning" is a waste of time.


Den

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Wulfman... wrote:Thank you for being another voice in confirming why "cleaning" is a waste of time.

I didn't say that at all. When you use the CPAP, you exhale various kinds of germ food into the hose. The humidifier provides humidity to help the germs grow over time if you don't ever clean it. Even if it doesn't get dangerous, it will probably get stinky.

It's just that a week or two of sitting out in the open air with a clean, dry hose isn't going to be much, if any, worse than letting the hose sit in a sealed container.

Why not use a hairdryer for drying the hose? It can be set on warm OR cool.

Wulfman... wrote:From a personal perspective, MY insurance reimbursed me for 80% of my purchase from CPAP-dot-COM in April of 2005.
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I've purchased with regard to this therapy since then has been out-of-pocket. Having seen many abuses to the insurance system over the years, I have chosen not to go that route.

Keep up the good fight, and I agree, but this has nothing to do with good hygiene. The entire industry is manipulated to keep prices high and this includes the manufacturers, DME, insurance, and sometimes government aid. I still take a daily shower despite the rising cost of soap and water.

I read the links you supplied and they provide useful information. The main premise is that heated humidifiers themselves are not inherently dangerous. Good information. None of this suggests to avoid cleaning the medical equipment that connects directly to your airway.

One of the links you provided "How do I clean the humidifier, mask and tube? How ofen should I do this?" outlines exactly what is required. Makes sense even though it comes from a manufacturer. Being new I am loath to go against this. Is there documented evidence and studies, other than anecdotal, that supports a different process?

Speed drying a CPAP hose never would have occurred to me. I disinfect with soap and vinegar in the morning, let air dry all day, then use the equipment at night. Sometimes the hose still has droplets of water but since I'm not letting anything stew for long this should be good enough. I hope.

http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghea ... 407024.htm

I soak my hose and tank once a month in a Control III solution for an hour, then rinse. Other than that, every morning I just disconnect the mask, take off the Padacheek liner, unhook the hose from the machine and hang the hose and mask looped over an a old coat rack I have in the bedroom. I make sure the hose ends and mask are hanging free, that is, not touching anything because i don't want any little beasties to crawl inside and set up house. It's a pretty easy routine and takes about two minutes (well, not the Control III part)

I can't help but wonder why the antibacterial liquid soap and hot water is not talked about? Seems like that would do the job well.

This thread is so long I do not have time to look at all of it. I found this link a while ago and purchased it. Still waiting for the shipment to come in: http://canadacpapsupply.com/cpap-equipment-dryer.html
Sorry if someone has already given the link to this.

Seems a bit pointless to me - anything connected with the humidifier will be wet anyway most nights, and everything else will be full of air otherwise (and therefore dry pretty fast anyhow). I never do anything with my hose, only use the humidifier for a few wks in winter and therefore only clean it x 1-2 yearly, and mostly use wipes on the mask. Sure someone will always find a way to take your money (for nothing) but it doesn't mean you have to give it to them. Water generally evaporates pretty quickly.

I agree with Julie.....To me, trying to dry a hose is a complete waste of time. Especially when you wash the hose and then hang it in the bathroom a few feet from the toilet. All that is in the hose is your filtered room air mixed with vapor from distilled water. By the time you get the hose dry you will be going to sleep and running moisture through it again.