Cleaning Silicone Cushions (Poll)

Years ago when I first started this I was told to use Ivory dish soap. I've been using it ever since.

Because I don't use a humidifier I will wash the cushion once a week... or so. The whole mask gets washed once a month.

John

9forus wrote:I use the antibacterial liquid hand soap I keep by my sinks. I just squirt some in my fingers and wash it with my hand and air dry. I wash it first thing in the morning and its dry by noon.

Same here

Cheers,

Bill

Sir NoddinOff wrote:You left out two big ones in your poll. 1) Control III solution available from our hosts Cpap.com (use as directed), followed by a good two hour soak in clean rinse water. 2) There is also gently simmering the cushion a sodium bicarbonate mix and water for 5-7 minutes then rinsing with fresh water. This can extend the life of the cushions 2-3 times their normal life, or at least that's my experience. Of course, this isn't an everyday cleaning procedure.

Here you go on boiling: viewtopic/t74686/Boiling-Stuff-Part-2.html

Here's the Control III link: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/Contro ... eaner.html

Just a side note: On this forum, alcohol is widely believed to have a deleterious effect on silicone cushions, however I can't put my finger on those posts at this moment.

The Resmed User guide instructions for cleaning specifically says.."do not use alcohol"

LSAT wrote:The Resmed User guide instructions for cleaning specifically says.."do not use alcohol"

But can you suggest a way in which isopropyl alcohol could harm silicone rubber? I can't think of one. I just spoke to my friend, a Ph.D. chemist, and she said that it should be fine. I wonder if it's just that they haven't tested it.

You have a Resmed mask...read User Guide Book that comes wth the mask.

LSAT wrote:You have a Resmed mask...read User Guide Book that comes wth the mask.

That does not really answer my question, which was whether you knew of any way in which isopropyl alcohol could harm silicone rubber. Nevertheless, I have, in fact, read the user guide for the Quattro Air, which says nothing about isopropyl (or any other) alcohol.

Again, I'm not looking to destroy my mask. If someone knows of reason to believe that it can cause harm, I'd love to hear it. But since dimethyl silicone is non-porous and chemically inert, it is scientifically improbable that isopropyl alcohol would cause any harm to it. So telling me to RTFM (especially one that doesn't even say what you seem to think it does) is not an adequate response.

The Latinist wrote:Nevertheless, I have, in fact, read the user guide for the Quattro Air, which says nothing about isopropyl (or any other) alcohol.

http://www.resmed.com/au/service_and_su ... c=patients
Click on "what not to use to clean my mask".
All this use to be in the mask paperwork that came with any mask. Looks like it may now be omitted per your Quattro link.
Whether they have rethought their position...I don't know. Perhaps you could call them and ask.

What shouldn't I use to clean my mask?

Note that cleaning instructions are provided in the user guide that accompanies your mask. You should avoid anything that is not pure and natural. ResMed recommends that you use only natural or pure products/solutions to clean your mask, as the residual vapours that are left behind from non-natural cleaners can be inhaled if not rinsed very thoroughly.

Antibacterial soaps, among others, may damage your mask and cause cracks, which may lead to skin irritation and poor mask performance. Furthermore, do not iron the headgear as the material is heat-sensitive and will be damaged.

What not to use. ResMed recommends that you avoid using the products and solutions that are listed below.

Don't use aromatic-based solutions, Eucalyptus oil, essential oils, scented oils
Don't use antibacterial soaps
Don't use detergents (even if they are mild or include some natural ingredients)
Don't use alcohol
Don't use vinegar
Don't use soaps with citrus scents

The above appears to have been replaced with this simple statement at least in the brochure you linked to and I don't have time or the inclination to go read the others


Only thing I found mentioned as to why not was alcohol could cause the silicone to become brittle but there was no documentation (which you seem to need) to back it up and it came from a retailer and not mask manufacturer.
It would make sense though if alcohol acts as a drying agent to silicone. They never really tell us why...they never did tell us why....but you can call them and ask them what the position is on those products now in terms of cleaning that now seem to be omitted from the literature. Maybe they changed their minds. They will talk to you as a patient. I have done it myself with other questions I have had and they were very helpful.

To contact Customer Service for the United States and Canada, please call 1 (800) 424-0737 (toll-free).
https://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/contact.html

Silicone must be somewhat porous because if I wash my cushions in a lightly perfumed soap (Ivory etc) or even Control III, followed by a comprehensive two hour rinse with fresh water, I can always detect a bit of fragrance left behind on the dried cushions. It seems to remain at least 12 hours. I pride myself regarding my near perfect sense of smell; that's probably why I was often invited over the span of many years to be an official wine taster (and sniffer) at our local county fair. Sadly, my liver made me resign

Sir NoddinOff wrote:I can always detect a bit of fragrance left behind on the dried cushions.

Yeah, I can smell fragrances also. That's why I like to use a little floral scented soap and I don't care if I am not supposed to I get months and months and months of use out of my nasal pillows as it is. Who cares if I shorten the life by a couple of months. I used the Tap Pap nasal pillows (one set) from March 2013 until January 1st of this year and only had to break open a new package because I lost one of the pillows...but found it 2 days ago under the couch...it was a bit nasty looking so I tossed it.
That's why I also don't do the vinegar thing...I don't like vinegar smell at all and it always seemed like it lasted for days no matter how much I rinsed something.

I have no desire to change my cleaning routine (or some people might think "lack of routine") since it suits my needs. Whatever someone else might want to do or not do...well, they are free to come up with their own routine that suits their needs.

I'm sure almost any grease / oil cutting detergent or soap would be OK, but I find baby shampoo is the only one that doesn't leave a residual smell.
I also boil my Swift FX cushions if they stop sealing correctly which is every 3 - 4 months and replace them every 18 months .

Since I noticed you are using a PR System One machine and also a SoClean machine to insure germ-free equipment, I'll bet you don't know about the two silicone port gaskets inside the humidifier housing that need to be cleaned from time to time. To find them look under the hatch lid and then at the back of the space where the tank sits - you've obviously taken out the tank at this point. Almost nobody cleans those two small gaskets and they are also in the direct airflow path. Both gaskets pop off and are easy to clean and replace... I don't clean them every day, however once a month when my hose gets a Control III bath, I pop those in the solution for a half an hour.

First I want to say I had no idea these gaskets could be removed and cleaned, so thank you so much for posting this! I go through a full tank each night (I use a FFM) and every once in a while I'd look at the gaskets when I took the tank out and be pretty grossed out at how steamed up they were.

Second, having just now gone and cleaned them, I want to let everyone with a PR System One know that you can also get that third gasket out, the one that slips over the plastic tube connecting to the blower. That whole plastic tube assembly at the back of the humidifier slides forward and out. Then you can pull that last gasket off and wash and disinfect them all.

Lea_T wrote:

Since I noticed you are using a PR System One machine and also a SoClean machine to insure germ-free equipment, I'll bet you don't know about the two silicone port gaskets inside the humidifier housing that need to be cleaned from time to time. To find them look under the hatch lid and then at the back of the space where the tank sits - you've obviously taken out the tank at this point. Almost nobody cleans those two small gaskets and they are also in the direct airflow path. Both gaskets pop off and are easy to clean and replace... I don't clean them every day, however once a month when my hose gets a Control III bath, I pop those in the solution for a half an hour.

First I want to say I had no idea these gaskets could be removed and cleaned, so thank you so much for posting this! I go through a full tank each night (I use a FFM) and every once in a while I'd look at the gaskets when I took the tank out and be pretty grossed out at how steamed up they were.

Second, having just now gone and cleaned them, I want to let everyone with a PR System One know that you can also get that third gasket out, the one that slips over the plastic tube connecting to the blower. That whole plastic tube assembly at the back of the humidifier slides forward and out. Then you can pull that last gasket off and wash and disinfect them all.

Thank you both for this!

I disassemble and wash my masks in the dishwasher with regular powdered dishwasher soap and the hottest water cycle I can get. I use the "NSF sanitize" setting. I don't run the headgear through the dishwasher. I've done this on ComfortGel and Swift FX masks weekly for about 10 years and get good life times out of the masks.

I wouldn't do this to any foam mask parts, but your standard silicone or hard plastic parts seem to handle it well.

For the last 3 years I have been using Baby Wipes to clean the cushion and the front part the mask, while assembled, every night. But I am going to change and soak everything (while apart including the air hose and the headgear) in warm water and baby shampoo for an hour or so and next rinse. The humidifier tank goes into the dishwasher.

ArchAngel, why do you sanitize your mask in the dishwasher at max heat if you're the only one using it?

I just simmered my SwiftII gently in bicarb solution for a couple of minutes, and they are undamaged, much more comfortable and my leak rate is improved. Thanks!