White film on humidifier

I always use distilled water, back and forth between two different store brands depending on which place I need to go for other things at the same time I need the distilled water. Clean my humidifier chamber with soap and regular tap water once a week. Been doing it this way for 10+ years and never have had a white film or anything. My current chamber is about two years old (bought a new machine, thus new chamber), and it still looks brand new.

My husband tends to get a white something in his. When he first started, it was because he refused to "be bothered" with using distilled water and didn't clean it. After he had been on CPAP for awhile, I just happened to take his chamber out and was horrified at the hard, white/beige stuff caked inside his humidifier. I tried getting it out, but had to use a flat head screwdriver to chisele it out. I'm not joking. I finally told him I"m not doing this, buy a new one. He then started using distilled water, which is a lot better, but he still rarely cleans the thing, and it does have a thin white coating on part of it. Yuck!

I never thought about some distilled water not being truly distilled. Thanks for mentioning that, Chunkyfrog. Will definitely stay with what I've been using since that's working.

chunkyfrog wrote:Some retailers sell water which is incorrectly labeled as "distilled".
When you observe residue from so-called distilled water, stop buying it from that seller.
This might be a matter for the FDA, but I have doubts that any action will be taken--
unless there is a documented health hazard.
You can complain to the company's management, if you like, but I would just shop elsewhere.
I use a countertop distller for now; and if it eventually dies, I may build one from a stovetop pressure cooker.
Beats the heck out of hauling jugs around.

+1
Certainly have to agree if you are getting any residue it is not distilled. Just check the label to be sure you didn't grab spring or baby water. Some people think water is water or that any bottled water will do. In a pinch, I guess it will but if it is labeled "distilled" and leaves a residue I would buy a different brand.

I found that "distilled" water I got from one store left a white deposit in my humidifier tank. I cleaned it out using vinegar, and have never purchased water from that store again.