Do we really need to clean this stuff?

[Sleeprider]

Thanks for the water treatment suggestion. I have a cottage where this will be perfect.

[Janyn]

I have had 2 sinus infections now in the 4 months I have been on CPAP. I clean my machine religiously now and use my LUMIN disinfection machine as well a few times a week, even on the filters....ITs just gross to those of you who post that you never clean your machines, I just wonder what your houses look like? Ewwww....

[Sleepster]

I use dish detergent and warm water to clean my gear, and a tubing brush. I wash the cushion daily to remove face oils.

I have a water softener and use that water in my humidifier tub, rinsing it out and letting it dry each morning. Occasionally I use peroxide to remove any bio film that accumulates in the tub.

I see no need for any kind of wipes.

[Dafod]

I have two pillows in my P10 that I rotate each day and handwash them in the sink briefly with soap (day to dry). I empty my humidifier each night and replace the tap water. I check my filters whenever I remember (which isnt that often, although I am getting better). I don't clean my hose at all. Haven't had an issue to-date that would seem be related to my cpap setup.

[NotADr]

I use tap water. I’ve always wondered if the small residual chlorine content in tap water is sufficient to keep my humidifier free of bugs, especially if I replace the water with a fresh batch every evening. Distilled water has no chlorine, so perhaps tap water provides one advantage. I do a brief vinegar rinse once every week or two, depending on my ability to remember. However, the tap water in our locale has very little iron or other hard minerals - I’d probably be using distilled if faced with that issue.

[MikeyT]

I have very hard water. I tried Brita filtered water in my humidifier last night. It left a significant mineral deposit in the water chamber. Back to distilled tonight. As to cleaning, my mask including headgear, my hose and my water chamber get a 10 minute soak in warm soapy water weekly. I wash the seal two or three times weekly. The headgear and diffuser (F&P Brevida) get spun dry in my washer after a tapwater rinse. Post-rinse, mask frame, hose, seal and water chamber get a 10 minute soak in a weak bleach and vinegar solution. No respiratory infections after 20ish years of this regimen. Oh, I also have COPD as a result of a two pack/day for 40 years smoking habit.

BTW, distilled water only costs $0.80/gal at a local store. Brita filters cost about $0.23/gal, so distilled is not all that costly.

[Big Guy]

We have very hard water in our community. I've been using tap water and I empty the water reservoir each & every morning. 

Once once in a great while, I do find a minimal amount of mineral build-up left in the reservoir. That's usually due to the water chamber running low on water. Just a bit of tissue and it wipes clean. 

If it's a bit more build-up, a bit of Vinegar left in the chamber for about 15 min.or so, does the trick.

[Robylla]

Interesting that you change the filter every 2 week. Have been using my machine for about 5 weeks and the technician set a reminder to change it every 2 months. It still looks ok to me, so haven't changed it. I might be a bit on overkill with the rest of the cleaning though, but I figure best to be safe than sorry.
I rinse the hose with hot tap water every one to two days and let it air dry, wash everything else daily in hot soapy water (Morning Fresh which I presume is the equivalent of Dawn - I am in Australia), rinse it all well with hot tap water and then let it air dry. I also have a glass jug with a silicone cover which I wash and rinse everyday and then fill with cool boiled tap water for the humidifier. Have just got into a routine doing it every morning and now also the added task of uploading my data on to Oscar. I am still trying to learn how to organise the charts as they have been too big to upload, but getting there.
CPAP sure is an interesting journey particularly as 6 months ago, had never heard of it.

[braindead]

For me, regular cleaning definitely YES.

About a year ago I noticed some respiratory problems that seemed odd. I hunted around my living space and noticed one of my curtained windows was full of moist black mold - the toxic kind. The mold spores were continuously migrating to the room air, breathed them in via the Cpap unit where they settled comfortably in their new home - the Cpap hose corrugations. I nuked the hose, Cpap fittings, filters etc with a watered-down solution of chlorine bleach followed by clean water.

To prevent a fungal recurrence I thoroughly nuked the window glass with bleach until it was also spotlessly clean.  I then lined the window glass with a layer of plastic bubble-wrap, bubbles facing the glass, to provide an insulating air-gap layer. I'll be keeping a close eye on the glass this winter!

My respiratory problems have completely gone. I imagine double-glazed windows should be fine.

[Pat Knoll]

After 5 years of CPAP use I began last year  to develop serious allergies .  From what ( ? )  I do not know even several  months later . But since then I have become very fixed on keeping everything re CPAP  clean and filters regularly  changed . This had been huge help with the daily allergies attacks . They have dropped off by 75 % . There must be a connection   in this  ( clearly is ) and therefore for me  there is no such thing as wasted  time in the  clean at max  process .  From 2017 to 2019 I neglected 99% of necessary cleaning and filtering needs . Was very inattentive - to this .  Lesson learned for me - no going back  !

pk