Hose Cleaning

[PaytonA]

I have been PAPing for 4 or 5 years and I cleaned my hose once. I alternate between 2 standard hoses and since last winter use a climateline hose in the winter.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

yucky..... if i go too long everything smells like sneeze.

The solution is - quit sneezing into your mask and hose. Oh well, just thought I might throw that in there. I know all too well that it is difficult to control when you sneeze - I do not even try. Strangely enough, I never sneeze when masked up. In fact I do not sneeze very much at all since I have been on VPAP.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

[surferdude2]

You had to mention that didn't you Paytona. I never have sneezed in my mask but now that you have me thinking about it, it's sure to happen. It's like when you hear a new word, the next day you notice everyone is using it. It's spooky how that works! My nose is starting to itch already!

Just for that, I'll get even with you. Have you ever hurled in your mask? haw..Take that!

Dude
ps. Been a hose head for a year now and washed my hose once, about six months ago. If I do it again soon, I'll qualify for the term "periodically". I filled it half full of warm soapy Dawn water and held my thumbs on the end and sloshed it back and forth. It was great fun until I raked my knuckles on the shower door. I had to get Mrs. Dude to rinse it for me while I looked for the band-aids. I've decided to wait longer for my next hose dance performance. It wasn't dirty anyway...I didn't see any germs.

[PaytonA]

Daria brought it up. I was just chiming in. I will be sure to tell you if I hurl in my mask. I will give you a vivid description and post a picture for you. I just like to be informative.

[DariaVader]

LOL!

So far I have never *actually* sneezed.... but everything takes on that odor anyway

I keep em clean. I work hard to keep any stray bacteria from making a bad situation worse.

[OpalRose]

PaytonA and surferdude2,

and

[surferdude2]

Do you know that they (whoever that is) have done a study on sneezing and determined that people normally do so in some innate pattern. Some people sneeze only once per episode while other are two sneezeers and some even three sneezers. Me, I'm a two sneeze sneezer. I generally always sneeze twice per episode. Remember that, it'll be on the test.

Now, about that bad breath odor running backwards through your xpap hose - it doesn't work that way. That presumes you have the blower turned on - you do turn it on don't you? With the blower running, nothing much goes through that hose but the filtered air from the blower - you do have the filter installed don't you? BTW, I change the filter monthly since they're so cheap. Actually it's me that's cheap since I make my own filters out of HEPA air vent filter material I got from Lowe's.

That is not to say your breath can't stink so badly that it raunches out the whole bedroom and peels the paint from the walls, in which case you may want to try some mouthwash. And no, don't put it in the humidifier reservoir. If your breath is so bad it travels upwind, you have another problem in addition to apnea. I'm going to call it stinknea. You may want to wash the entire bedroom in addition to washing the inside of that hose since the same stuff is infecting it also.

But seriously, the major part of of any remaining particulate matter that gets by the HEPA filter on your cpap box (you do use a HEPA rated filter don't you) will ordinarily end up on the impeller of the blower. If you need to wash anything, it would be that but it's not accessible to mere mortals since tearing the box apart on a weekly basis would no doubt ruin it.

To each his/her own but I'll wash mine again when it get to where the air can't go through it easily or every few months, whichever comes first.

Dude

[Kakkles]

what are people's thoughts on the hose brush cleaner? My DME is giving me one as they felt it needs to be done. I read somewhere before on this site that it can damage the hose.

Anyone experience this?

[warrenn]

I also use Dawn for washing. I wash the tube, face mask and nose and forehead cushions in the sink. I have found the water chamber needs more. I put an inch or so if HOT water and more Dawn in it. Using the washing piece that seals the openings, it is vigorously shaken, then rinsed multiple times to get all the soap out. I then put a cup or so of vinegar in the water chamber, seal and shake. I let the straight vinegar stay in while I partially fill a pitcher with hot water, just enough to cover the water chamber, which I now submerge. I let it soak for 2-3 hours. I first do the water chamber and the nose and forehead cushions. The second "load" is the tube and face mask. When removed, I allow to dry before using. I then use the vinegar/water solution for my electric tooth brush, water bottles, etc. that may need cleaning.

My medical supplier was somewhat aghast when I told him how I cleaned (probably wanted to sell me his chemicals), but I told him I had been doing this weekly for over 12 years without problems. On occasion, it has been a week-and-a-half or two weeks between cleanings, also without problems, but I do my best to do it every Saturday.

[parkerdt]

My DME told me in no uncertain terms, not to use Dawn. They recommended Ivory Liquid, which I tried, and could never get rid of the fragrance. Now, I use Johnson's Baby Shampoo. Seems to work. And yes, I use one of those LONG bottle brushes on my hose. So far so good.

I change my filter monthly and use the RedMed Hypoallergenic filter. I then also wash my humidifier reservoir.

I do get to change the hose out every 3 months, so I am not sure how necessary all this is, but it makes me feel better My headgear and mask frame I put in a delicates bag and toss in the wash on warm, delicate - then air dry. Also never an issue. My mask cushions I wash every night with a cushion disinfectant wipe, and change it every 15 days. So far, I am still alive

Dave

[surferdude2]

This isn't about hose cleaning but some may find it useful nonetheless.

Long ago I was on a regimen of weekly cleaning my mask. Between the weekly cleanings, I used Pampers wipes to clean the cushion. I began to notice that I had problems with leaks on the night following the weekly cleaning. Being smart like I am (duh) I realized that a soap cleaned cushion didn't seal as well as one that was rubbed with a Pampers wipe. They have no chemicals but have a touch of aloe vera in them and apparently that leaves a coating on the cushion that is conducive to better sealing to my face. I dare say it may even give some relief to those who are allergic to the silicone of the seal, although I can't attest to that since silicone and I are friends.

Now following my weekly soapy cleaning I wipe the cushion with a Pampers as the last act after drying. It works well for me. YMMV