SoClean & other CPAP cleaning machines

[Geer1]

Limited warranty - UPDATED
ResMed Corp. and its affiliates warrant that your ResMed product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship from the date of purchase for the period specified below.

UPDATED. Effective February 1, 2020 ozone damage is specifically excluded.

https://www.resmed.com/en-us/product-war...formation/

FDA Reminds Patients that Devices Claiming to Clean, Disinfect or Sanitize CPAP Machines Using Ozone Gas or UV Light Have Not Been FDA Authorized

...

Exposure to high levels of ozone gas may worsen a patients’ existing chronic respiratory diseases or increase the chance of a respiratory infection.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-an...one-gas-or

I would never use a soclean and I don't see the reason to do so as it is easy to keep these machines clean. Step one is to use distilled water, this one step makes a huge difference in avoiding buildup of mineral deposits, bacteria etc. Step two clean mask, hose and humidifier in warm soapy water on a regular basis. I get lazy on this and only clean the machine every couple weeks but I make sure to clean the mask cushion regularly. I just fill sink with some hot soapy water, throw stuff in, give a quick wipe/rinse, let dry and good to go for a while again.

[Ratchick]

Agreed. I think the FDA and the manufacturers have made it patently obvious that they don't think SoClean and similar products are either necessary or useful and to use them is entirely at your own risk (and that of your equipment).

As someone whose field of expertise is medical microbiology, I am comfortable saying that there is NO need for home users to be trying to sterilise their equipment to this level. It's an unnecessary second step after washing according to the manufacturer's instructions, or it's a shortcut that really doesn't do what it says.

The fact that people are often doing it without the initial step to reduce biological biofilms by hand washing in mild soap and warm water (which is ALL they need in reality) means that they greatly reduce the effectiveness of ozone and UV sterilisation anyway.

On top of that, the UV products simply can't properly work through the plastics effectively and can cause degradation of them, and that ozone is patently harmful to human lungs and remains in levels beyond the recommended safe level inside the equipment, even after leaving it to stand? It just... baffles me.

Besides, neither ozone nor UV is going to remove skin oils etc, so it's really not going to magically "clean" your mask etc. You're better off just using a wipe on it and giving it a thorough wash when you do everything else.

As far as I am aware, the SoClean instructions say to prewash and follow the manufacturer's advice for cleaning - and that's where you should just stop. It's expensive, unnecessary and potentially damaging to your health and equipment.

[Sleepster]

As far as I am aware, the SoClean instructions say to prewash and follow the manufacturer's advice for cleaning - and that's where you should just stop. It's expensive, unnecessary and potentially damaging to your health and equipment.

It's not that much of a hassle to clean your CPAP gear. Daily, I wash the mask cushion (cause that's the part that seals against my skin and so accumulates face oils) and rinse out the humidifier tub. The rest of my cleaning "schedule" is not rigid. I'll wash out the humidifier tub and sterilize with peroxide when needed, which is about every week or two. I clean the hose with a tube brush when I feel like it. Occasionally I'll wash the head gear, but usually I just replace it because its lost its elasticity. I have lots of extra water tubs, masks, tubing, and cushions. The stuff really doesn't need to be replaced as often as recommended.

[Zorki1c]

Notice William Shatner doesn’t say it cleans your cpap. He says it makes it “fresh”

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Did you try a Google search before you bought this?

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html

First, a review of scientific research shows that, for many of the chemicals commonly found in indoor environments, the reaction process with ozone may take months or years (Boeniger, 1995).

Second, for many of the chemicals with which ozone does readily react, the reaction can form a variety of harmful or irritating by-products (Weschler et al., 1992a, 1992b, 1996; Zhang and Lioy, 1994). For example, in a laboratory experiment that mixed ozone with chemicals from new carpet, ozone reduced many of these chemicals, including those which can produce new carpet odor. However, in the process, the reaction produced a variety of aldehydes, and the total concentration of organic chemicals in the air increased rather than decreased after the introduction of ozone (Weschler, et. al., 1992b)

Third, ozone does not remove particles (e.g., dust and pollen) from the air, including the particles that cause most allergies.

There is evidence to show that at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone is not effective at removing many odor-causing chemicals.

If used at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone applied to indoor air does not effectively remove viruses, bacteria, mold, or other biological pollutants.

As for truth in advertising, false statements are made all the time. Any time a commercial says it "beats the competition" without mentioning a name, there's a false statement in it. Look on a store shelf in the vitamin and herbal remedy section. You'll see in big letters "CURES ACNE" then in small letters somewhere will be "not been proven to actually work" or something similar.

Your friend in the medical field may be right in some aspect. First, a reusable medical device is cleaned of any particles. Then it is sterilized. Simply dropping a blood covered scalpel into boiling water doesn't clean it. You would first have to clean your CPAP parts then use the ozone cleaner and hope for the best. For that amount of money, you could have gotten a lifetime supply of Control II.

Don't get mad at us for telling you that you should have done better research. You say you want more opinions yet the only advice you followed was the biased opinion of the manufacturer and a single friend.

And, seriously, if you don't have 5 minutes a day or 20 minutes on the weekend, then you need to organize your priorities. I hate the five hours or so it takes to do the laundry but I do it, even if it takes time away from my work, my play, or playing with my dogs.

Exactly

[djjf]

During my most recent office visit I was warned that the SO Clean O3 device that I've been using for some time is NOT a recommended CPAP cleaning device. Apparently ozone (O3) is detrimental to the interior plastic parts and rubber seals in my Resmed Curve 10 and that it would invalidate the CPAP machine's warranty. The SO Clean is not an inexpensive device and this was NOT good news. Anyone else been told similar information?

[staceyburke]

It has been out there for a couple years. I do use a O3 device to clean my hose and mask but not the machine. The mask and hose are going to be replaced regularly any way so I don’t worry about them being damaged by ozone. The machine is a different thing being replaced at a MINIMUM of 5 years no ozone.

[Big Guy]

It has been out there for a couple years. I do use a O3 device to clean my hose and mask but not the machine. The mask and hose are going to be replaced regularly any way so I don’t worry about them being damaged by ozone. The machine is a different thing being replaced at a MINIMUM of 5 years no ozone.

Same here! I have a device that sanitizes all of the parts.

[SideSleeper]

There was a sign on the check-in counter at my sleep doctor's office yesterday with the warning that So Clean and other ozone products products like it could void your warranty.  The DME I use, Norco, sells them.

[djjf]

Well I'm not mad at anyone other than the So Clean manufacturer for selling an expensive health and equipment threatening device and yes I did online research prior to purchase. In my meager defense the So Clean manual says to use their cleaning solution as part of the initial start up procedure. Nowhere does it indicate it's part of the routine maintenance. I purchased the darn thing to AVOID the annoying routine maintenance and stupid me I used it as such.

[Big Guy]

I haven't found the routine maintenance to be that big of a deal. Initially, I wasn't sure just what to expect. But, the members on this forum quickly told me how to go about it. From that point on, I customized it to better serve me. 

When I clean something, I know it's done right. That's peace of mind for me. I do have a machine that sanitizes stuff, like the hose, mask / cushion, and flex joint. It's not a So-Clean, but it utilizes the same principle, and it was a whole lot less expensive. Under $40.00 shipped. 

Truth be told, I've found that the whole CPAP process of keeping it clean, just isn't a big deal.