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Boiling Nasal Pillows
#11
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
Okay, I don't have any kind of "official" answer here, but we boil them anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes or so, depends on what's going on to distract us.
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#12
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
I have a Quattro FX so I have a face cushion rather than nasal pillows. I did the boiling thing twice and when I did it, I think I used 1 or 2 teaspoons of baking soda in a small sauce pan with just enough water to cover the cushion. I boiled with the side down that rests against the face first for 2 minutes, flipped it over for 2 minutes and then flipped it back to the first side again for a final 2 minutes. Removed it from the pan and rinsed it under running water from the tap. Let it air dry and silicone is clearer and tackier.

It does work but I don't think it really adds much to the actual life of the cushion. I find the more important things are to just wash the cushion every morning (I use Ivory liquid soap in warm water) and wash your face immediately before I go to bed to remove all facial oils. I've been using my Quattro FX for about 15 months now and I'm only on my second face cushion and stll getting excellent seal on it.
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#13
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
It hasn't worked for me.

I was my pillowsin a clear, fragrance free disg detergent.

I wish they would last longer!
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#14
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
I steep mine in Milton baby bottle steralising fluid for ten mind once a week (Wipe them each day with a 'sensitive' baby wipe) along with all my tubing and humidifier. Works wonders and smells so clean afterwards
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#15
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
I do have to wonder about boiling silicon - surely that would destroy it. The real problem with the Swift LX nasal pillows in washing them is the double wall of the pillows - water gets trapped in there and can then get mouldy or otherwise infected. Even running a hair dryer through it doesn't seem to get that area dry....
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#16
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
I think most silicones are stable up to 400 degrees F. boiling water should be ok @ 212 F. (100C)
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#17
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
(03-30-2013, 06:20 PM)DocWils Wrote: I do have to wonder about boiling silicon - surely that would destroy it. The real problem with the Swift LX nasal pillows in washing them is the double wall of the pillows - water gets trapped in there and can then get mouldy or otherwise infected. Even running a hair dryer through it doesn't seem to get that area dry....

I presume you mean Swift FX. I hadn't noticed the double wall area before. I need to rethink my cleaning process.

Quite a few people report that boiling their silicone parts hardens/softens/clarifies/cleans/polymerizes/? or something and it "rejuvenates" old silcone parts for them. Try it on the old parts the next time you're ready to replace your silicone CPAP parts.

Some people have even "baked" them at something like 300F in the oven. Nobody's reported frying them. (Yet) Grin

People should realize that boiling kills a lot of types germs, but it won't kill them all unless you have a pressure cooker. For instance, you need about 250F/121C for 30 minutes when canning certain foods to kill off the botulism germs.

However, boiling will probably kill off the most common worrisome germs for CPAP masks.
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#18
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
Not so much rethink the cleaning process as the drying process, non?
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#19
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
I still think Milton the best option. If it kills all the bacteria harmful to delicate babies and then breaks down into natural salts, as well as taking no time and trouble to carry out, I'm a big advocate!
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#20
RE: Boiling Nasal Pillows
3 weeks? Hmmm, I've had my F&P Opus 360 Nasal pillow for 5+ months and it still works fine. I clean it with hot water every other day or so and have no issues. Your mileage may vary.
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