12-04-2017, 08:02 AM
RE: CPAP cleaning system
There is no scientific proof that CPAP cleaning will limit infections. In a study of CPAP users and non users with lower respiratory tract infections, the ratio of infective organisms was identical. If you have a pollen filter on your CPAP - about 97 cents at amazon - then air coming in is cleaner than the air you breathe all day. And when you put your CPAP mask on, the instant "colonization" is from your respiratory tree, which no amount of "cleaning" will change ( better oral care and teeth brushing might help a little.) We are each colonized with 4 trillion organisms, which are mostly friendly, and prevent unfriendly organisms. I clean my humidifier bowl with vinegar montlhy and disconnect my hose daily to let it dry.
Sleep Science
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Is it a route for infection in those with
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Liam Mercieca ; Richard Pullicino ; Kyra Camilleri ; Rodianne Abela ; Sean Apap Mangion ; Julian Cassar ; Matthew Zammit ; Christine Gatt ; Christopher Deguara ; Christopher Barbara ; Peter Fsadni ; Stephen Montefort
Jim
RE: CPAP cleaning system
Jim, excellent post! Links to non-commercial sites are allowable, and you will be able to post links once you have 4 posts and are a Member. Welcome!
Link to Abstract:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28966735
RE: CPAP cleaning system
Been using CPAP virtually every night for six years. Never used anything but warm mater and dish soap to clean my gear and never had a problem. Of course we live in an area when humidity hovers around 15 percent most of the time so we probably don't have the bacteria worries of someone in Florida or Hawaii.
"Sometimes the magic works . . . and sometimes it doesn't" -- Chief Dan George in the movie Little Big Man
RE: CPAP cleaning system
I've been on CPAP therapy for about 16 years. In the Fall or Spring and sometimes both I get allergy triggered sinus infections. Sometimes they have turned to bronchitis and even pneumonia. I was terrible about cleaning my hose and mask and chamber and about changing the filter. Actually I was sort of proud about not cleaning my equipment.
Observing all of this my wife was smitten by the commercials and insisted I buy a SoClean. So I started to use it. Nearly the same time a friend who is also on CPAP therapy asked me; Do you still wash your equipment? I said, Heck no, why would I? He said, what about the oil and skin and crud coming from your face and breath? It's one thing to kill the bugs but don't you want that crud out too? Finally I caved in. Now I use Dawn, a dedicated bucket and the occasional white vinegar, put distilled water in the tank and even use the SoClean once a week so that my wife is happy. Now, knock on wood, I've been sinus infection free, bronchitis free and pneumonia free since.
My guess is that the washing is what does it but if the SoClean adds additional protection or not- it, at least, keeps my wife off my back and when she is not happy NOBODY is happy.
RE: CPAP cleaning system
(09-03-2018, 06:59 PM)Zorki1c Wrote: Been using CPAP virtually every night for six years. Never used anything but warm mater and dish soap to clean my gear and never had a problem. Of course we live in an area when humidity hovers around 15 percent most of the time so we probably don't have the bacteria worries of someone in Florida or Hawaii.
The assertion that CPAP requires anything beyond cleaning the silicone to keep it flexible is crap. Read below.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Is it a route for infection in those with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea?
Liam Mercieca ; No significant difference in respiratory infections or sinusitis; organisms cultured from mask same as patients' own flora.
RE: CPAP cleaning system
(09-04-2018, 12:25 PM)1holegrouper Wrote: ...
My guess is that the washing is what does it but if the SoClean adds additional protection or not- it, at least, keeps my wife off my back and when she is not happy NOBODY is happy.
I would agree that the washing via water and soap is keeping the equipment clean to an appropriate level. I'm not wishing to begin any new or heated SoClean debate, but your use of it to keep your wife happy is a good reason for you to use it.
As for me, I'm rather slack in washing my equipment, but it does eventually get done. I think maybe every few weeks or so is fine by me.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEBSITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: CPAP cleaning system
All of these gadgets help with system sanitation BUT they all insist that you still regularly clean your equipment. Good old soap and warm water and a good soak. Every morning I drain my humidifier, take a cpap wipe and wipe my mask inside and outside, the elbow inside and outside, the humidifier reservoir then I toss the wipe in the garbage. This takes 30 seconds max. I even do this procedure when on a 15 day Alaskan cruise. Once a week I fill a pan with warm water and dish soap. Everything goes in for a soak, mask, elbow, humidifier, tubing. A toothbrush (New not used) scrubs all the little surfaces and hidey holes. Back into the pan for a 15 minute soak then a good rinse with warm water and then onto a towel to dry. If the tubing is slow to dry inside then I take some butchers twine with a little nut as a weight and pull a cpap wipe through the tubing like a squeegee or saxophone cleaner. EVERY WEEK. Cleanliness is next to Godliness!!
09-05-2018, 05:47 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-05-2018, 05:59 PM by dfstarman.)
RE: CPAP cleaning system
Despite the likely protests of many on this forum. I have used SoCLean2 for years and it works great.
I have never had any problems or infections.
I occasionally also clean my humidifer tank and wipe down the mask with mask wipes.
I do make sure I use the mask fit option for at least 30 seconds to blowout all the residual ozone.
I also have Ozone units in my hot tub from the MFG. and a larger standalone unit for it.
RE: CPAP cleaning system
(09-05-2018, 05:47 PM)dfstarman Wrote: Despite the likely protests of many on this forum.
I appreciate you bringing that up. I hope there are only discussions of the pros and cons. Objections that people have with others' behaviors are off topic. They need instead to be brought to the attention of a moderator or monitor. We spend a lot of time trying to keep the discussions civil and appreciate the overwhelming support we get for doing things this way.
There's nothing wrong with a good discussion of what people like about their SoClean machines, what they do, and what they don't do.
There are lots things that lots of us are going to disagree about. That doesn't make us enemies, it makes us human.
Sleepster
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: CPAP cleaning system
(09-05-2018, 08:05 PM)Sleepster Wrote: (09-05-2018, 05:47 PM)dfstarman Wrote: Despite the likely protests of many on this forum.
I appreciate you bringing that up. I hope there are only discussions of the pros and cons. Objections that people have with others' behaviors are off topic. They need instead to be brought to the attention of a moderator or monitor. We spend a lot of time trying to keep the discussions civil and appreciate the overwhelming support we get for doing things this way.
There's nothing wrong with a good discussion of what people like about their SoClean machines, what they do, and what they don't do.
There are lots things that lots of us are going to disagree about. That doesn't make us enemies, it makes us human.
I appreciate you bringing that up.
You're welcome
|