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Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
#11
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
Some folk just wipe them with the Cpap wipes every morning. I prefer to wash them with dawn dish soap every morning and let dry.

As far as a sore nose, use a nasal gel or lansinoh cream (what nursing mothers use).
OpalRose
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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.
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#12
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
(04-19-2016, 10:51 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Some folk just wipe them with the Cpap wipes every morning. I prefer to wash them with dawn dish soap every morning and let dry.

As far as a sore nose, use a nasal gel or lansinoh cream (what nursing mothers use).

I cranked up the humidity last night and got some Ayr saline gel, I'll look for the other stuff you mentioned.

Do I use the saline gel of other stuff you mentioned while using CPAP or only during the day?
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#13
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
I have heard it said among Resmed mask users that the brand new silicone cushions are fairly transparent and not "frosty" looking and that as the silicone ages they become "frosty" looking. Also, when they get very frosty, they are past their useful life. Washing may hasten this, depending on the soap used, by removing some small amount of the plasticizer with each wash.

Thanks to a suggestion by Surferdude, I use Pampers baby wipes to wipe down the cushions on an every other day or so basis. Keeps my seals looking clear and sealing well. Washing the rest of the mask in soap and water is probably a good idea on whatever basis makes you feel good.

I have been a proponent of cleaning the skin oils off the part of the face that the seals touch before masking up for some time. I went to using a facial astringent because it was faster and more convenient. I have recently, due to other circumstances, decided to try not cleaning my face just prior to going to bed and I have not added anything tto my facial cleaning during the day. This has been going on for a month and a half. My last 5 days leakage rates are 95%=0 l/min and my max<10 l/min usually less than 5 l/min. I also have not changed my mask adjustments in that time. This might not work well for people with sensitive skin.

I must mention here that my F&P Simplus silicone seals come from the factory looking very "frosty" and they do not have the slightly tacky feel that my brand new Resmed seals do.

Just some thoughts.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#14
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
(04-19-2016, 11:33 AM)jhtrazor Wrote:
(04-19-2016, 10:51 AM)OpalRose Wrote: Some folk just wipe them with the Cpap wipes every morning. I prefer to wash them with dawn dish soap every morning and let dry.

As far as a sore nose, use a nasal gel or lansinoh cream (what nursing mothers use).

I cranked up the humidity last night and got some Ayr saline gel, I'll look for the other stuff you mentioned.

Do I use the saline gel of other stuff you mentioned while using CPAP or only during the day?


I use both ( not at same time).
Sometimes, I like the gel because it feels cool. The lansinoh cream will keep sores to a minimum and help healing.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

_______________________
OSCAR Chart Organization
How to Attach Images and Files.
OSCAR - The Guide
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing therapy
OSCAR supported machines
Mask Primer



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.
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#15
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
(04-19-2016, 11:40 AM)PaytonA Wrote: I have been a proponent of cleaning the skin oils off the part of the face that the seals touch before masking up for some time. I went to using a facial astringent because it was faster and more convenient. I have recently, due to other circumstances, decided to try not cleaning my face just prior to going to bed and I have not added anything tto my facial cleaning during the day. This has been going on for a month and a half. My last 5 days leakage rates are 95%=0 l/min and my max<10 l/min usually less than 5 l/min. I also have not changed my mask adjustments in that time. This might not work well for people with sensitive skin.

I heard, and I don't know for sure, but it sound "reasonable" that oils from your skin can shorten the life of the silicone. I use a non-alcohol wipe to wipe off the cushion as I go to bed, and finish using it to wipe off my face when the cushion sits. I went from a lot of leaks to almost none also. I then wipe the mask and cushion again in the morning with a clean wipe.
I am not a Medical professional and I don't play one on the internet.
Started CPAP Therapy April 5, 2016
I'd Rather Be Sleeping
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#16
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
(04-19-2016, 08:04 AM)jhtrazor Wrote: However, I'm worried about damage it might do to internal seals and stuff.

In theory, the ozone doesn't get into the blower unit, just the water tank, hose, mask, etc. There might be some leakage into the blower unit.

----

As for cleaning, I keep two sets of everything (except blower unit), wash disassembled tank and mask in dishwasher at the end of a week, then put the clean ones away, and use the parts I washed last week. I like the idea that sitting dry for a week will keep germ levels down.

The hoses are tricky. I hook mine over the kitchen faucet, then run the hottest water I can get through them. I dry them on an an old legacy REMstar Plus CPAP set on 4 cmH2O. It blows gently. Newer, smarter CPAP machines tend to blow like crazy when there's no human on the other end of the hose, so I'd be afraid to use my "real" CPAP for hose drying.

Washing the hoses in the dishwasher is tricky. Unless you're careful, the water will not get into the hose or will just sit and stagnate in the hose. I carefully lay mine out with one end higher than the other and snakes around such that the water will fill the hose and flow through it, but I'm reluctant to take the effort to describe it in detail for fear people would do it wrong and make things worse. After that, I hook the hose to the kitchen faucet, rinse with hot water, then drain it and dry on the old CPAP machine.
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#17
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
When I first started CPAP I washed everything and dried them all. Now I wash after dinner and do not care if it is dry, I use a humidifier and a few drops left in the hose have never caused a problem. Just make sure you get all the soap out.
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#18
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
I usually wash my hoses and nasal pillows with some mild soap and filtered shower water then hook them to an old broken cpap (pressure goes up and down) to dry them out.
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#19
RE: Cleaning - Actually Drying - Question
I have two P10 pillows that I daily alternate and I wash with just some suds from a bar of soap in the morning. My pillows seem to last about 8+ months (which really equates to 4mth usage). I don't do anything else other than change the filter every so often. Oh, I do rinse out the humidifier but the hose has had no attention from me. I would not be keen to wash it.
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