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New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
#11
RE: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
I have noticed the plastic smell when I first use a new mask, but I’m not sensitive to it at all.
But I do understand your sensitivity. The smell does goes away, usually after first use.

Try washing the frame and nose cushion in warm water and Dawn liquid soap before using. Wash and rinse the nasal cushion every morning. Rinse well and let dry. The smell should not be noticeable after a few days.
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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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: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
I’m glad to know others have experienced that plastic smell with a new mask, so it is probably “normal” and not a bad item. I hope the stink dissipates, but it didn’t keep me from using the CPAP machine.

I made it through the night and kept the mask on for ~8 hours. Since I’d given myself permission to take it off after four hours if I wasn’t able to sleep at all, I consider that a successful first night. I did read for an hour or so with it running to help normalize the feeling of wearing it.

More about THE SMELL:
The smell persisted and annoyed me mildly through ~midnight. I was adjusting the mask a lot more often during those first few hours, too, so was generally more aware of everything. I did let myself remove the mask around 4am and after eight hours; I was still sleepy, and I’m not excited to walk around with red marks on my face. For that reason, I’m not sure by morning if I would have been smelling the plastic.

The most important factor is that I didn’t get a migraine. That would be a deal breaker since my migraine symptoms are more invasive to conducting daily life than my apnea symptoms.

About WASHING THE MASK:
I washed the removable part of the mask that sticks to my nose this morning. I can’t even  tolerate dishsoaps like Dawn that have fragrance, but I have unscented cleaning products that work for me. From my reading, it seems like a neutral pH cleanser I use on my face should be okay to use on the mask. Since that’s what’s in my bathroom (adjacent to bedroom), I started with that.

I often use baking soda for cleaning. Is soaking the parts in a baking soda solution safe for silicone? Maybe I’ll wait to get the “extra” parts for my mask in the other sizes and try with the worst feeling bit first, in case it affects the materials...

I use hydrogen peroxide diluted with water to clean my son’s WaterPik. Has anyone tried that on a silicone mask?

More about TAKING MASK and CPAP apart for CLEANING:
I can’t really disconnect most of the CPAP parts first thing in the morning due to my arthritis. It is my small joints (hands/feet) that are primarily affected, and morning stiffness is a particular issue. 

Are people undoing all that Velcro, popping off the hoses, and disconnecting all the parts every morning? That doesn’t seem feasible for me! Removing the sized part (nose-touching cushion) of the mask was easy, even with fingers that won’t bend. Pinching the Velcro in order to release it seems iffy, and I think there are several connections...

I also opted not to try the humidifier that came with my machine. It seems like the most labor intensive part to use and clean, and the most likely to breed bacteria. (I’m basing this on my knowledge of room humidifiers and their needs for cleanliness, plus the part where bacteria love warm, moist, dark places.) So I thought I’d try CPAP first without it, knowing my machine can be used both ways.

Frankly, the idea of breathing warm, moist air makes me shudder. Summer in New England is too humid for me, and I sometimes feel like I can’t breath when the air is that moist. Blown right in my face? Yuck! Water dripping on me from the mask sounds horrible, too. I’m going to wait and see if I need the humidifier before I bother.
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#13
RE: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
Hi willo,
There is no need to take the entire mask apart and wash every day.
Just wash the nose cushion every morning. The entire mask can be washed once a week or every couple weeks. Some folk wash once a month. Whatever works for you.

Sorry, when I recommended Dawn, I wasn’t thinking of your sensitivity to the smell.
Any gentle cleaning agent that doesn’t have perfumes will do. Just be sure it doesn’t contain moisturizing agents. That may leave a film. Something antibacterial is best.
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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#14
RE: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
For most of us the "new car" smell goes away in a night or two. It really will diminish on its own. Most of it comes from the tube,but some is in the mask silicone. Don't over-tighten the mask. If it fits right, it will seal with a fairly loose, floating fit.

Washing with a neutral pH cleanser is fine. You won't need baking soda or peroxide. Be sure to rinse and dry the humidifier tub, and it will never be a problem. I have used peroxide to clean the tub if a film develops.

Just clean the silicon cushion daily. The rest of the mask parts can be done weekly when you have time.

The humidifier is comfortable, and the heat is adjustable. It also makes the machine quieter. If it is emptied and allowed to dry, it won't be a problem, and properly adjusted you won't feel like the air is any warmer or moister than normal.
Sleeprider
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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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#15
RE: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
I also have a fragrance sensitivity. I use a nasal pillow mask and wash just the nasal pillow itself every morning. I use baby shampoo or a non-reactive cleaner I get from a company in Vermont. Whenever I buy new nasal pillows, I wash them as soon as I remove them from the package. I literally cannot stand the smell of plastic if it hasn't been washed before use.

In regard to the humidifier, I use mine during the winter months and not so often during the summer months. I live in the midwest so our summers are very humid generally. If I don't use the humidifier during the winter, then my nose gets so dry that it tends to bleed for no other reason than it is dry. Everyone is different, whatever works for you is appropriate.
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#16
RE: New user: should mask stink? "Plastic" smell
Thanks for the replies. I didn’t experience anything like dryness in my first night, but it is rainy autumn weather here today. We do run a room humidifier during the driest time in the winter, so I have a sense of when my own body could require a little outside moisture to be at its healthiest. My skin usually lets me know!

I’m open to trying the humidifier when conditions warrant, but don’t want to use anything I don’t actually need, especially a part that requires daily attention. With humidifier installed, the DreamStation will also stick out from the very small shelf I have next to my bed. It’s easy to imagine it being knocked or pulled over in that narrow space, jutting out even an inch or two.

Thank goodness the humidifier hose port is on TOP, because, if it came off the back like the primary unit’s hose port does, it definitely would not fit securely on the shelf I have.

I appreciate the specific cleaning advice. I’m baffled by instructions that just say “wash it.” Am I really the only one who doesn't routinely wash six foot hoses and silicone nasal cushions in my regular life?!? Big Grin

—willo
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