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One week in but have cleaning questions.
#21
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
Depends on your level of cleanliness and the seal. Some people have to rinse their nasal pillow or cushion every day. Others can go longer. I've gone about 2 weeks before it starts affecting the seal. My cleaning goal is to wash pillows/cushion once a week and the rest once a month. If I have a cold or more allergy issues, I wash the pillows/cushion daily because...well..ick. I use Dawn for my stuff and vinegar for my brother (he hates the after odor of Dawn). Some people use baby shampoo as their cleaner and are perfectly happy with it. Is it as effective against germs as Dawn or vinegar? No clue.

<<I have NEVER heard or read (from a credible source) of anyone getting any type of infection or sickness from a CPAP machine (that has been proven to be linked.)>>

The fact that you have never heard or read just means that you aren't a doctor or nurse at a hospital. The doc at the hospital said that most of the patients that they get with respiratory problems caused by cpaps never clean them. Ever. The RT said some machines/masks are pretty disgusting and in these instances, they try to arrange home care followup (overwhelmed, sick, something not right).

People have different levels of cleanliness. Spotless isn't necessary, but I have known too many people (not just guys) who think the only time you wash the bathroom or kitchen floors is when you move out of a place. It is not rare. Yet, how many people talk about that?
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#22
Grin 
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
Probably meant port rather than valve.
AFAIK there would be an anti-asphyxiation valve and exhalation port.

"The fact that you have never heard or read just means that you aren't a doctor or nurse at a hospital. The doc at the hospital said that most of the patients that they get with respiratory problems caused by cpaps never clean them."

Claiming these problems are caused by CPAP machines is highly suspect without any kind of data or forensics. Correlation, not causation. What they have are patients with a problem that also have a CPAP. I have searched and searched for data proving the link and it always comes down to anecdotal evidence or hospital scenarios. 

CDC shows data for bacterial infection in hospitals being linked to ventilators and stuff but nothing from a home setting. Hospitals are a whole different deal and there is cross contamination problems all the time. If CPAP machines could cause that much disease by being dirty we should have all died from dirty heating ducts long before now. Sure you can get sick and re-infect yourself but that is not an issue with the machine. Even so it would be just whatever cold you had and nothing new.

If it is so dirty that mold and fungus are causing problems then I don't know what to say. Washing once every three months would probably be enough to stop that so any routine would work and that is out of the bounds of what even I would suggest.

Everyone can take it for what it's worth and do as they wish and whatever makes them happy.
There just isn't any evidence to show that anything more than a soap and water clean once in a while and using distilled water is necessary. There isn't any hard evidence of disease being caused by them clean or dirty and not even any evidence of disease caused by bacteria in non-distilled water used in humidification, it's just that it's possible and using distilled does extend humidifier life which is a practical benefit.

You may now burn the heretic :-)
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#23
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
personal111,

I agree with your cleanliness views and I pretty much follow them.

Now will you allow me to gently tell dmeRT that I think that he needs to be more accurate in his statements so that he does not mislead people that are new to this whole thing. Especially since he apparently deals with new hoseheads. We have had a number of new people who have thought that the anti-asphyxiation valve was intended for another purpose and thinking of it as an exhalation valve is one of those.

I do think that dmeRT was probably thinking one thing and typed another. I have just been trying to bring it to his attention. I do always need education but not on this point.

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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#24
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
I thought in the past that maybe it might have something to do with supplemental oxygen use.
I have run across references of "exhalation valve" and "exhale valve" used a bunch of times with CPAP on a lot of boards and for whatever reasons the other conditions surrounding involved oxygen use. I was never able to find anything except the actual port.
I personally have only seen exhalation valves on things like M17 and M40 NBC masks, industrial respirators and SCBA, not on anything medical.

It seems silly but I only went on about the cleaning as it seems that to a lot of people (and especially those that are new to CPAP) cleaning is a big scary bugaboo.
Just the amount of posts that ask about or reference that $300 machine show how it is a issue of concern for a lot of them.
They see these big long lists of daily, weekly and monthly maintenance steps and are thinking, "Wow, this must be some dangerous thing if it has to be cleaned like this endlessly..." and every time they get sick they will blame it on the machine with no evidence, further propagating the myths.
Just like to take that monkey off their back, that time and money is better spent on doing something fun.
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#25
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
I've had the Dreamstation with the Dreamwear nasal mask for a year and a half. I clean the mask (but not the strap) at least every other day in slightly warm water with a few drops of unscented dish liquid. I rinse well and leave on a clean surface to dry. The humidifier reservoir and hoses I clean at least every third day, given that I'm using distilled water. If I have to use tap water when traveling I clean the water reservoir every day. 

With the travel cpap, the Z1, I am using the Resmed Swift fx and I clean the nose cushion and little bit of tubing connected to that every day and the hoses, which are not near my face, every second or third day. 

I adjust the cleaning and changing of filters to adapt to locations and if I have a cold I clean everything every day. 

As an aside, I found that the headgear rips and breaks my hair so I got an all cotton chemo cap to wear under it and found that that protects my hair and also is more comfortable.
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#26
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
I am going to preface this statement by saying that I have never used oxygen or an oxygen concentrator. I can understand there being an exhalation valve (check valve) in the oxygen equipment to prevent exhalation from diluting the oxygen. I do not know that this is the case but I can see where it could be.

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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#27
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
I have never found anything on actual literature from a manufacturer about it so I think it's just
poor choice of terms using valve for port which seems common.

Maybe someone who uses an oxygen concentrator will chime in.
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#28
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
Does anyone use one of those 6ft long hose brushes? It seems like it might be a good idea, but I wonder if it wouldn't be too rough for the hose Dont-know
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#29
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
I recently got a newsletter from Phillips Respironics with this info for cleaning:

Mask: Remove it from the headgear, clean with warm, soapy water, then rinse and air dry daily.

Tubing: Wash in warm, soapy water, then rinse and air dry daily.

Humidifier: Empty the humidifier and let it air dry daily. Only use distilled water to avoid mineral build-up.
Once a month, clean the chamber with white vinegar, then rinse thoroughly with distilled or sterile water.

Filter: Clean the dark filter with warm, soapy water, then rinse and air dry weekly.
If applicable, replace the white disposable filter monthly.

Headgear: Wash by hand with warm soapy water, then rinse and air dry weekly.

Machine: Wipe it down with a soft, clean cloth weekly.
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#30
RE: One week in but have cleaning questions.
(10-07-2017, 10:21 AM)Anaja09 Wrote: Does anyone use one of those 6ft long hose brushes? It seems like it might be a good idea, but I wonder if it wouldn't be too rough for the hose Dont-know

I have this idea they’re precluded for Climateline hoses. I also believe many are designed for wider-diameter hoses.

You might be able to make one, though, with a weighted cord tied to a disinfecting wipe. But what do I know?
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