distilled water

[glfredrick]

I carry distilled water with me for short stays. I purchase it for longer ones. Generally, if I am in some area for longer than 3 days I also have transportation to get off premises to get supplies. I've found a rather hard-sided clear plastic bottle that holds half a liter. Just enough for 3 nights, and I can squeeze 4 out of it if I drop the humidity level down a bit lower than my normal. Fits right in the case with the rest of the machine, hose, etc. I've even checked it through multiple airports, though they almost always want to run a sniffer machine over it to make sure it is actually water.

[ImaSurvivor]

A lot of our travel is via airlines. I don't check my my CPAP through. I carry it on. I don't want to risk having it get damaged or lost. I always dread the possibility of not having some luggage make it through with me. It would be inconvenient but survivable. Not having the CPAP would be a a much more difficult problem to overcome.

[RonWessels]

Most airlines consider CPAP as "medical equipment" that does not count towards carry-on allowance, as long as the CPAP and related gear are in a separately identifiable bag. I haven't heard any attempt to take distilled water on-board as well under the guise of "medical supplies". I strongly suspect that it wouldn't work. And I wouldn't recommend putting it in checked baggage, since it will freeze at altitude, possibly breaking the container and resulting in soaked clothing as it melts after landing.

I do use distilled water, because it is cheaply available at our corner store. If I end up running out, I have no qualms about using tap water that night.

[ImaSurvivor]

I am sure airlines would not allow carrying distilled water on. No fluids over 3 oz. There may be allowances for things like baby formula, etc. but I wouldn't want to worry about the distilled water myself and I wouldn't check it either. I have plenty of other toiletries I am careful to put in ziplock bags before packing in case of leakage in luggage I check through. I already have plenty when I travel. And there is a lot to juggle going through security, taking the CPAP out of bag and all the other things that need to be done going through security. I used to feel smug with my little iPad that I didn't have to remove from my carry on bag for security ... I had it all down for ease, while my husband and daughter were both taking their laptops out of bags to go through security. Now I have to remove my CPAP motor from the bag LoL ... oh well!

Last time we traveled I was on the preferred list and I wasn't made to take shoes off. I could have gone through a separate security check point with less lines and hassles. I chose to stay with my family because I didn't really know why I was separated out. They told me to just show my boarding pass when I stayed in the line with my family and I still would not have to remove shoes. When looking at my boarding pass after we got through, I saw I was listed as preferred. I have no idea how I got on that list. I thought it was something you had to apply for. All our flights were booked together. I suspect they are randomly selecting individuals for preferred to experience it in hopes that more will see how nice it is, apply and pay the fee for it.

[Sandra_ON]

I follow the instructions my RT told me to. Use distilled water, use dish soap on your nose part of your mask and rinse out your water tank every day with mild dish detergent. Wash your mask, hose and chin strap weekly. I'm just a 'by the book' type!

[glfredrick]

Most airlines consider CPAP as "medical equipment" that does not count towards carry-on allowance, as long as the CPAP and related gear are in a separately identifiable bag. I haven't heard any attempt to take distilled water on-board as well under the guise of "medical supplies". I strongly suspect that it wouldn't work. And I wouldn't recommend putting it in checked baggage, since it will freeze at altitude, possibly breaking the container and resulting in soaked clothing as it melts after landing.

I do use distilled water, because it is cheaply available at our corner store. If I end up running out, I have no qualms about using tap water that night.

I have carried it on multiple times, even under the newer guidelines. Half-liter bottle, no other markings except a tag that says Distilled H2O. They open, use a test strip or sniffer machine, close and send me on my way.

What's the worst that can happen? They toss out the water? No big deal and no real loss. If I get to keep it, I'm set when I arrive. If not, I make other arrangements or go without. A few nights without won't kill anyone.

[ImRichard]

I don't use distilled water even though I should because my tap water is full of silt despite two filters. I typically run my tap for two minutes and then fill the bottom of my tank with that.

I clean the tank once a week as I generally run out of water ever night and there is a slight residue left. I soak the tank in a mix of white vinegar and water and then sponge it out with dish detergent and warm water - the top, too. Tanks are important to keep clean; the environment is ripe to grow bacteria if not cleaned regularly.

I clean my mask every few days with a babywipe. It works well and there is no smell. Every few weeks I wash it with warm soapy water.

Over the past 7 years I notice that the hoses get particularly funky if you don't wash them - I wash mine every two weeks in the shower (!) with running water and some shampoo. I hang it up to dry and by the evening it's all good.

[Zorki1c]

I use distilled water. Our tap water here has some minerals in it and will cause a buildup fairly rapidly. Distilled water at the local grocery is 88 cents a gallon. Hardly expensive enough to force me to use tap water.

[brianwood619]

Distilled water has had all the impurities removed so you dont have to worry about scale or lime build up in your tub. Our water here is slightly high on chlorine so that is the main reason why i use distilled water, it just pure and im not breathing in impurities. As for the mask i wipe mine down every morning when i get up with commercially made cpap mask wipes...theyre just convenient to have and use. about every three days i submerge my mask and tub in warm soapy water and clean them that way. My tube is disconnected every morning and allowed to air out through the day and evening. I cant submerge it because it is a heated hose.

[PollCat]

I use distilled water for the humidifier and sinus rinses when I'm home. Traveling, I use bottled water for the humidifier.

I wash the equipment every 10 - 14 days. I've never noticed an odor coming from the humidifier tank; but then having used a cpap for so long, my sense of smell is somewhat limited.