Cleaning Schedule

[parkdj808]

Let’s be honest. Cleaning the tube and reservoir is tedious work and it needs sufficient time to dry. 

How often do I really need to be cleaning my CPAP tube and reservoir? 

Thank you!

[Nightynite]

You will get a lot of different cleaning routines on this . For me I just top off my tank every night and a soap clean and air dry once a week. The hose may get a soap bath about once a month.

I use distilled water and never had any slime in the tank, never noticed a discoloration in the hose either. Never had any kind of infection. Been at now almost 5 yrs.

I started out cleaning religiously and fine tuned to above process. Maybe 5 days on the tank sometimes.

[ThinMountainAir]

Hi ParkDJ, That's like asking how often you really need to floss your teeth.  Floss twice a day and clean your mask and tube every day.  Me, I don't floss but I do feel guilty about it.  I try to remember to clean my tube once a week but have often gone much, much longer.  I don't clean my reservoir at all because I don't put water in it so it doesn't get moldy. I don't put water in it because I don't need the humidification, though I realize most people benefit from it.  Probably if I was using the reservoir and thus getting moisture in my tube, more frequent cleaning would be needed.  I hope I don't get flake for this response. I'm not recommending my casual schedule any more than I recommend not flossing or not bathing regularly.

[Big Guy]

When I was on CPAP, I cleaned the hose about once every two weeks or so. I just soaked and swished it around in my bathroom sink in hot water and some Dawn dish soap. I then rinsed it with hot water and hung it vertically to dry. A couple of hours and it was good to go. 

The water reservoir was easy. It rarely required any attention, and when it did, just some hot water and Dawn dish soap and then wiped dry with a paper towel.

White Vinegar took care of any and all mineral build-up, if any. Just a few minutes and it was gone.

[sauerkraut]

parkdj808;
I wash the mask cushion daily, every thing else weekly ..
I use distilled water in the tank and a heated tube ..
Good Luck picking a schedule ..   Steve

[Bluesv6]

Not trying to hijack a thread but thought post here instead of making a seperate thread as related.

What does most people do with humidifier tank ? Empty rinse fill at night ? Leave fill at night ? Or fill in am ? Or any other routine

[sauerkraut]

Bluesv6;
I empty the tank and wipe dry each morning ..
Fill with distilled water at bed time ..
Steve

[fly by night]

I refill my tank sometime during the day. I dump only if I see debris in it.

[parkdj808]

Thanks for all your experiences and thoughts!
I am using a heated tube and the humidifier function. I use distilled water only and tend to only fill halfway and refill each night.

I think this is my cleaning routine I am going to go with for now:

Daily: unhook the tube to allow it to better dry throughout the day. Wash the mask.
Weekly: wash the tube and reservoir with warm water, light soap and little vinegar

[Bluesv6]

Sounds like a good routine , my only suggestion with disconnecting tube is to wait until the cool down cycle is completed so you can take advantage of air blowing through your cpap hose .