Cleaning Up My Act

Maybe I should begin with the usual disclaimer.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!

I had my Resmed 9 for four years and I seem to recall wiping it down from time to time

Then there was that time when we were staying in a caravan and a troop of thirsty ants marched up inside the hose to the humidifier chamber. That sure got my attention so I cleaned it up pretty well that time, but generally the machine just sat there collecting dust until it finally died.

My new machine seems destined to be just as loved and cared for.

I rarely do anything with the humidifier insert other than a quick rinse from time to time.

I almost never wash the hoses ever since I had one shut the machine down immediately after I gave it a quick wash.

My headgear rarely gets washed since I concluded that washing it was the fastest way to destroy it.

That leaves the pillows which I do wash with some care and effort.

I rub a little foaming soap on them, pop them in my coffee mug, fill it with boiling water, then haul them out and make some coffee.

I go through this ritual a couple of times a week. (too much caffeine is bad for me)

So that's a pretty intense cleaning routine. :)

Hard to see where I can improve on it right?

Well I'm not oblivious to all the admonition to care for devices that could impact on the quality of the air I breathe or my general health and welfare so I have resolved to clean up my act.

I'm going to take that filter out of the air conditioner and scrub it properly!

Then I'm going to take these fans outside and disassemble them and get them all shiny and clean again.

After that I intend to clean up my computer that has wall to wall dust bunnies perpetually being blown into the air around where I sit.

Eventually, if the wife doesn't get to it first I am going to clean out the fridge and finish up with a nice cold drink.

I know the CPAP claims a higher status than my fridge but should it?

Did someone invoke the issue of it being a medical device. Whatever does that mean?

I have to ask, which one is more likely to make me sick?

A dusty CPAP or a mouldy fridge?

I don't begrudge my CPAP a reasonable level of care but special status complete with rituals, candles, incense and chanting? I don't think so!

Scary thought but you and I seem to be in the same mind-frame on cleaning our machines. It needs to be done and done well but I only think of it as I'm putting it on at night and don't want to get back up and go through all of that. Guess the priorities need to be changed here. Maybe that drink first?

Sounds good. The only change I would make is to throw out the soapy water before making coffee with it!

14 days into BIPAPville. Somewhere I read that putting mask and hose into 167 degree water would clean them up. Others here have mentioned boiling water. Too hot? Some time ago I bought a cooking gadget, Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator Cooker. Clamp it into a pot of water and it heats water to an exact degree. Controllable even by your smart phone. Check Amazon. <$100. You heat water to exact temp, put food into ziploc bag and suspend in water, time it, and it's cooked. I plan to use this to "sterilize my BIPAP gear that needs cleaning. Dual function: CPAP-Food.

Thanks. My take is 167 degrees seems OK for Resmed hoses for "High level thermal disinfection" . (see below from Resmed manual) What about my DreamWear Hybrid Full Mask with Headgear? Their manual says disassemble then "hand wash in warm water with liquid dishwashing detergent, rinse, lay or hang to dry". Also you may wash mask only (not fabric straps-do by hand) once/week on top shelf of dishwasher, no DRY cycle. After my first 3 weeks, I have done none of these cleanings. (My bad!)

Reprocessing the air tubing Disconnecting

1. Hold the cuff of the air tubing and gently pull it away from the device.
2. Hold both the cuff of the air tubing and the swivel of the mask, then gently pull apart. Decontaminating Before the disinfection process, each component must be cleaned and rinsed so no visible contamination is present.
3. Clean all components with a soft bristled brush for one minute while soaking in detergent solution (see table below). Pay particular attention to all crevices and cavities.
4. Run the detergent solution through the air tubing repeatedly until no contamination is visible.
5. Thoroughly rinse each component according to the detergent manufacturer's instructions. ResMed has tested the following detergents according to the manufacturer’s instructions: Detergent Water temperature SlimLine ClimateLineAir Standard Alconox™ (diluted at 1%) Hot water (approx 140°F or 60°C) Warm water (approx 113 to 140°F or 45 to 60°C) Room temperature water (approx 70°F or 21°C)    Neodisher MediZym™ (diluted at 2.0%) Warm water (approx 113 to 140°F or 45 to 60°C)    High level thermal disinfection Part Validated number of cycles Hot water: 167°F (75°C) for 30 minutes. SlimLine 20 ClimateLineAir 10 Standard 100
6. Immerse the air tubing in a water bath. Take care that no air bubbles are trapped inside the air tubing.
7. Increase the water bath temperature to 167ºF (75°C) for 30 minutes. Higher temperatures may damage the tubing.
8. Air dry out of direct sunlight and/or heat. 24 Inspecting Perform a visual inspection of the air tubing. If any visible deterioration is apparent (holes, tears or cracks etc), the air tubing should be discarded and replaced. Slight discoloration may occur and is acceptable. Packaging and storage Store in a dry, dust-free environment away from direct sunlight. Storage temperature: -4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C).

You should still do the chanting. It's good for you!

OOOHHHMMM