How (and how often) do you clean your CPAP equipment?

Hi @majortom

How are you doing today?

Congrats on getting some quality sleep! Thanks for getting this discussion started, it is a great topic. Let me tag a few people to see what their CPAP cleaning habits are.

@maryamorlagulao @churcberna @Verycansada @mra4nostop @Mgoget @matt_mander-anastasi @jamtired @bevet56 @stevejamesh09 @danbart57 @ChrisPineson @Johnnyg @rajakumar @londyntbarron @Tabitha54 @emmaevans @mhuttner @mdanamul @JayEl23 @J6pack @John_Locke @Aenantar @TheKoopster @korem88361 @KishtiRoy @lomega1971 @Stanislavbot @SteveL @elliot4355 @Gnorts58 @Guygraff @Dr.WhoPeggygmail.com

How do you clean your CPAP machine? How frequently? Do you just rinse or deep clean? Is it important to run the humidifier dry? What kind of water do you use in your machine (tap or distilled)?

Let's share

Take care,

Lizzi from the Carenity team

Good morning @majortom. Fantastic questions!! Happy to help. I'm also pretty new to living w CPAP machine. And, congrats on finally sleeping!! I tend to clean my tubing weekly, using dish detergent & cleaning vinegar + water. I wipe out face mask couple times a week, & Only use distilled water. Tried tap water, but learned minerals in that can hurt machine parts. The reservoir just needs to be emptied of last night's water, maybe wiping it dry ( I don't do that). I've been using CPAP therapy for a year or so, & still don't feel rested. Unsure why. Yet, again, congrats on getting solid, restful slumber.

I don’t use a humidifier but use a heat/moisture exchanger instead. It’s a small filter that fits inline. I use an ultraviolet machine used for baby bottles to clean my mask after spraying it with CPAP cleaner. I do this daily.

I do empty my reservoir every night, wipe it out with a clean microfiber cloth, and refill with distilled water. I have used tap water in a pinch when traveling and didn’t remember distilled water. I usually only do that one night until I can get the right water. I wipe out my mask with the damp cloth. I do a thorough cleaning of the reservoir, mask, and tubing with vinegar once a week.

I don’t like my cpap machine at all, but I do sleep better with it. I do notice a big difference if I fall asleep without it. During my (many) nights in a sleep lab, I stopped breathing 49 times an hour! So it’s kind of scary to sleep without it. My mask was changed from a full face mask with magnets to a new Fisher & Paykal mask and I really hate it, but once I fall asleep, I’m okay. It’s such a big change from the mask I had for over 4 years, but I’ll get used to it.

I'm glad to hear you’re getting a good nights sleep with your Cpap!