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Permalink Reply by Tim on September 24, 2009 at 8:28pm

I have heard that using antibacterial soap can damage masks, I am not sure why it would. I don't use antibacterial soap or other products because I don't like adding the antibacterial ingredient to the environment. Chlorine bleach is known to damage silicone. As long as the mask is only used by one person, there is no reason to sanitize or sterilize a CPAP mask -- plain soap or detergent is sufficient to clean it.

I seldom clean my mask, but when I do, I use regular Dawn dishwashing liquid. Regular Palmolive or Sunlight dishwashing liquid should also work; but not the antibacterial or the aromatherapy variants, or any that has oil or moisturizer added to it.

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Permalink Reply by Judy on September 24, 2009 at 10:45pm

Shucks, just a baby shampoo will clean your masks & any other equipment just fine. Gentle on baby's eyes, gentle on CPAP masks, etc.

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Permalink Reply by susan mccord on October 5, 2009 at 10:13am

Hi Dan--yes, I DID use them together. First time I'd ever cleaned any CPAP equipment, thought I had a cold, and was worried about re-infecting myself.

What I've been repeatedly told since THAT debacle is NEVER to use bleach, but not to use antibacterial soap either. The best thing I've found so far is Dawn Original dishwashing liquid. It cleans fast (no soaking), rinses easily and completely, and leaves no residue/no smell.

My ongoing info is that antibacterial soap isn't good for equipment and that warm, soapy water does the job just fine. That's what I use now--Dawn in warm water--no problems to date.

You have a great memory!! That was months ago!!

Susan McCord :-)

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Permalink Reply by 99 on October 5, 2009 at 6:41pm

I have purchase a cheapish iltrasonic cleaner £30
also
a cleaner bowl for babies bottles and milton to clean the tubing

milton is a very weak sodium hypochorite the same in ordinary bleach but much weaker

you can smell the chlorine at the swimming pool it is the same stuff

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Permalink Reply by Awake In America (Dave J.) on October 6, 2009 at 8:01pm

sleepycarol said:

When I buy it I always buy at least two gallons. It is cheap (runs less than a $1.00). When I open the second gallon, I start watching for them to have it again and purchase my supply. That way you don't run out and it should stay good as long as the extra isn't opened.

Carol:
I buy two cases (12 gallons) at a time at Wal-Mart for 59 cents each. Water that is capped from the factory won't "go bad," though bottled water for drinking may pick up a plastic taste after two years according to the bottled water industry,

I go through about a chamber per night, so a gallon lasts me about a week or so. It is always good to have on-hand, too, just in case.

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Permalink Reply by gordon on October 6, 2009 at 8:18pm

I can't imagine not finding distilled water, unless you live in a small town, I wouldn't boil water, and I use purified drinking water only if we run out (we have a reverse-osmosis drinking system under the kitchen sink, which removes any chlorine, etc), the minerals build up in the humidifier, so I clean it once a month, using a little handsoap, rinsed well, but I bought several bottles of the citris mask-cleaner @ cpapplus.com, you can use it for everything with no residue. Good luck!

Dave J. (Scoop0901) said:

sleepycarol said:

When I buy it I always buy at least two gallons. It is cheap (runs less than a $1.00). When I open the second gallon, I start watching for them to have it again and purchase my supply. That way you don't run out and it should stay good as long as the extra isn't opened.

Carol:
I buy two cases (12 gallons) at a time at Wal-Mart for 59 cents each. Water that is capped from the factory won't "go bad," though bottled water for drinking may pick up a plastic taste after two years according to the bottled water industry,

I go through about a chamber per night, so a gallon lasts me about a week or so. It is always good to have on-hand, too, just in case.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on October 6, 2009 at 9:28pm

I use Reverse Osmosis water that a friend brings me from a hemodialysis unit. You can buy small RO systems for use with aquarium tanks. RO water is essentially distilled water. Works fine for me, does not leave any sediment or stains behind.
Mary

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