Confusion over cleaning hose/tubing

[sleepingbetter0209]

In spite of using CPAP for over a year, I am still confused about cleaning the hose/tube. I pour warm water with mild unscented soap into hose and swish it around then soak for 25 minutes. I always seem to get water drops left inside hose even though I hang on shower for several hours . I experience rain out when I try to use it the same night or the next night. Anyone have better solution for cleaning and drying the hose/tubing? Is it even necessary to clean the inside of the tubing?

[loggerhead12]

Just one guy's opinion, but hoses don't really need cleaning. I cleaned it once, the first night, then never again for 7 years. When it wears out I get a new one. This is the third one so far.

Just clean it as much as you feel comfortable. Or not.

[zonker]

you don't mention if you have a heated tube. if so, just turn off humidity, turn off auto start, turn up temp to 86 and let it run for about an hour.

if you don't have a heated tube, then I have no idea.

btw, when you get the chance, would you fill in your equipment profile? when you do, it'll show up at the bottom of each of your posts, as mine does below.

good luck!

[LSAT]

A wet hose doesn't matter...it gets wet again as soon as you turn on the machine. To me that's like washing and drying your car and then driving ouit in the rain. In most cases, only your filtered room air is going through the hose.

[Really]

Is it even necessary to clean the inside of the tubing?

NO. Especially to hang it in the bathroom. Really

[Craig H]

I give mine a rinse thru with a sanitiser solution occasionally ..when I think about it ...maybe every 2 months.

I hang it to dry over the heated towel rail.

I sanitise it because it possibly has moisture in it and moisture can mean a home for mould. ( Most house moulds are harmless)

I am not compulsive about cleaning the hose though.

[Julie]

The majority don't bother with the hose and you're worrying needlessly. Nothing goes through it but air.

[Conrad]

The majority don't bother with the hose and you're worrying needlessly. Nothing goes through it but moist air.

FIFY

[vandownbytheriver]

The majority don't bother with the hose and you're worrying needlessly. Nothing goes through it but air.

Quick lecture on The Way CPAP Works!

CPAP supplies you with a constant pressure (ish) of air. You breathe in and out. All the time the machine's on and the mask is on your face, there is air escaping from the mask exhaust ports. These exhaust ports are an integral part of the system... they are the only place for your exhalations to go. Go ahead, try it while blocking the exhaust ports! CPAP is not like SCUBA... although you can completely dive under the covers in winter, very nice!

Anyway since you can't breathe all the air out the exhaust ports every breath the hose ends up 'buffering' part of the exhalation. That's right, your breath is going in and out of the top third or so of the hose. This comes from your body and is therefore teeming with stuff... bacteria, virii, cells, whatever. Now this *is* your own flora/fauna, so presents little danger over the short term... but can become a problem when it's allowed to accumulate and grow... that's why manufacturers specify cleaning and replacement regimens. Also note that the more out-of-breath you are the faster and bigger you breathe the more you rebreathe your CO2, causing more panic, etc... calm down after climbing those stairs before bed.

Now I freely admit to not paying much mind to the factory guidelines... but the hose is one area I won't skimp on. I replace mine every 4-6mos... I don't bother cleaning it but about once in the meantime... unless I've been ill.

[Pugsy]

Is it even necessary to clean the inside of the tubing?

Well....that is going to depend on who you are talking to I guess.

I don't ever clean my hose. Can't remember the last time it got washed. I did run some water through a hose about a year ago but that was because I was checking for leaks...and I had a couple of holes in the hose so it got retired. It was time because that hose had been in use for over 25 K hours and through 3 machines. I never washed it.

Other people think you just HAVE to wash it because lord knows what might be growing in it or someone told you to or someone else washes theirs religiously. I don't feel that way myself but it's my house, my hose and my cpap stuff and I make my own choices.
It's only room air going through it anyway and that same room air I breathe 24/7.

If you must wash it for peace of mind and you can't get enough of the water out of it before nighttime...consider having a spare hose to swap out with that you know is dry. It doesn't have to be totally dry but you don't want so much water remaining it that you get the rain out annoyance. I know a couple of people who take the hose outside and twirl it around in the air so that centrifugal force helps remove the excess water. So that's an option as well.

You get to decide on whatever routine you want to be using when it comes to washing your gear.