Dirty humidifier

OK - I know this is gross but freaking me out. I use a Resmed with attachable humidifier. I used tap water and tried to change it daily. ONe night changing the water, I noticed white "stuff", looked like fuzz, floating up around the heating element. Using long q-tips, tried to wipe it out, and it turned bright red. Took the whole thing apart and thoroughly cleaned it and let it dry for a couple of months. Now I tried to use it again, and after only 2 nights, found the same stuff. All I read says to just use soap and water. This looks like some type of /moldalgae, and being exposed to molds before in an old house, I know the dangers.
Anybody had similar experience, or am I just a sloppy user?

I think most here (myself included) use nothing but distilled water in their humidifiers. If you use tap water, you should clean it daily.

Have you tried soaking it in water that has a little bleach mixed in. Bleach should kill any mold. My DME recommends cleaning my mask and hose in bleach water. I personally don't think it's a good idea to use bleach on something that I strap to my face every night, so I use vinegar to disinfect, but on a one time basis, I don't think it will do any harm. Be sure to rinse well, repeatedly, after soaking in bleach.

After using Distilled water for about 4-months, I have used tap water since with no problems. When tap water is evaporated, the dissolved salts and solids in solution concentrate and will deposit on the metal heat transfer plate. Its no big deal as long as you completely clean it once a week by taking it apart and washing the plate. Although the parts are plastic and stainless steel, I would avoid harsh cleaners like bleach. Plain water and mild dish soap will clean and adequately disinfect most equipment.

I found pink mold growing in both halves of my humidifier, despite thorough weekly cleaning and soaking with cold water and original Dawn dishwashing liquid as I was told to do, and using only distilled water in the unit. My RT was shocked that this happened anyway.

I found that spraying a water and vinegar mixture all over it to disinfect it daily, and then washing it daily with cold water and Dawn fixed the problem. My RT told me never to use bleach as it will ruin the rubber parts. I guess that would be no problem if you do not have any soft parts on your unit.

klutzo

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote:I think most here (myself included) use nothing but distilled water in their humidifiers. If you use tap water, you should clean it daily.

Have you tried soaking it in water that has a little bleach mixed in. Bleach should kill any mold. My DME recommends cleaning my mask and hose in bleach water. I personally don't think it's a good idea to use bleach on something that I strap to my face every night, so I use vinegar to disinfect, but on a one time basis, I don't think it will do any harm. Be sure to rinse well, repeatedly, after soaking in bleach.

Just to pass this along Bleach doesn't kill mold it will change the color (Bleach), however Vinegar does kill mold. I also thought bleach was the answer, but upon checking deeper I found out different. Jim

Thanks folks!
Will give it the ole vinegar try, with a good soap and water bath.
And will pickup distilled H2O on the way home.....

Instructions for my humidifiea say one part vinegar to 9 (or was that 10?) parts water.
O.

I have found over the past 7 years of using CPAP and a heated humidifier that if you rinse each morning with tap water and allow to dry all day mold is not a problem. I do wash thoroughly with dish soap once a week. Tap water in the HM works fine for me but I would use distilled if I was on a well......JMO

i read on this site some time ago using denture tablets, so i found polident tablets that stated made especially to protect "metalparts". about once a month i put warm water with 3 tablets, let them do their fizz until done, use a baby bottle brush (that doesnt get used for anything but my humidifier) to scrub it all out. then rinse thoroughly with warm water, then fill again with about 1/4 cup vinager and top up with water, let it stand about 30 minutes, rinse again and let dry and presto one sparkly clean machine. have been doing this for over a year with no ill effects to machine or me. cheers

klutzo wrote:I found pink mold growing in both halves of my humidifier, despite thorough weekly cleaning and soaking with cold water and original Dawn dishwashing liquid as I was told to do, and using only distilled water in the unit. My RT was shocked that this happened anyway.

The pink color is a sign of a very dangerous bacteria. I would switch to another brand if the distilled water I used caused this pink bacteria. My distilled water is labeled Great Value from Walmart and does NOT grow that pink or any colored stuff.

Check the label to make sure you are not using "Spring Water."

Does anyone know exactly WHAT that pink mold/bacteria is? Has anyone really identified it? Has anyone had any symptoms after breathing it in through the CPAP?

Thanks,
Eileen

Ordered a Water Distiller (purifier) from Sears catalogue,arrived today.
Since I use distilled water for sinus rinse and cpap humidifier every day,it seemed like a good plan.
You can use this unit with an optional charcoal filter for extra purification or straight out of the box for steam distilled water.
I ordered some charcoal filters for emergency and an extra carafe to have a steady supply.
Finally get to kick the bottled water habit.

I'm guessing the "pink bacteria" being tossed around it THIS bad boy...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serratia_marcescens

"Due to its ubiquitous presence in the environment, and its preference for damp conditions, S. marcescens is commonly found growing in bathrooms (especially on tile grout, shower corners, toilet water line, and basin), where it manifests as a pink discoloration and slimy film feeding off phosphorous containing materials or fatty substances (such as soap and shampoo residue). Once established, complete eradication of the organism is often difficult, but can be accomplished by application of a bleach-based disinfectant. Rinsing and drying surfaces after use can also prevent the establishment of the bacteria by removing its food source and making the environment less hospitable."

5aces wrote:

Ordered a Water Distiller (purifier) from Sears catalogue,arrived today.
Since I use distilled water for sinus rinse and cpap humidifier every day,it seemed like a good plan.
You can use this unit with an optional charcoal filter for extra purification or straight out of the box for steam distilled water.
I ordered some charcoal filters for emergency and an extra carafe to have a steady supply.
Finally get to kick the bottled water habit.

I have the same Sears water distiller. I've had it for about five years now, and it's still going strong.

~ DreamOn

5aces - Did you find this is the Sears Catalogue in Canada?

I have not seen it. Which catalogue?

Thanks.