Cleaning heated hose

[palerider]

I have never cleaned my hose. The only thing that goes through it is the filtered room air that you breath everyday, run over distilled water. It's a one way trip. Nothing from your breath can go back into the hose because of the air pressure. If there are germs in your hose, it's because there are germs in your room air.

The water causes mold in the hose. Not cleaning the hose is like not cleaning your window fan or air conditioner vents. They will get dusty no matter how clean your room is if you don't clean them.

It is a totally different situation, six for six wrong now.

Remember the filter in your cpap? Nobody "cleans the dust" out of the fan in your cpap.

[Wulfman...]

If you have problems with controlling the humidity, and have condensation left inside your hose after you arise each use, there is some potential for pathogen growth, especially molds. The risk is not high, but there is some risk. In that case, it would be smart, I think, to occasionally at least let the hose drain and to air dry it to ensure no growth of molds and exposure to spores that might get lodged in the alveoli of lungs belonging to a person with health issues, including reduced immune response.

I rinse all my apparatus that can be removed and dried/cleaned with a solution of water mixed with potassium metabisulfite. It's the very inexpensive white powder one uses mixed with water to sterilize wine and beer bottles and the rest of the gear if one makes one's own beer and wine. It is lethal to pathogens even in dilute solutions...every effective. Also, you don't need to 'soak' or to let it 'sit'. The sulfites are highly radical and will destroy pathogens on contact.

I am not in a position to claim definitively that what I do is correct and necessary. What I can say is that I have confidence in this cheap insurance that takes up about four minutes of my entire week.

One last comment: I do this because in the PNW where I live, it is humid most of the year, especially during the winter months. Things don't dry out well, even indoors unless using electrical or pyro means. So, hoses don't dry out during the day. I feel it helpful to use the mbs to cut my risks.

Sooooooo........clean them before bedtime and you won't have to dry them out (which is absolute nonsense to begin with). The residual moisture in the hose will be added to the humidity from the HH tank as you sleep. No "drying" necessary.
You're making more work for yourself than is necessary.

You must dry them or there will be water in your hose at night, which can blow into your nose. The water will also cause more mold growth. Besides, drying them is easy. Yuo just hang the hose over a door or your shower cutain rod. No effort. Now drying the filter takes more work, as I have to use a hair dryer on them when the weather is colder or even when it is warmer sometimes. Air drying them will take more than a day sometimes.

You are an idiot!!!


Den

.

[jsmit86]

I used to clean my hose weekly while I was in the Chicago area, using humidification.

I’ve been in Houston for the last 6 weeks. I’m not using the humidifier, and I’m not bothering to do the weekly cleaning.
I’m just wiping down my mask daily using unscented baby wipes.

[chunkyfrog]

I just started using my new machine--with a brand new hose.
The hose on the old machine was over 2 years old--never been washed.
NOT A SPECK OF MOLD!
I dare mileena to explain why.
Mold grows almost everywhere--but not in my heated hose.
Once in a while, I have to clean the mold wisps out of the water tank, but never the hose.
Apparently, spores do not evaporate intact.

[kell420]

When I first got the CPAP didn't know any better was using bottled and Tap water in the humidifier which quickly turned it into a slimy mess. Once I moved over to distilled no problems in 4 years. I replace the hose once a year and the mask when it wears out. The heated hose according to my supplier can eventually breaks down start to smell like burning rubber I haven't had that problem. I hate to throw them away because I feel it's not good to throw all this plastic into land fills I could not imagine how much disposable plastics end up in hospital trash.

[Fenianfield]

Maybe I'm wrong but I wash my heated hose once a week.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon, dilute with a little water and I do it slide along the hose.
Then, rinsing thoroughly under running water.
I hang the hose to drain it until the evening.
Before using, if necessary, I dry the electrical contacts with a paper towel.
Iwould like to know from forum friends if all this is wrong.
Thank you

Mine has been drying out all day, it's the Climate LineAir, but I still have some condensation inside. Is it safe to still use?

[Fenianfield]

If you have problems with controlling the humidity, and have condensation left inside your hose after you arise each use, there is some potential for pathogen growth, especially molds. The risk is not high, but there is some risk. In that case, it would be smart, I think, to occasionally at least let the hose drain and to air dry it to ensure no growth of molds and exposure to spores that might get lodged in the alveoli of lungs belonging to a person with health issues, including reduced immune response.

I rinse all my apparatus that can be removed and dried/cleaned with a solution of water mixed with potassium metabisulfite. It's the very inexpensive white powder one uses mixed with water to sterilize wine and beer bottles and the rest of the gear if one makes one's own beer and wine. It is lethal to pathogens even in dilute solutions...every effective. Also, you don't need to 'soak' or to let it 'sit'. The sulfites are highly radical and will destroy pathogens on contact.

I am not in a position to claim definitively that what I do is correct and necessary. What I can say is that I have confidence in this cheap insurance that takes up about four minutes of my entire week.

One last comment: I do this because in the PNW where I live, it is humid most of the year, especially during the winter months. Things don't dry out well, even indoors unless using electrical or pyro means. So, hoses don't dry out during the day. I feel it helpful to use the mbs to cut my risks.

Sooooooo........clean them before bedtime and you won't have to dry them out (which is absolute nonsense to begin with). The residual moisture in the hose will be added to the humidity from the HH tank as you sleep. No "drying" necessary.
You're making more work for yourself than is necessary.

You must dry them or there will be water in your hose at night, which can blow into your nose. The water will also cause more mold growth. Besides, drying them is easy. Yuo just hang the hose over a door or your shower cutain rod. No effort. Now drying the filter takes more work, as I have to use a hair dryer on them when the weather is colder or even when it is warmer sometimes. Air drying them will take more than a day sometimes.

I've been drying mine all day into the night and there's still condensation in the hose. Is it safe to use?

[chunkyfrog]

Remember, almost ALL of the documentation favoring frequent cleaning
comes from manufacturers and dealers.
The reason is that frequently handled supplies wear out faster.
So why do they do it?
TO SELL MORE STUFF.
Most anything grows better in a wet environment--mold in particular.
So knock yourselves out.
Frequently wash and replace your supplies, breathe mold--wharever makes you happy.
I pass--hate the smell of mold--some makes me sick--so I won't feed it.
You are welcome to grow all you like.

[Pugsy]

I've been drying mine all day into the night and there's still condensation in the hose. Is it safe to use?

Yes. It's safe to use. The worst that could happen is you might snort a little water or it makes a bit of a racket.

I have snorted a lot of water when I get condensation in my mask. It's a tiny amount and you won't drown.

[ChicagoGranny]

Maybe I'm wrong but I wash my heated hose once a week.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon, dilute with a little water and I do it slide along the hose.

When life gives you sleep apnea, make lemonade.

[Fenianfield]

I've been drying mine all day into the night and there's still condensation in the hose. Is it safe to use?

Yes. It's safe to use. The worst that could happen is you might snort a little water or it makes a bit of a racket.

I have snorted a lot of water when I get condensation in my mask. It's a tiny amount and you won't drown.

I actually just spent a little time blowing air through the hose with the mask off and my finger plugging the hole on the hose and letting it go. That got rid of most of it. You're right though. All was good

[ChicagoGranny]

I actually just spent a little time blowing air through the hose with the mask off and my finger plugging the hole on the hose and letting it go.

Ahhhhh! Thanks! Another thing that I can do while under the stay-at-home order.

[Jeffj318]

And use a 50-year old profile picture.

I am just seeing this many years later since I only recently joined this forum.
If that truly is a 50-year-old profile of you and you are not teasing us, you looked absolutely beautiful.
I am sure you look beautiful today, just a couple of years older.

BTW: Thanks for all your help for my wife and her CPAP (APAP) use.
You are truly a wonderful lady and most helpful to all on these boards.

[ChicagoGranny]

If that truly is a 50-year-old profile of you and you are not teasing us, you looked absolutely beautiful.

I was a hot chick, but not that hot. When I wrote that, I was using a 50-year old photo. In the meantime, I ran that photo through PortraitAI and changed the avatar. The modified photo shows on all of my posts including the old ones.

BTW: Thanks for all your help for my wife and her CPAP (APAP) use.

Sounds like she is doing well. I'm happy for her and you.

[SummerTime]

I'm a woman... and even I agree with Jeff. I think how pretty you were/are every time I see your avatar. You must have had all the guys running after you. You could have left a few for the rest of us... well, I guess you did, you left one.

LucyH