PLEASE HELP! can't get vinegar smell out

[sleepnasta]

today i soaked all my tubing, pillows, and humidifier tank in a solution of water and vinegar (ten parts water, one part vinegar), followed by a soak in soapy water, followed by a long rinse. still everything smells like vinegar especially the pillows. it's really gross. any tricks to getting the stench out? i have my pillows soaking in warm soapy water again.

[BlackSpinner]

today i soaked all my tubing, pillows, and humidifier tank in a solution of water and vinegar (ten parts water, one part vinegar), followed by a soak in soapy water, followed by a long rinse. still everything smells like vinegar especially the pillows. it's really gross. any tricks to getting the stench out? i have my pillows soaking in warm soapy water again.

Put the machine on to blow out the scents for a half an hour.

[sleepnasta]

today i soaked all my tubing, pillows, and humidifier tank in a solution of water and vinegar (ten parts water, one part vinegar), followed by a soak in soapy water, followed by a long rinse. still everything smells like vinegar especially the pillows. it's really gross. any tricks to getting the stench out? i have my pillows soaking in warm soapy water again.

Put the machine on to blow out the scents for a half an hour.

thank you! i will definitely try that. should i let the hose and everything else dry first or will the blowing dry it?

[Always tired]

I use a 3 part vinegar to 1 part water solution after cleaning with warm soapy water. I find that if i do the cleaning and lots and lots of rinsing and then let everything air dry for about 12-13 hours the smell is gone. If I only let air dry for 2-3 hours the smell is there and ugh!

[sleepnasta]

I use a 3 part vinegar to 1 part water solution after cleaning with warm soapy water. I find that if i do the cleaning and lots and lots of rinsing and then let everything air dry for about 12-13 hours the smell is gone. If I only let air dry for 2-3 hours the smell is there and ugh!

wow! that's a lot more vinegar than i used! i did one part vinegar to 10 parts water. is that not enough? also i should to the soap THEN the vinegar? thank goodness for this forum. i'm so lost right now

[sleepnasta]

anyone use this
http://www.thecpapshop.com/control-iii- ... g-solution

instead of vinegar?

[Always tired]

I use a 3 part vinegar to 1 part water solution after cleaning with warm soapy water. I find that if i do the cleaning and lots and lots of rinsing and then let everything air dry for about 12-13 hours the smell is gone. If I only let air dry for 2-3 hours the smell is there and ugh!

wow! that's a lot more vinegar than i used! i did one part vinegar to 10 parts water. is that not enough? also i should to the soap THEN the vinegar? thank goodness for this forum. i'm so lost right now

The idea from BlackSpinner is excellent, but a question--if the machine is blowing, would the data card show a massive leak or can you set the machine to not collect data and still blow?
When I first got my machine I was told to use a 3x1 solution and have never deviated. It was suggested to my by members to use soap and THEN the vinegar, then warm water rinse and air dry. It may not really make a difference, but I seem to have less sinus troubles doing the vinegar last. Maybe one of the veterans could respond to this point. As far as the 10 or 3 part vinegar goes--vinegar is cheap and a clean mask and tank are priceless.

[RandyJ]

I use a higher concentration of vinegar to water, and always wash with soap afterward, and let everything dry out 12-16 hours until it's 100% dry before using again. And I never smell the vinegar.

Pillows and water chambers will dry out in that time frame, but hoses won't. I prefer to rotate a few hoses so I can let the freshly washed one dry out on a towel tree in my bathroom for several days before using it again. If you only have one hose, you can let it hang to air dry all day and then do as BlackSpinner says and hook it up to the blower and let it dry out the hose as much as possible before using it.

[Pugsy]

That's why I don't use vinegar.
Especially on the nasal pillows.
Only thing I would use vinegar on would be lime scale in the plastic tank from emergency use of tap water.
I learned my lesson a long time ago. It's hard to get the odor out of the nasal pillows. Lots and lots of hot water rinsing was what I had to do. Do you have some mild baby cleanser or shampoo? That aroma is fairly mild and you maybe could replace the vinegar aroma in the nasal pillows with something else?????

I know people like to use vinegar but I absolutely hate the smell...hate it pretty badly. I won't use it for this reason on anything that even might absorb the smell.

If you decide to try the Control III...use it sparingly...a few people say its aroma isn't so great either. I have never used it so I can't say.

For me...I am quite satisfied with a hot as I can stand soapy wash and rinse for my gear when I get in a mood to clean it.
Nasal pillows maybe once a week brief wash and rinse in my hands or maybe a quick soak in really hot water.
When I first started therapy I had a much more rigid cleaning schedule....didn't take long for that to get old real fast.

[chunkyfrog]

If I eat a pickle before bed, I won't even notice.

[JohnBFisher]

Another way to cut the vinegar smell is to use a base solution ... Use hot water and some baking soda to clean the same components ... Rinse and dry thoroughly.

One reason the vinegar smell lingers is that it is slightly acidic. That acidity can be difficult to fully clear with just a simple rinse. Our noses are pretty sensitive to acids. Using a base solution can help neutralize any vinegar that might still linger.

Just another idea.

[msla]

Put the parts in a plastic bag with either activated charcoal or baking soda and seal it up. They may adsorb the vinegar odors. I have not done this, it is only a suggestion. Or, if you can swing it, a second set of supplies to use as the others air out.

[sleepnasta]

i'm with pugsy. i gate the vinegar smell too. having that blowing in my nose all night is going to make me queasy. i have everything air drying now and will blow air through for half and hour before bed. my insurance will pay for new pillows every two weeks. does that mean they will pay for a new hose too or are the different components on different schedules?

[sleepnasta]

Another way to cut the vinegar smell is to use a base solution ... Use hot water and some baking soda to clean the same components ... Rinse and dry thoroughly.

One reason the vinegar smell lingers is that it is slightly acidic. That acidity can be difficult to fully clear with just a simple rinse. Our noses are pretty sensitive to acids. Using a base solution can help neutralize any vinegar that might still linger.

Just another idea.

good idea. will try that next time.

[Pugsy]

my insurance will pay for new pillows every two weeks. does that mean they will pay for a new hose too or are the different components on different schedules?

Hoses are on a different schedule. It depends on what your insurance replacement schedule happens to be. A lot of insurance will mimic Medicare's replacement schedule.
For hoses that would be 3 months I think
You can see the whole schedule here. Hoses are called "tubing"
http://www.resmed.com/us/documents/1013 ... sories.pdf

It's always good to have a spare hose for emergency accidents. Even if not a heated hose (if that is what you use).
The Respironics White Performance hose is what I have for a spare. A little lighter weight and more flexible than the standard gray hose. Out of pocket costs aren't bad. If you order from Cpap.com now and use Promo code FEAST shipping and handling is free. I think this ends Monday but they often have similar free shipping stuff.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ubing.html
or the standard gray hose
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/6-foot ... -ends.html
Both of these hoses can be used with your machine.