ANTS!

Been using a CPAP for 10 years, and keep my machine meticulously clean (and my current one is only 2 years old). Today I've got a problem I can't just clean away. Ants got in, and it looks like they're deep in the machinery. I think they've actually started a nest in there. What do I do?

Ants do not "nest" inside of machinery.
They like to nest in soil, where they are sheltered from weather,
have access to water, and nice, cozy places to nurture their young.
My machine sits on a shelf next to a window in a very old house.
Liquid-filled ant traps lured them away from everything--VERY EFFECTIVE!
Said ants never entered my machine, because my machine is secure-
-as are most cpaps, unless you lose the filter.
If you believe there are ants inside your machine, get a new machine.
10 years is a long time.

The OP's current machine is 2 years old.

Ants freak a lot of people out (most of my family consider them delicious),
but they only venture where they expect to find food or water.
(Crumbs in the bed, that ring on the nightstand where your cold water sweated.)
Get some ant traps--stop worrying about what you IMAGINE is inside your cpap.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 12:28 pm

Ants freak a lot of people out (most of my family consider them delicious),
but they only venture where they expect to find food or water.
(Crumbs in the bed, that ring on the nightstand where your cold water sweated.)
Get some ant traps--stop worrying about what you IMAGINE is inside your cpap.

I like to make a buffet for the ants... To make your own boric acid ant traps, mix about 1 teaspoon boric acid, with 10 teaspoons sugar and 2 cups of water. Put that out where they can get it. They'll take it back to the hive, and feed the others, AND THEY ALL DIE!

Too little boric acid, and they won't die, too much, and it'll kill them before they get back to the hive to share.

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 12:28 pm

Get some ant traps--stop worrying about what you IMAGINE is inside your cpap.

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 5:54 pm

I like to make a buffet for the ants... To make your own boric acid ant traps, mix about 1 teaspoon boric acid, with 10 teaspoons sugar and 2 cups of water. Put that out where they can get it. They'll take it back to the hive, and feed the others, AND THEY ALL DIE!

Boric acid dust, or boric acid in water (only, no sugar) sprayed around the baseboards of rooms, under sinks and lavs also does a great job of killing roach... uh sorry, PALMETTO BUGS!

As a New Orleans native I can testify to its effectiveness. Boric acid is cheap, colorless, and non-toxic to humans. Very difficult combination to beat

you are all responding to an obvious troll

There is no way ants can get inside a cpap with the filter in place !

grayghost4 wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 8:44 pm

you are all responding to an obvious troll

Well of course! But it is more amusing than much of the content posted here, so why not?

I debated recommending they buy a SoClean for ant elimination,
but a rare moment of prudence stopped me. I had a vision that comment would initiate a nuclear exchange here on CPAPAttack...

grayghost4 wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 8:44 pm

you are all responding to an obvious troll

There is no way ants can get inside a cpap with the filter in place !

How about they enter the mask crawl up the hose in the machine to get to that fan cooled food inside the XPAP. Maybe the XPAP is filled with Troll food too. Jim

Goofproof wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 9:18 pm

grayghost4 wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 8:44 pm

you are all responding to an obvious troll

There is no way ants can get inside a cpap with the filter in place !

How about they enter the mask crawl up the hose in the machine to get to that fan cooled food inside the XPAP. Maybe the XPAP is filled with Troll food too. Jim

I think that is how the one silverfish got into my tank about 7 or 8 years ago.
It was already dead, so I chucked it and ate something fresh.

grayghost4 wrote: ↑

Thu May 30, 2019 8:44 pm

you are all responding to an obvious troll

There is no way ants can get inside a cpap with the filter in place !

Well, there are some small holes on the back and bottom of mine, so I suppose it's possible.

Now if one were to inject some of those holes with molasses, yep.

I'm back.
Spent the last two weeks going back and forth with my doctor, equipment provider, and insurer. Here's the upshot:
When I caught the ants making a line to my machine, they were bringing their larvae with them. I'm pretty sure that means they wanted to nest in there.
I put my machine in a plastic bag and took it to my doctor (The insurer and equipment provider wanted a doctor's note before proceeding). When she looked at the machine, ANTS CAME POURING OUT of every crevice.
I contacted my equipment provider and they said that if you find even ONE insect in your CPAP, it's considered un-repairable. My doctor agreed, and said it's really-really bad if you inhale ants or get them in your sinuses. So I must get a new one.
Meanwhile, getting all three providers on the same page to send me a new one is a royal headache. Even with all the phone calls the last two weeks, it will take another two weeks to get one. (Doctor sent equipment order to wrong company and they sat on it.) That's a month of rotten sleep.

So the answer to my original question: when ants move into your machine, you have to get a new machine.

I'm going to keep my new machine in a fine mesh laundry bag during the day to prevent future mishaps. And I'll double-up on the ant traps.

To the other posters:
This is not a troll. This really happened.
We have a no-food-or-drink-in-the-bedroom policy at our house, and the night tables are regularly cleaned.
My current machine was only two years old.
My sinuses are very sensitive, so I keep the equipment immaculate--change and wash masks every few days, wash hose and water tank weekly.
But ants are attracted to water, so one successful explorer-ant was all it took. It happened in just three hours.
TheResmed Airsense 10 has several entry points. The main line of ants went through the intake holes. They just crawled around the filter. There was a little gap in the filter receptacle they used as well.

Alliefiona wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:34 pm

I'm back.
Spent the last two weeks going back and forth with my doctor, equipment provider, and insurer. Here's the upshot:
When I caught the ants making a line to my machine, they were bringing their larvae with them. I'm pretty sure that means they wanted to nest in there.
I put my machine in a plastic bag and took it to my doctor (The insurer and equipment provider wanted a doctor's note before proceeding). When she looked at the machine, ANTS CAME POURING OUT of every crevice.
I contacted my equipment provider and they said that if you find even ONE insect in your CPAP, it's considered un-repairable. My doctor agreed, and said it's really-really bad if you inhale ants or get them in your sinuses. So I must get a new one.
Meanwhile, getting all three providers on the same page to send me a new one is a royal headache. Even with all the phone calls the last two weeks, it will take another two weeks to get one. (Doctor sent equipment order to wrong company and they sat on it.) That's a month of rotten sleep.

So the answer to my original question: when ants move into your machine, you have to get a new machine.

I'm going to keep my new machine in a fine mesh laundry bag during the day to prevent future mishaps. And I'll double-up on the ant traps.

To the other posters:
This is not a troll. This really happened.
We have a no-food-or-drink-in-the-bedroom policy at our house, and the night tables are regularly cleaned.
My current machine was only two years old.
My sinuses are very sensitive, so I keep the equipment immaculate--change and wash masks every few days, wash hose and water tank weekly.
But ants are attracted to water, so one successful explorer-ant was all it took. It happened in just three hours.
TheResmed Airsense 10 has several entry points. The main line of ants went through the intake holes. They just crawled around the filter. There was a little gap in the filter receptacle they used as well.

Three providers needed to get a new machine????

Alliefiona wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:34 pm

I'm back.
Spent the last two weeks going back and forth with my doctor, equipment provider, and insurer. Here's the upshot:
When I caught the ants making a line to my machine, they were bringing their larvae with them. I'm pretty sure that means they wanted to nest in there.
I put my machine in a plastic bag and took it to my doctor (The insurer and equipment provider wanted a doctor's note before proceeding). When she looked at the machine, ANTS CAME POURING OUT of every crevice.
I contacted my equipment provider and they said that if you find even ONE insect in your CPAP, it's considered un-repairable. My doctor agreed, and said it's really-really bad if you inhale ants or get them in your sinuses. So I must get a new one.
Meanwhile, getting all three providers on the same page to send me a new one is a royal headache. Even with all the phone calls the last two weeks, it will take another two weeks to get one. (Doctor sent equipment order to wrong company and they sat on it.) That's a month of rotten sleep.

So the answer to my original question: when ants move into your machine, you have to get a new machine.

I'm going to keep my new machine in a fine mesh laundry bag during the day to prevent future mishaps. And I'll double-up on the ant traps.

It was clever of you to bring your machine to your physician. I wouldn't have thought of that. Nothing like having the ants running around your own desk to convince you! Well done.

Alliefiona wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 13, 2019 7:34 pm

To the other posters:
This is not a troll. This really happened.
We have a no-food-or-drink-in-the-bedroom policy at our house, and the night tables are regularly cleaned.
My current machine was only two years old.
My sinuses are very sensitive, so I keep the equipment immaculate--change and wash masks every few days, wash hose and water tank weekly.
But ants are attracted to water, so one successful explorer-ant was all it took. It happened in just three hours.
TheResmed Airsense 10 has several entry points. The main line of ants went through the intake holes. They just crawled around the filter. There was a little gap in the filter receptacle they used as well.

So much for "there's no way an ant would go into the machine" crowd. Same crowd who says stank from high sulfur water could never get into a machine.

Know-it-alls who know jack, but say it
-repeatedly-
with authority, while claiming they are protecting the world from misinformation.

Sorry for the "welcome" to the community you received.