White or Apple Cider Vinegar

Reading the wisdom section the post suggest white vinegar for cleaning. Can you use apple cider vinegar and does it help with the smell?

Don't use apple cider vinegar as it has "impurities" in it (from the apples). It is used mainly for cooking. White vinegar is what you should use when cleaning anything.

Lisa

Hmmm, so much for me thinking I was doing a good thing soaking my stuff in cider vinegar. Oh well, the pH would still deter fungal growth.

I was reading an old newsletter on cpap.com and it pertained to cleaning masks. The article said to not use any kind of vinegar on your mask, but I have read on here where it is accepted practice in disinfecting a mask. Why is there a difference? Can someone clear this up? Can you or can't you use vinegar?

My instructions said to use dish soap on my equipment. They reccomend the white kind like Ivory.

Laura

I was also told to use dish soap. Ivory liquid is what they told me.

They told me to use ivory soap on my mask and nothing else. They also told me I couldn't change my pressure on the machine and that they would help me with any problems...HA!
I use dawn dishwashing liquid to clean the mask and then soak in a 1:3 white vinegar:water mix for 5-10 mins. Been doing this for a long time with no ill results.

Brenda

I've been wondering about this myself since I have scale in my humidifier tank and nothing but cider vinegar in the cupboard. I'm wondering whether or not it would a) remove the scale and b) leave an impossible to remove stink in the tank. I'm not otherwise worried about it's disinfecting qualities or the contaminants because I'm going to be rinsing it thoroughly afterwards.

I don't want to buy plain vinegar if I don't have to. I don't need another bottle gathering dust in my cupboard. But I don't want to end up buying a new tank because I can't get the smell of the vinegar out either. I guess I could just live with the scale for a bit longer.

MidnightOwl

I suspect the scale in the tank is from using tap water. I only use distilled water, and I toss the leftover out every morning. I know many people fill their tank with water and top it off when it starts to get low, but the air that is passing through the water has bacteria and spores in it that can cause health problems. Each night I pour about 4 ounces of distilled water in my tank when I am using passover mode. If I turn the heater on, more water will be required. The tank is rinsed before adding fresh water and it is sterilized with one part white vinegar, 2 parts tap water, and a few drops of Dawn dish detergent every Sunday. I place the tank, mask, sponge filter, and hose in a container that they all fit in and let it soke for at least 1/2 hour. I then rinse with tap water and let dry. I suppose any vinegar will help to sterilize, and rinsing all of it off will reduce the odor. If you use apple cider vinegar with good results, please report back to this list.

I'll repeat partly what was said in earlier posts. All vinegars will smell much the same. The difference between white and apple cider (or balsamic for that matter) is that the things that color and give wonderful flavors are incompletely removed compounds and particles. For cleaning, use white vinegar, whether it is windows or xpaps gear. Bacteria do not like acidity and the acidity helps dissolve lime scale. We were told to use a non-ionic detergent such as Joy. Have had no problems. If I lived in a hard-water area, would definitely use vinegar.

As a by-the-way, soaking your feet 3 times a week in about a cup of white vinegar and a couple of quarts of water will control that yellow nail fungus. You do have to be religious about doing it for quite a while until the nail entirely grows out.

Lindalrc

All the times I've used the cider vinegar over the past 3 years, the smell dissipates very quickly, within a couple minutes of turning on the machine. If I'd let it air dry a while before using it I doubt there would be much smell at all. I don't mind the smell - as a teen I used used it almost daily for a clarifying squeaky clean hair rinse. Use it in my foot soaks too.

White. And after, you can use an old toothbrush to gently scrub the hard plastic or metal parts.