Disinfect with microwave

I use NeilMed Sinus Rinse. The manufacturer suggests to disinfect the bottle (soft plastic) by microwaving it for 2 minutes at the highest setting. The bottle has to be empty and dry. I've done that without doing harm to the bottle.
Has anybody tried this with a mask or water reservoir, i.e. a ResMed Swift FAX nasal pillow or PR System One Heated Humidifier water reservoir?

No, I am afraid it would melt and make a mess in my nuker!!

The nasal pillows on the swift mask are silicone, not plastic, I'm not certain what the microwave would do.

As for the humidifier chamber DON'T!!! There's a METAL plate in the bottom that might spark and melt!

__z0rk wrote:I use NeilMed Sinus Rinse. The manufacturer suggests to disinfect the bottle (soft plastic) by microwaving it for 2 minutes at the highest setting. The bottle has to be empty and dry. I've done that without doing harm to the bottle.
Has anybody tried this with a mask or water reservoir, i.e. a ResMed Swift FAX nasal pillow or PR System One Heated Humidifier water reservoir?

Since NeilMed suggests washing the bottle with soap and water before microwaving it, I'd be more inclined to think it's the soap and water that disinfects it not the microwave. In any case, I can't see how microwaving your mask would be necessary at all. The mask doesn't need to be sterile. Just wash it with warm water and a mild soap that doesn't have moisturizers or fragrances in it.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll use soap and water on the mask and a vinegar solution on the water tank.

Try grey goose!

I clean my humidifier chamber and my ComfortGel mask roughly once a week in the dishwasher. No dishes at the same time, using the hottest "sanitize" cycle with an extra rinse cycle. No heated dry cycle, but I have occasionally forgotten and done it by accident. I've been doing this for years with little if any apparent problems. The soft parts of the mask eventually get "icky," after a year or so, but they're supposed to be replaced around that time anyway.

I disassemble the mask, and don't wash the headgear. Some masks have foam parts that I wouldn't wash.

If you insurance lets you get new masks, humidifier chambers, or mask parts, buy at least one set of spares. It's good to have a spare anyway. Once a week or so, clean the set you just used, and store it away dry. Use the other set for a week, then keep switching. Sitting dry for a period of time is probably a good way to kill off mold or bacteria that's trying to grow on your stuff.

I remember hearing back in the 80's the microwave could be used to sterilize things. I have put my M series humidifier chamber in the microwave to heat the water for a minute or two with no problems.

This time of year I am trying to find a way to cool the water in the chamber.

ps. I think leaving things out unused will attract more bacteria than daily usage will. Even the "air dry" method for daily use.

chunkyfrog wrote:Try grey goose!

Too expensive! Use something else, and save the Grey Goose for "internal use."

I have a baby bottle sterilizer that I've been meaning to get rid of, but now I think I may pull it out and use it to clean mask parts. It would safely wash plastic and silicone (it's not much more than a steamer, really.) I'll have to see if my humidifier chamber would fit in there.

I suppose mask parts could be treated like a toothbrush: clean normally unless you're sick, then disinfect or replace.

Interesting thoughts
I definitely think the microwave could be used on the mask. Theoretically the silicone shouldn't melt. I'll try it out in small short increments (3 sec) to see, if the silicone gets warm at all.
I think I will also try the water chamber in a pot with lid and a vegetable steamer (i.e. like baby bottle sterilizer).
In the meantime I'll just use soap and water for now.

I was told by the RT at the DME who delivered my CPAP and supplies that I should NOT use vinegar water on the H51 humidifier tub. It was supposed be washed with mild dishwashing liquid like Ivory or Dawn and rinse very carefully. I use ONLY distilled water in it, and do not notice any slime or other undesirable gunk in the distilled water in the humidifier and I have to admit that I RARELY wash it.... have cleaned it thoroughly ONE time since I got it in Feb. I keep it closed except when i need to check the water level of refill it. I have not been sick, so what I am doing to keep the mask clean appears to be working.... I wipe it every day with sensitive skin baby wipes that have no alcohol or aloe in them. I have washed my hose and the nasal mask in the vinegar water ONCE also. They need to make this CPAP stuff washable in the dishwasher! I am buying a dishwashable humidifier tub next time I am eligible to get that part replaced. Putting in the microwave would be an improvement over having to wash and disinfect this stuff by hand, so I hope that works without melting the parts.

__z0rk wrote:Interesting thoughts
I definitely think the microwave could be used on the mask. Theoretically the silicone shouldn't melt. I'll try it out in small short increments (3 sec) to see, if the silicone gets warm at all.
I think I will also try the water chamber in a pot with lid and a vegetable steamer (i.e. like baby bottle sterilizer).
In the meantime I'll just use soap and water for now.

Microwaving is a really bad idea. Some parts of the mask will get hotter than others. Even if you get some parts hot, there will probably be some areas that aren't hot enough. There's also a real danger that some area on some part you aren't watching will get too hot and suffer damage of some kind.

If you really want to seriously disinfect the mask, dunk it in a pot of water with a thermometer and the right temperature. Here's the manufacturer's guidelines.

http://www.resmed.com/assets/documents/ ... ow_eng.pdf

Note that the "sterilization" guide mentions a limited number of cycles for sterilization. I don't know if it's really going to break down your mask sooner.

Unless you have a particular reason to need sterilization, are using someone else's mask, or are just germ paranoid, I think true heat sterilization is overkill. However, the manufacturer's spec does give me comfort that I'm not going to ruin it in the dishwasher.

codinqueen wrote: I use ONLY distilled water in it, and do not notice any slime or other undesirable gunk in the distilled water in the humidifier and I have to admit that I RARELY wash it.... have cleaned it thoroughly ONE time since I got it in Feb. I keep it closed except when i need to check the water level of refill it. I have not been sick, ....

shhhh - that is a cpap secret.

btw - vinegar will not hurt the humidifier but keeping it closed (& filters clean) sure does help to keep bacteria out of it.

distilled water is another secret - shhhh