Some people love cleaning, others hate it. No matter how you feel about it, cleaning is a necessity of life that keeps us from getting sick.
You may even have a cleaning schedule that details which days to vacuum and which days to scrub down your bathroom. But if you suffer from sleep apnea, are you giving your Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine the same attention and care?
Turns out, your health depends on it. If you don’t clean your machine, mask, and tubing, you’re breathing in harmful germs, microbes, and even mold!
That’s why we’ve rounded up the top five CPAP mask cleaners you have to try. Before we dive in, let’s first discuss why it’s so important to clean your CPAP on a regular schedule.
The Importance of Cleaning your CPAP
Your mask, tubing, and CPAP machine all deliver air to the lungs. Therefore, the cleanliness of your machine directly affects your respiratory health.
Over time, debris and bacteria build-up within the components of your machine. This leads to congestion, cough, and general illness.
Without proper cleaning, the CPAP prescribed to improve your sleep apnea and overall health will make you feel worse; not better.
Aside from harming your health, failing to clean your CPAP machine regularly causes the materials to break down and degrade faster. This is because of the facial oils and dirt that are bound to build up without regular cleaning.
So how often should you clean your CPAP to protect your health, the quality of your therapy, and the lifespan of your machine? Daily cleaning is recommended by most manufacturers, while weekly cleaning is the bare minimum.
How to Clean Your CPAP Machine
Always unplug your machine and disassemble the air hose and tubing. If your equipment features a humidifier, remove the water tank.
Separate your headgear, cushion, and frame. Tackle daily cleaning of each separated component with warm, soapy water. Be sure to submerge any hoses and tubing so that the inside is disinfected.
To clean the humidifier tank, place warm, soapy water with white vinegar added within the tank to soak.
After each piece has soaked in the water, rinse everything thoroughly and lay each piece out to dry on a towel. Drying may take up to several hours depending on humidity and temperature, so this is a task that should be done well before bedtime. Once dry, reassemble your machinery.
Aside from regular cleaning, it’s also important to replace parts on a schedule:
- Every two weeks: Replace disposable filters
- Every month: Replace mask cushions, nasal pillows, and reusable filters
- Every 3 months: Replace tubing and mask frame
- Every 6 months: Replace headgear, humidifier tub (if applicable), and chin strap (if applicable)
Now that you know the importance of daily cleaning, you’re probably asking yourself, “what kind of soap should I use?”
1. Best Everyday Cleaner
When it comes to CPAP mask cleaner, plain dish soap is commonly used. But some dish soaps are harsh on the soft silicone that your CPAP mask is made from.
PURDOUX CPAP Mask Cleaner is free of degrading alcohol, bleach, moisturizers, and latex that are harsh on the skin and silicone surfaces.
This gentle yet effective formula neutralizes odors and cleanses body oils with natural ingredients like green tea and mint.
Better yet, since this soap is formulated with gentle, natural ingredients, no residue or buildup is left behind. That means your CPAP mask and hoses will last longer while remaining soft and comfortable.
Aside from a daily soap, you may want to use UV light technology to sanitize your device.
2. Save Time With a UV Light Cleaner
Believe it or not, ultraviolet (UV) light can be used to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses, and pathogens. The electromagnetic waves within UV light vibrate at a higher frequency and energy than normal light. This allows UV light to sterilize surfaces by killing harmful microorganisms.
The 3B Medical Lumin CPAP Mask Cleaner harnesses the power of UV light to sanitize your mask, tubing, hose, and water tank in just five minutes. All you have to do is disassemble your CPAP, place the parts inside the tray, and close the cleaner.
The cleaner features a mercury-arc germicidal lamp that emits germ-killing UV light without any added effort. You can even use it to clean your eyeglasses, toothbrush, or retainer.
Although the price tag is high, the convenience that this unit provides is priceless. However, it’s not something you’ll likely want to lug around with you during travel.
A portable ozone cleaner that you can take with you anywhere is another convenient and effective option.
3. Try a Portable Cleaner for Travel
Ozone technology is another breakthrough technology that helps get your CPAP accessories clean in a pinch. The Purify O3 Ozone Cleaner is a portable ozone cleaner that you can take with you during travel.
Ozone disinfection works by producing a biocide that destroys 99.99 percent of germs and bacteria. The Purify Ozone Cleaner doesn’t require any washing or replacing of parts or filters.
Just place your tubing, mask, and sanitizer inside of the sanitizing case, turn the unit on, and wait for half an hour.
This cleaning solution takes longer than a UV cleaner but is lightweight for easy travel and transportation.
If you’re still searching for an on-the-go solution at a lower price point, CPAP cleaning wipes may be the answer.
4. CPAP Cleaning Wipes for Quick, On-the-Go Cleaning
One of the biggest frustrations of daily CPAP mask cleaning is dry time. Nothing is more frustrating than having wet equipment at nightfall when you’re ready to hit the hay.
CPAP cleaning wipes, such as these CPAP Mask Cleaner Wipes from 3B Medical, provide a quick clean without any extra items to lug around. The best part? There’s no long-lasting dry time required.
If you’re traveling or simply don’t have time to complete your regular daily cleaning routine, 3B Medical cleansing wipes are a hassle-free solution. They’re latex-free, alcohol-free, and feature a fresh citrus scent.
Now, if you want to make your cleaning routine even easier, eliminate the need for your chin straps with SomniFix Mouth Strips.
5. Reduce Cleaning Requirements With SomniFix Strips
Mouth breathing can cause CPAP leaks, nasal congestion, poor sleep quality, and more. The typical solution is a chin strap.
@somnifix #breathwork #airwayhealth #mouthbreating #faceyoga via @lisa.beautify
♬ In The End - Mellen Gi Remix - Tommee Profitt & Fleurie
Yes, we’re serious. Mouth taping promotes nasal breathing by enforcing a proper lip seal that a chin strap does not. However, it’s an extra item to clean and it isn’t completely effective at preventing mouth leaks and mouth breathing. If you’re tired of cleaning your chin strap, throw it out and replace it with mouth tape!
Without a proper lip seal, mouth leaks that render your CPAP therapy ineffective are still possible. Ditch the chin strap to eliminate an item that requires daily cleaning and switch to SomniFix.
Simply pop a strip on, put on your CPAP mask, and experience improved sleep quality thanks to the power of nasal breathing. Our strips are disposable, so there’s never any cleaning required!
