How to clean your CPAP supplies

Cleaning your supplies doesn’t have to be difficult, it just needs to get DONE!

There are many ways people clean their supplies, what has worked for me is cleaning my supplies weekly. I’m going to share what I do to clean my supplies, if your Respiratory Therapist or supply manufacturer states different then by all means follow their recommendation.

What you will need to clean your CPAP supplies:

●Clean sink or container

●Baby Shampoo

●White Vinegar

●Drying mat or towel

●Hanger, such as shower head or towel rack

Optional items that people use:

●Tube brush

●CPAP wipes (for daily use)

Getting Started

First, you will want to empty your humidifier chamber if you haven’t already done so. I clean my supplies in my kitchen sink, after I scrub it clean. Some prefer to clean their supplies in a large container. Once the water is out of the chamber, I fill it with white vinegar to the bottom waterline mark. White vinegar is a GREAT disinfectant and it descales any hard water build up. After I fill the chamber, I set it aside and let the vinegar do its job.

Time to fill the sink

I fill the sink with hot to the touch water, the hotter the better. Remember you will need to put your hands in this water, so DON’T burn yourself. Once the water is 1-2inches deep, I add 2-3 drops of the baby shampoo. Baby shampoo is a gentle cleaner that doesn’t cause skin irritation, and doesn’t get sudsy. Most importantly it doesn’t have an antibacterial agent that will breakdown your mask.

Should I take my mask apart?

I keep my mask together, and submerge the whole thing in the soapy water. I have learned the hard way, with taking my mask apart and having a piece go missing. The reason you want to clean your headgear too is that we have oils in our hair. If your breaking out on the back of your neck, it’s probably due to a dirty headgear. I take about one drop of shampoo and work it into the silicone cushion.

What about the tube?

I take the tube, fold it in half and submerge it under the water. You want to make sure the soapy water is getting in the tube, this is why some people love the tube brush that I mentioned above. Now that you have your mask & tube in the water, take the chamber WITH the white vinegar and put it in the soapy water.

Soaking time

I let everything sit and soak a good 15-20 minutes. I typically start with rinsing the humidifier chamber, and lay it on a cloth drying mat. After the chamber, I rinse the mask, and make sure to ring out the excess water out of the headgear. Lastly, I rinse the tube by running water through till the water coming out the other end is clear. I then take my tube and hang it up over my shower head or hook, letting it drip dry.

Make sure to clean your supplies in the morning this way it gives them a chance to dry. If your headgear is still damp, I have taken a paper towel to soak up the dampness.

Last but least

I connect the tube, and turn my machine on. This allows for any excess water in the tube to move up and out of the tube. I take a paper towel and tap the end of the tube. This just prevents the water from getting on your floor. Once I have run the machine for a few minutes I turn it off and connect my mask.