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Miss Patsy Jane 10-18-2010 10:13 AM

My original instructions said not to use scented soap on the equipment because, being plastic it would pick up the fragrance of the soap and might be an irritant. That's a good idea to lower the machine lower than my head, but I don't know what I'd put it on since it is on my night stand and I sleep on 2 pillows also. I'll have to think about it and maybe come up with something. Thanks for the info.


Originally Posted by Quiltgranny

Originally Posted by Miss Patsy Jane
I have oily skin, also, so don't notice dryness around my nose. My C Pap has a humidifier and there's a heater in it, but I can't use the heater because the machine starts "sputtering water" if I turn it very high, so I have to turn it down and use it that way. I'm supposed to dispose of my filter and nose pillows every 2 weeks and I get a 3 months supply from the company that I got my C Pap machine from...also new head gear, hose for the machine and the small hose that connects to the head gear. I wash my head gear in the washing machine in a mesh bag and air dry it...works for me. I don't wash it often, just when I think of it and I leave the fabric covers on the headgear and it doesn't usually come off, but if it does it stays in the mesh bag. Also, the instructions for my machine said to use unscented shampoo or dish detergent to wash all the attachments and the thing that holds the water and I couldn't find the unscented anywhere, so for a while I used just plain vinegar with a 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar ratio...until I discovered that All detergent makes an unscented detergent, so now I'm using that to clean my attachments, etc. in! Sorry this is so long, I ramble sometimes!

I would never have thought to wash my gear this way, interesting. I just wash the head gear about once a week by hand in generic baby shampoo; smells so much better than Dawn dish soap, the originally recommended method. I also wash my nose pillows daily in baby shampoo, too. I wash my water reservoir and flex hose about once a week or so, too.

Have you tried putting your CPAP unit below your head, like on a night stand that is some shorter than your head? I used to have "rainout" and this cured the problem.

I wash my face with Neutragena Facial Bar every night and have great luck with this, although my skin is more mixed, not all oily. I do use the Swift FX mask which is just nasal pillows, but it's the best one I've ever used.

Best of luck to you,


Izaquilter 10-18-2010 11:17 AM

I've been using a C-pap for about 4 yrs now. I use the nasal pillows & what I've started doing is using baby wipes to wipe my nose & around my nasal area to cleanse the oils away. In the morning or before I use my wipeson my nose at night, I wipe the nasal pillows also. Keeps the oils from building up. I also wash all my hoses & nasal pillows in vinegar water once a week. This helps keep it clean & gets rid of bacteria from what they told me. Hope this helps.

Miss Patsy Jane 10-18-2010 12:49 PM

I was told to use distilled water in my reservoir and always empty it out each day because of bacteria. I keep a spray bottle with a 3/1 water vinegar solution to spray it and the nose pillows and the little hose that connects the headgear to the long hose on the reservoir but just hang the long hose over the shower door usually for it to dry during the day. Then weekly I either soak all of them in vinegar water or the unscented All detergent that I mentioned earlier.

sew wishful 10-18-2010 02:15 PM


Originally Posted by Quiltgranny

Originally Posted by Miss Patsy Jane
I have oily skin, also, so don't notice dryness around my nose. My C Pap has a humidifier and there's a heater in it, but I can't use the heater because the machine starts "sputtering water" if I turn it very high, so I have to turn it down and use it that way. I'm supposed to dispose of my filter and nose pillows every 2 weeks and I get a 3 months supply from the company that I got my C Pap machine from...also new head gear, hose for the machine and the small hose that connects to the head gear. I wash my head gear in the washing machine in a mesh bag and air dry it...works for me. I don't wash it often, just when I think of it and I leave the fabric covers on the headgear and it doesn't usually come off, but if it does it stays in the mesh bag. Also, the instructions for my machine said to use unscented shampoo or dish detergent to wash all the attachments and the thing that holds the water and I couldn't find the unscented anywhere, so for a while I used just plain vinegar with a 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar ratio...until I discovered that All detergent makes an unscented detergent, so now I'm using that to clean my attachments, etc. in! Sorry this is so long, I ramble sometimes!

I would never have thought to wash my gear this way, interesting. I just wash the head gear about once a week by hand in generic baby shampoo; smells so much better than Dawn dish soap, the originally recommended method. I also wash my nose pillows daily in baby shampoo, too. I wash my water reservoir and flex hose about once a week or so, too.

Have you tried putting your CPAP unit below your head, like on a night stand that is some shorter than your head? I used to have "rainout" and this cured the problem.

I wash my face with Neutragena Facial Bar every night and have great luck with this, although my skin is more mixed, not all oily. I do use the Swift FX mask which is just nasal pillows, but it's the best one I've ever used.

Best of luck to you,

I would agree to putting the machine lower than your head on a stand...it will stop the water spraying or the gurgling you hear in the flex tubing! I'm looking for a lower night stand. Mine is just even with the bed....the gurgling wakes me! I don't have this problem in the camper!

Quiltgranny 10-18-2010 02:52 PM

[quote=Miss Patsy Jane]My original instructions said not to use scented soap on the equipment because, being plastic it would pick up the fragrance of the soap and might be an irritant. That's a good idea to lower the machine lower than my head, but I don't know what I'd put it on since it is on my night stand and I sleep on 2 pillows also. I'll have to think about it and maybe come up with something. Thanks for the info.

Amazing how many of us have such different washing instructions, huh? Probably varies by mfg and mask, maybe.

With regard to your night stand not being low enough as it is, is there a drawer in it, or a shelf in it you could put your unit on/in? I've seen that recommended before on cpap.com. Some folks went so far as to just put their unit on the floor, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable with that.

Quiltgranny 10-18-2010 02:53 PM


Originally Posted by Miss Patsy Jane
I was told to use distilled water in my reservoir and always empty it out each day because of bacteria. I keep a spray bottle with a 3/1 water vinegar solution to spray it and the nose pillows and the little hose that connects the headgear to the long hose on the reservoir but just hang the long hose over the shower door usually for it to dry during the day. Then weekly I either soak all of them in vinegar water or the unscented All detergent that I mentioned earlier.

I was also told to use distilled water in my reservoir and I should clean it out daily. Maybe that's why my nose has been so runny? :oops:

Living the Dream 10-18-2010 02:59 PM

I don't have any C pap experiences but the original post about pantiliners reminded me of a story my mother told me at least 25 years ago.

My mother had received a free sample in the mail of the new sanitary pads with wings. My father asked what they were and she explained that the pads now have an adhesive strip. He asked "Don't they hurt when you pull them off your hair?" He was picturing the adhesive side stuck to your body. My dad was pretty clueless about that sort of thing.

butterflywing 10-09-2011 04:51 PM


Originally Posted by theoldgraymare
I was supposed to go to the sleep clinic a few months ago, but there is no way I can leave my disabled DH alone all night. None of his nearby family are willing/able to do all the personal services I must do for him, so I had to cancel my appointment. Doctor wass less than pleased with me, but hey, you do what you have to do.

if you can't afford overnight help, social services will accommodate you. they'll provide a free caregiver while you take care of your own health issues. ask your doctor for help in contacting them. if you don't take care of yourself, there won't be anyone to take care of him.


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