CPAP-Reviews

I just started using Dr. Bronner’s Castile Hemp soap for everything including cleaning my CPAP equipment.

I’ve got to say this is the best soap that I have ever used because it seems like even my eczema has improved since I started using it. Previously I’ve used Dove bar soap (for that 1/4 moisturizing cream of course) since one of my doctors over at Kaiser Permanente recommended it many years ago.

It turns out this soap can be used daily to clean CPAP masks and CPAP equipment like the tubing because it doesn’t leave any soap residue behind which makes a bad seal and results in annoying air leaks. There is really no need to buy any special CPAP wipes or CPAP equipment cleaner. Just a couple drops of Dr. Bronner’s soap and some warm water works great for daily cleaning.

Sunday is usually the night that it is most difficult for me to get to sleep. Maybe it’s the stress of the work week ahead, or maybe this light insomnia simply marks the end of a really relaxing weekend. In any event, as I’m slowly drifting off into sleep with my CPAP mask on, I hear a loud squeal or squeak of air shoot out of one of the cracks of the CPAP mask. Of course this loud burst of air was only heard at that oh so special moment of time right when I’m just about to fall to sleep; not a second before. So I just shrug it off and try again. But alas the same sound squeaks out and wakes me up again!

The squeaky sound was familiar-it was the sound that is made when the plastic parts swivel and touch other plastic parts. For some reason this sound is more prevalent at certain times, like right before falling asleep. Thoroughly annoyed, I went over the possible lubricants in my head: oil, cooking spray, or soap. I recently started using Dr. Bronner’s Castile liquid soap to replace my old Dove soap to ease my eczema itching and I noticed that it is very interesting stuff. It is very slippery and soapy so I took a toothpick and put 1-2 drops on each connector of the mask where plastic to plastic action occurs. The difference is immediately apparent since twisting of the CPAP mask connectors before applying the lubrication resulted in a somewhat quieter although similar toned squeak. End result: the sound of air escaping out of the tiny cracks of the mask disappeared and I was off to sleep another night.

I am currently using a Fisher Paykel FlexiFit 405 nasal CPAP mask which is also used for BIPAP. Here are the two spots that I oiled up:

I have used a drop of cooking oil in the past to solve this problem of the sound air escaping out of the plastic connectors of the CPAP mask however I figured since I have this great smelling Dr Bronners Castile soap then I might as well give it a shot. If it didn’t work I could have simply rinsed it off and used another lubricant. More to come on eczema treatment.

Long term CPAP therapy produces numerous benefits for both the Sleep Apnea patient as well as their significant other. While the other person in bed might be sleeping better with the CPAP equipment preventing snoring, they may find the abundance of bedside paraphernalia unsightly. To keep things under control it’s helpful to corral everything into a proper box or container. Here is a shot of the all of the stuff next to the bed: CPAP machine, CPAP mask, CPAP tubing, and additional silicone seals for the mask.

A huge mess indeed. Now let’s dump all of this medical equipment into a box and things are starting to look much better:

This box was a sufficient solution for a few months but when we recently purchased a storage bed we noticed a great benefit: we could just shove everything into one of the drawers. Take a look at it now:

The finished product is a clean bedroom no evidence of any CPAP equipment! Let’s close that drawer:

The storage bed is from West Elm. The cool thing about the full size bed is that you can actually fit a queen mattress on it if space is tight. The West Elm store actually had this queen mattress/full size storage bed on display. The mattress and the edges of the bed end up being flush and the ledge disappears.

• Before applying the mask, wash the area around the nose with Sunlight dish soap and water. Any other mild soap like Ivory or Joy is ok, don’t use detergents that leave a residue.
• When using CPAP, avoid applying oil, oil products or cream moisturizers in or around your nose.
• Keep hydrated by drinking a lot of fluids through out the day.
• The air from the CPAP machine may cause dryness in the nostrils, if this occurs, use saline spray once in the morning and once at night before bed.

• Once a week, wash the headgear, mask, tubing and sponge filters with water and a few drops of mild soap.
• Try not to over tighten the headgear because it may result in nose sores or irritated skin around the nose.
• Remember that it might take a while to get used to the CPAP machine. It can be awkward and uncomfortable for months, but stick with it and over time you’ll feel the benefits of using CPAP.

You should be using your CPAP machine (and mask) daily to treat your sleep apnea therefore you must keep your equipment clean for optimal performance. It is highly recommended to clean your mask CPAP daily however this can become burdensome. Masks with removable parts makes for easy daily cleaning. Currently I’m using the Fisher & Paykel Flexifit 405 mask for several reasons:

1. The silicone seal (the part that makes contact with your face around your nose) is removable
2. The forehead pads are removable
3. The foam diffusers are easily replaceable and it comes with 3-4 extras
4. The glider strap makes this mask very comfortable because you can turn your head and the mask follows

As for daily maintenance, the minimum I’ll do is clean the silicone seal with Joy dishwasher detergent (I never needed to use any type of specialized CPAP cleaner or solution). Since I’m on my 2nd mask, I have 2 seals that I can rotate daily so I only have to do this cleaning every other day.

Although the forehead pads contact my face daily, I only clean them about once every couple of weeks. They slide in and out easily.

I wash the entire mask about once per month. They recommend that you wash it every week, but I don’t have the time.

Switching out the diffuser/filter every month or so is also highly recommended. I noticed that after I saw visible dirt or dust in the diffuser it became more difficult to exhale even though I have C-Flex on my CPAP machine. After switching out the diffuser with a new one I could immediately tell the difference.

Make sure you also clean or replace your CPAP machine filter once every week or so. Keeping your CPAP equipment nice and clean will extend the life of your expensive equipment!