CPAP Care & Cleaning

Congratulations! You have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea but you are doing something about it.

Now that you are using your CPAP equipment each night you have been sleeping better and getting more rest but, the work is just beginning. Regular cleaning is essential to assure proper function and safety of CPAP devices and learning how to clean your CPAP is an important part of your therapy for sleep apnea. Improper care of CPAP devices, filters, mask and hoses can lead to nasal and sinus problems (congestion, infection), facial oils left on the cushion of your CPAP mask can cause a quicker breakdown of the mask cushion and can lead to air leakage, meaning you are not getting the proper level of air that you need.

Here is a good routine to get into:

Clean your CPAP mask every day.

CPAP masks cushions are made of silicone, a very delicate and non-irritating material so you will need to wash your CPAP mask with pure soap and warm water.

Do not use soap that contains bleach, chlorine, alcohol, moisturizers, scents or antibacterial agents.

Rinse your mask in plain water or in water mixed with plain white vinegar. Vinegar in the rinse water will cut down on smells and germs.

Don’t put your mask in direct sunlight. This can be difficult with living in the tropics but this will prolong the life of your mask and headgear.

Wash your headgear and tubing every week.

Hand wash the tubing and headgear with pure soap and warm water.

Gently towel dry the tubing and headgear then leave them out to air dry. Again, make sure that they are not in direct sunlight.

Check to see if your tubing and headgear are worn. If they are, contact PVSleepWell for replacements.

Worn head gear can lead to a loose fit and air leakage.

Change the filter on your CPAP machine every 2 months, or as needed.

Diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is critical to successfully managing a person's health so if you are experiencing daytime sleepiness, load snoring or think that you may have sleep apnea, contact the professionals at PVSleepWell and have an over-night study performed. It could change your life, and potentially save it.