Part of adapting to your sleep therapy is cleaning your mask. More specifically fir Sleep Healthcare Australia, ResMed cleaning your mask. It can seem a daunting task at first as the ResMed CPAP machines have many parts.. But, soon it will feel part of a natural routine.
ResMed is the leading provider for CPAP machines, and we at Sleep Healthcare partner with ResMed. Find out below how to make sure your sleep therapy equipment stays clean, and therefore efficient.
There are many parts to a ResMed CPAP machine, especially if you have accessories. All of these will need to be cleaned regularly and maintained. If you have any questions or queries about the upkeep and cleaning your CPAP machine and mask you can find our video here.
ResMed Cleaning Your Mask
It is important to clean your headgear and mask once a week. If you have a nasal pillow, start by disconnecting the hose from the front of your nasal pillow, pinch the nasal pillow right at the hose connection and peel the rubber off of the swivel ring, then remove the nasal pillow from the headgear by twisting the side of the nasal pillow until the tab releases from the loop in the headgear. Do the same thing with the opposite side of the nasal pillow.
If you have a nasal mask, start by disconnecting the hose from the front of your nasal mask. Pinch the clips on each side of the hose elbow and remove the hose from the nasal mask.
To remove the straps from the forehead support, pinch the strap loops and feed them through the slots. Remove the mask and cushion from the mask frame by pinching the two clips on either side of the mask and pulling the mask away from the frame. The mask elbow will also need to be cleaned.
If you have a full face mask, start by disconnecting the hose from the front of your mask. The hose has a rubber coupling on the end. When removing the hose, be sure to handle it using the coupling. You should avoid yanking on the connections.
If you are having difficulty removing a hose, use your thumb to peel back the edge of the rubber coupling so the hose will slip off more easily. Then remove the mask from the headgear by disconnecting the Velcro and pulling the upper straps through the holes in the mask.
The cushion can also be removed by pinching and peeling the cushion away from the mask. The headgear for all masks should be hand washed with warm water and a mild soap such as unscented baby shampoo. It should be rinsed thoroughly and then set out to air dry.
The mask should be hand washed in the same way. Don’t reassemble the mask and headgear until all parts have completely dried.
In addition to this weekly cleaning, we recommend you wipe down the mask cushion each day with a wet washcloth to remove oils. Even with proper care and cleaning, your mask and headgear should be replaced every six months and the mask cushion every month for effective therapy. Please consult your home care provider to determine your specific replacement schedule.
For more information on ResMed as treatment for sleep apnea click here.
