The five most common New Year’s resolutions are to lose weight, get organized, spend less, enjoy life, and stay healthy. Unfortunately only about 10% of people are successful in achieving their resolution. Do you want to be a part of the 10%? If so, there are a few key ingredients to your success.

Let’s imagine that you make a New Year’s Resolution to improve your health by following your CPAP cleaning and care guidelines. You already know that your CPAP can make you sick from bacteria, mold and viruses if it is not cleaned regularly.

Step One - Map out the road to success. In this case, that means becoming familiar with the guidelines for taking care of your CPAP equipment.

• CPAP / Bi-LEVEL UNIT: Always disconnect the unit from the electrical source before cleaning. Wipe down the outside of the unit periodically with a clean & damp cloth.

• FILTERS: The reusable black foam filter should be washed weekly with warm water and liquid detergent. Rinse and pat dry with a clean towel. NOTE: If your unit requires a disposable filter, or combination filter, do not attempt to clean. Simply replace twice per month with approved manufacturer filters.

• HUMIDIFIER CHAMBER: Fill the humidifier reservoir with distilled or sterile water to the FILL LINE. Clean the reservoir daily with warm soapy water and shake vigorously. Rinse with warm water and let air dry. Once a week the humidifier can be disinfected by soaking it for 15-20 minutes in 1-part distilled white vinegar to 3-parts of distilled or sterile water. Rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove vinegar odor.

• MASK / NASAL PILLOWS / TUBING: Clean daily with warm, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and let air-dry. For convenience use the CPAP Tube Cleaning System. Also available are the Unscented CPAP Mask Wipes which come in handy especially when traveling.

• HEADGEAR: Clean headgear weekly with mild detergent and water or wash using the gentle cycle only. Never use bleach and always air dry.

Step Two - Establish a routine. Pick the same time every day/week to perform your CPAP cleaning activities and associate it with another activity that you already do. For example, you may want to clean your CPAP in the morning after you brush your teeth.

Step Three - Anticipate challenges. Plan ahead for how you will overcome challenges. In the case of CPAP cleaning, some people may feel like they do not have time for even a five minute cleaning regimen. If this sounds like you, don’t give up! What if there was a special machine that can automatically destroy 99.9% of the bacteria, viruses and mold on your CPAP equipment? What if you also did not have to use any sterile or distilled water or ever need to even disassemble the CPAP equipment?

The SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer is an automated self-cleaning system that requires no effort on your part. It uses activated oxygen to kill bacteria, mold and viruses. It is the same technology used in hospitals and municipal water purification systems. After a 5-15 min run time and a 2 hour rest time, the SoClean will do the cleaning for you and alert you to when your equipment is ready for use.

Here at Nationwide Medical, Inc., our New Year’s resolution is to continue to provide outstanding service to every patient and to make therapy as convenient and successful as possible. Ready to make your New Year’s resolution? Nationwide Medical, Inc.’s Clinical Care team is comprised of experienced and trained respiratory therapists and technicians who are ready to answer questions you have about your therapy and start you on your road to success!

Nationwide Medical Inc. is the leader in sleep apnea support and CPAP/BiLevel machines and supplies. We have more than a decade of experience serving 100,000 patients with 24/7 clinical support. You can reach us at www.nationwidemedical.com or call 1-877-307-2727 (CPAP).

Disclaimer: The information provided on Nationwidemedical.com is solely for educational purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Nationwidemedical.com is not responsible or liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information, services or products that you obtain through this site. Reliance on any information provided by Nationwidemedical.com is solely at your own risk.