Is it okay to microwave nebulizer or in baby bottle sterilizer?

Hi There, Scoop!
I soak my neb and Aerobika parts in warm soapy water (I use Dawn) after every use (2x a day). About 2 or 3x a week, after soaking the parts, I pop them into a Medela Quick steam bag along with 2 ounces of distilled water & nuke them for 3 minutes. There are 20 numbers on the back of the steamer package that you check off after each use. I toss out the bag once I hit #20. Thus far, I have never exceeded the recommended use. Additionally, after soaking in dawn, I then will soak the parts in a 1:1 ratio of water to white vinegar about once a week to demineralize things. I don't know if this is really necessary but I figure it can't hurt.

This is basically my routine also, although I sterilize in the Medela Quick Steam bag only once a week. I haven't found a way to sterilize the tee connector that connects my Aerobika to the top of my Respironics medicine cup; each time I've tried either steaming or boiling, they just soften and become deformed. Any suggestions?

1. I wipe the end of the nebulizer tube/hose whatever it is with an alcohol wipe before I attach the cup. I have no idea if that does anything at all but there are no instructions on cleaning them other than changing them.

2. How does anyone even attempt to clean a 30 day inhaler that has the medicine inside and does not come apart. It would seem that 30 days is fine for not sterilizing something you put in your mouth and inhale from otherwise the CDC or FDA or someone would have not allowed these inhalers to be manufactured and sold. I am not talking about the albuterol kind that you can take apart but the ones like Advair or Breo or Trelegy.

Reviving the topic of sterilization of neb parts....

For those who either boil or use baby bottle sterilizers for the nebulizer components -- how many nebulizers do you have on hand? If you have enough for each day and boil/sterilize once a week, what's your routine to store the used nebs until time to sterilize? Do you let the used ones sit around until time to boil/sterilize? Thinking of going whole hog and purchase enough nebs for the week (14). The thought of this is somewhat overwhelming, however!

@scoop. Hi. I've been dealing with the cleaning process of neb kits for five years. It has evolved as I've learned more methods and what works for me. As you've seen the ways to accomplish this are numerous. I think if getting so many kits so you don't have to sterilize so often is good if that works for you. I do have numerous kits but I still do cleaning after I've done 2-3 treatments. I then clean those and put them on paper towels to air dry. I then begin with those same kits with the next treatment so it is a fairly short turn around. If I were to need to store them because I've cleaned so many at once, what I would do is make sure they are completely dry and then put them in a covered plastic container. Best to you. Faye

I tracked Terry's post down. Missed it somehow before. I can't tell you why they said that. I just know when I talked to my respiratory therapist at Phoenix Children's Hospital where I'm treated for my A-typical cystic fibrosis several months back, it came up in conversation that I wasn't sterilizing my equipment every day because it was such a pain in the butt and I was sure to burn the house down forgetting to leave water boiling on the stove. She suggested the baby bottle sterilizer. The booklet for the Aerobika indicates that it can be disinfected by putting it in the microwave in a steam cleaning bag (i.e. Quick-Clean MicroSteam) following the manufacturer's instructions using distilled water. I don't use distilled water. I use the bags when traveling but have the larger bottle sterilizer for daily use. The nebulizer booklet that I have doesn't say it can or can't be sterilized in this manner. It does say to disinfect once a week by boiling parts in water w/2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid for 10 mins. I have a paper from my RT that outlines how to clean and disinfect respiratory equipment and it says to disinfect at least daily and gives 4 different options for doing that - one is to microwave in a microwavable bowl filled with water for 5 mins or Electric Steam Sterilizer (bottle sterilizer) for 6 - 8 mins. I've been sterilizing for 4 mins according to the instructions with the sterilizer. Now that I'm reading this sheet again, I'll up it to 6 mins and hope I don't melt anything. It sure is confusing and some instructions contradict others. I just do the best I can and pray that it's good enough. Hope that helps. Linda