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Please note that distilled water is not sterile. Dr. Joseph Falkinham from Virginia Tech has explained that while the distillation process itself sterilizes the water, the equipment used to collect and store it is not sterile. This means that if someone buys distilled water and then pours it into a pot to boil or into a baby bottle steam sterilizer thinking they are using sterile water, they are not. In fact, there is generally no reason to use distilled water unless your specific device, such as a mesh nebulizer, requires it.

It’s important to always follow the manufacturer’s cleaning and maintenance instructions. For both the Aerobika and AeroEclipse devices, a monthly soak in a solution of half vinegar and half water for one hour is recommended to remove any scale buildup. Even if you can’t see it—because the residue is often white on white—this step is still helpful. It ensures that your device functions properly and doesn’t lose performance due to mineral buildup.

Warm regards,
Linda

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Replies to "Please note that distilled water is not sterile. Dr. Joseph Falkinham from Virginia Tech has explained..."

@becleartoday
Depending on the amount of time you boil the device, a more frequent vinegar soak may be required to reduce scale buildup. If you boil over 5 minutes, an every 2 weeks schedule may be better.

@becleartoday Hi, On the NTMinfo.org forum I remember Dr. Falkinham wrote that using distilled water in a BBS was ok as the water is boiled and turned into steam. Am I remembering incorrectly? Or maybe there has been a change of opinion. I appreciate you weighing in!

My mesh nebulizer requires distilled water and it nice using in the BBS as there is no mineral buildup.