Cleaning + disinfecting nebulizer and aerobica

From my instruction book, received last week:
"Weekly disinfection:
Boil the mouthpiece assembly for 10 minutes...
OR
Immerse the mouthpiece assembly in a disinfectant of the Gluteraldehyde group..."

And under the Cautions:
"Do not put any part of the device in a microwave or conventional oven."

Nothing in the manual indicates steaming as an appropriate method. Out of an abundance of caution, with respect for my $100 mouthpiece, I am carefully following their directions.

I am glad steam cleaning is working for you. What device are you using?
Sue

I use an InnoSpire Go and sometimes Ombra tabletop nebulizer.

To clarify my last post: I only purchased my bottle Sterilizer after I called InnoSpire Go to ask why they had nothing about steam sterilization as a cleaning option in the manual (sounds like I have the same literature as you). They said yes, I could steam clean it, and directed me to their very own FAQ online: "'Q. Can the mouthpiece assembly be disinfected? If so, How? A. Yes. There are three ways you can disinfect the mouthpiece assembly which are boiling, STEAMING, and immersion in a Korsolex® disinfectant solution." ( https://www.healthstore.philips.com/innospire-go-faq)

I also asked why the steam-clean method wasn't in the paper insert and manual included with the product, and they said they had just listed the cleaning method used / tested during product development or something like that, hadn't updated their literature, etc.

Obtaining direct verbal and written confirmation from the company PLUS reading the 2020 article I sent which states that steam cleaning "Can be used with metal components (e.g. metal vibrating mesh)" was all the confirmation I needed!

No reason anyone should go to steam cleaning if another system works well for them -- but anyone with an Innospire Go who wants to try another system should know that they can indeed steam clean it via baby bottle sterilizer 🙂

Thanks. I'll probably continue to use the sauce pan. I don't need another single use appliance in my tiny house, and I just set a timer and wait before I walk out of the main room.

Thanks Sur will keep doing what i am doing but will add the compressor to air out tube!

Hi Everyone,

Do you regularly de-scale your airway clearance equipment?

If you are not using distilled water to disinfect your equipment, you should de-scale it with vinegar. According to the Monaghan company, the manufacturer of the Aerobika and the Aeroeclipse nebulizing cup, tap water and hypertonic saline can be high in minerals. Furthermore, “This may result in scale build-up on your Aerobika OPEP device. If this is noticed, soak the disassembled device in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and water for 1 hour, then wash and disinfect as normal.”

So, keep your airway clearance devices in top shape and soak them in vinegar from time to time.

Also, although there is a wide range of suggestions of how often we should change our nebulizer tubing, from 2 weeks to 6 months, I suggest you discuss it with your medical team and come up with a schedule. Put it in your phone calendar for a reminder.

Lastly, don’t forget to check your nebulizer compressor to see if it is time to change the filter.

Phew..did I forget anything?

Enjoy the weekend,
Linda Esposito

Hello @becleartoday. Thank you for your helpful tips and sharing the information you have with others!

You will notice that I have moved your post into an existing discussion on the same topic, which you can find here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cleaning-disinfecting-nebulizer-and-aerobica/

All great reminders, especially the one to set a reminder!

Hi there,
I am so confused about cleaning my Aerobica and nebulizer cups. I started out soaking my flutter device and nebulizer cups in warm sudsy water and letting them air dry. Then I heard this was not sufficient so I bought the baby bottle sterilizer. But then I read that this doesn’t sterilize the equipment so I should just use it for drying. Soon I got stricter- boiling all my equipment in my insta-pot for 10+ minutes and drying it in baby bottle sanitizer after every use. I have a collection of 4 aerobicas and 4 nebulizer cups that I can rotate. (I never boil the tubing but I do let it run attached to nebulizer to remove moisture. I also replace it monthly.)

Now I hear it’s okay to rinse Aerobica and cups in warm soapy water after each use, let them air dry and just disinfect once weekly.

It’s not difficult to boil after each use, but it’d certainly be less time consuming to just rinse in warm sudsy water and air dry and disinfect 1/week.

I wish there were a set of guidelines to follow. I also would love to know what to do when traveling to another country especially on a bus tour or cruise where I cannot sterilize my equipment. I don’t think I can buy 16 days worth of equipment😂

I also hear different opinions about drinking water.

Just had to rant! Yesterday’s conference was so informative, but these issues weren’t discussed. Well, there was one comment that distilled water can have MAC due to handling issues.

I know that I cannot live in a bubble and certainly dont. Just wish there were better, more consistent guidelines.

So I operate under the instructions from my ID doc - hot soapy water daily, sterilize weekly. As for the tubing - ??? instructions vary - my current neb is handheld, so not an issue, but I used to replace neb cup and tubing every 2-3 months.
It sounds like you have 4 sets of cups & Aerobikas, so if you sealed each sterilized set in a bag, you could travel for 4 weeks. When we travel, I carry a tiny bottle of dishsoap, a small covered plastic container for soaking, and a supply of clean paper towels for handling daily cleaning. I'm a little germophobic, so I wipe the counter with a disinfecting wipe before I do my cleaning & drying.
Sue

I wash my Aerobika daily in hot soapy water. Boil once a week for 5 minutes. When traveling I use Milton sterilizing tablets that you can get on Amazon. As for the daily cleanings while traveling, I have a collapsible dog bowl and small container of dish soap.

I’m also confused and I’m planning a trip and I’m back to wondering what is the best way to sterilize.

I’ve tried washing in hot soapy water and air drying after every use and then sterilizing in a vinegar/water solution twice a week. Then I heard we should sterilize after every use.

So I bought a baby bottle sterilizer because I read that was adequate (I still wash in hot soapy water or soak in vinegar before using it). Then I read somewhere that this isn’t good enough.

I’ve tried the microwaving in those plastic bags when I’ve been away and had access to a microwave - still soaking in hot water or in the vinegar solution before putting them in the microwave. Then I read this isn’t good enough either.

I always use water from an RO when at home or distilled/demineralized bottled water if away from home with all of these cleaning options to avoid build up of minerals.

I haven’t tried boiling yet, in either a stainless steel pot or an instant pot, and I haven’t tried putting everything in the dishwasher.

I like the simpler the better and sometimes I wonder if that isn’t just carrying a small stainless steel pot on carry on luggage.

I’m happy for any and all suggestions!