Cleaning nebulizer/aerobika

@lindenflower To be sure mycobacteria is killed requires 10 minutes of boiling water. No need to pre-boil to sterilize the water. In fact, I find it safer for the pieces to be heated gradually rather than being plunged into boiling water. I place the equipment in room temperature distilled water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil (takes 12 minutes on low on my stove), then set the kitchen timer and boil gently for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, I turn the burner off and let the water cool slightly, then use tongs to lift the parts onto a dry paper towel. If you get them out soon enough,the hot water evaporates quickly.

I use a round silicon hot pad in the bottom of the pot to keep the pieces from contacting the hot metal, though it hasn't been an issue in my thick old pans.

@sueinmn Thank you Sue!
You have streamlined your process. I’m not there yet.
What do you use to clean the counters/ sinks?
My sink is where I rinse my supplies and later wash dishes and the next sink where I have a drying rack. It grosses me out to imagine what can be happening there? Any advice on cleaning since nothing really kills MAC.

@lindenflower To be sure mycobacteria is killed requires 10 minutes of boiling water. No need to pre-boil to sterilize the water. In fact, I find it safer for the pieces to be heated gradually rather than being plunged into boiling water. I place the equipment in room temperature distilled water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil (takes 12 minutes on low on my stove), then set the kitchen timer and boil gently for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, I turn the burner off and let the water cool slightly, then use tongs to lift the parts onto a dry paper towel. If you get them out soon enough,the hot water evaporates quickly.

I use a round silicon hot pad in the bottom of the pot to keep the pieces from contacting the hot metal, though it hasn't been an issue in my thick old pans.

@sueinmn Thank you Sue!
You have streamlined your process. I’m not there yet.
What do you use to clean the counters/ sinks?
My sink is where I rinse my supplies and later wash dishes and the next sink where I have a drying rack. It grosses me out to imagine what can be happening there? Any advice on cleaning since nothing really kills MAC.

@sueinmn, Amen!

@lindenflower I have been using cold tap water and boiling it for ten minutes. Not everyone does it this way and many use distilled water.
Barbara

@lindenflower Just like we were taught as children, soap, water and friction loosens the germs, a good hard spray of water washes it down the drain. It is also what I use to clean my countertops and all knobs and handles.
I regularly wash my mesh scrubbie, bottle brushes, sink mats and drain strainers on the sanitize cycle in my dishwasher. No sponges in my kitchen, I use Swedish dishcloths, which can be washed it hot water. I do a lot of cooking and baking, so dishcloths, towels and kitchen hand towels go in the laundry every day.
Remember, we cannot eliminate germs - including NTM - the key is to just be clean, not sterile.