Cleaning of Aerobika

Posted by cynthia69 @cynthia69, Oct 15, 2023

Hi,

I am new to this. I got an Aerobika and a phillips baby bottle sterilizer.

If after first use I wash with dawn and rinse with distilled water, what do I put it on to air dry? Paper towels?

After second use of the day and I wash with dawn and rinse with distilled water, do I need to air dry or can I put it directly in bottle sterilizer? I have the drier feature. Can I store it in the bottle sterilizer until the next day ready for first use?

Thank you very much.

Cynthia69

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

@rbl

I was told to breathe in thru my nose, hold for count of 3 and breathe out thru the device.

Jump to this post

Hi! I neb 7% saline 2 times/day and keep 4 nebulizers and 4 Aerobikas in circulation. I tried hooking the Aerobika up to the sprint pari, but prefer holding it in my other hand while nebbing. I take a breath in on the 7%, hold for several secs then blow out into the Aero. I turn on the Smart Vest when I'm about half way through the saline. I am inhaling only through the neb and exhaling only through Aero. I open up devices to dry. 5-6 hrs later I do 2nd round. I soak both devices in evening in hot soapy water, rinse and let dry. They get sterilized after this (usually next day) in Mandella micro bag, then air dry. I am MAC pos. for several years now and was on 3% saline for years. Pulmo increased saline to 7% and started vest about a yr. ago; CT scan is stable and PFT's improved. Doc says I can hold off on antibiotics for now!

REPLY
@sylvermoon8

Do you breathe in through it? I was told I didn’t have to do that. So I just wash it in mild soap water soak 25 minutes and rinse every evening and boil it on Sundays.

Jump to this post

I was told something slightly different.
Place the Aerobika comfortably in your mouth and have a good seal.

Breathe in - through your mouth - for a count of 3 or four. Hold that breath for a count of four, before you exhale through the Aerobika. You continue to repeat this technique.

It is important to hold your breath because this allows the air to get behind the mucus, so to speak, which makes it easier to huff cough and expel the phelgm.

Hope this helps. There are videos online demonstrating the use of the Aerobika that might be helpful to take a look at and then confirm with your pulmonologist.

Mine mentioned that sometimes patients don’t use it correctly and that I should review the video,

REPLY
@jnmy

I was told something slightly different.
Place the Aerobika comfortably in your mouth and have a good seal.

Breathe in - through your mouth - for a count of 3 or four. Hold that breath for a count of four, before you exhale through the Aerobika. You continue to repeat this technique.

It is important to hold your breath because this allows the air to get behind the mucus, so to speak, which makes it easier to huff cough and expel the phelgm.

Hope this helps. There are videos online demonstrating the use of the Aerobika that might be helpful to take a look at and then confirm with your pulmonologist.

Mine mentioned that sometimes patients don’t use it correctly and that I should review the video,

Jump to this post

I was just interested in what other people do. I was instructed on how to use it at Johns Hopkins Center for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria and Bronchiectasis. I wondered if there was any advantage to breathing in through the device. One thing I would imagine is you must be sure it is very clean if you do that. I do hold my breath for a few seconds, I just take air in on my own not through the device. I will review the online video too to be sure I am still doing it properly, since it’s been about 4 years…. Thanks for your advice!

REPLY
@rbl

I was told to breathe in thru my nose, hold for count of 3 and breathe out thru the device.

Jump to this post

In through the nose is not something I had heard before.

REPLY
@scoop

A baby bottle sterilizer has changed my life in terms of sterilizing. It's so easy. It heats for 8+ minutes over 212F and then dries the stuff. After soaking the aerobika and nebulizer in hot soapy tap water and rinsing, I pop it in the sterilizer. For the sterilizer I use distilled water so I do not get mineral buildup. I have two aerobikas and two nebulizers so both are used once and then sterilized at the end of the day.

Jump to this post

May I ask which baby bottle sterilizer you use?

REPLY
@formergardener

May I ask which baby bottle sterilizer you use?

Jump to this post

Bololo Baby Bottle Sterilizer, which I read about in this forum, used and recommended by several group members here.

REPLY
@scoop

Bololo Baby Bottle Sterilizer, which I read about in this forum, used and recommended by several group members here.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much.

REPLY
@scoop

A baby bottle sterilizer has changed my life in terms of sterilizing. It's so easy. It heats for 8+ minutes over 212F and then dries the stuff. After soaking the aerobika and nebulizer in hot soapy tap water and rinsing, I pop it in the sterilizer. For the sterilizer I use distilled water so I do not get mineral buildup. I have two aerobikas and two nebulizers so both are used once and then sterilized at the end of the day.

Jump to this post

What make and model of sterilizer do you use?

REPLY
@cwal

Agree on the baby bottle sterilizer! So much easier. Mine will steam for a good 14 minutes and run a dry cycle.

Jump to this post

Would you mind telling me what make and model sterilizer you use?

REPLY
@minute22

Would you mind telling me what make and model sterilizer you use?

Jump to this post

Bololo. There was an issue with getting replacement HEPA filters for it at one point. However, that seems to be resolved now and I have plenty of filters now. I ordered extra just in case.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.