Just rinsing and boiling. Why soak in soapy water?

Soaking in soapy water, such as Dawn dishwashing detergent, helps to break NTM biofilm formation. Since I’ve turned my water heater up to over 130° I feel comfortable using hot tap water for the soapy soak followed by a hot tap water rinse. After that, like you, I run through a baby bottle sterilizer using distilled water. I do not boil my distilled water before its use in the sterilizer.

What you decide to do depends on your disease state, comfort level, and risk tolerance. You will read here and other places varying degrees of methods and routines. Until there is a testing kit for home use which can test the adequacy of each method, we rely on experts in the field like Dr. Joe Falkinham and Dr Honda to guide us.

@scoop What I don't understand is how can the biofilm can get so hard if I immediately boil for 10 minutes! I wish Dr Falkinham could comment on this..

@beejenigma apparently biofilms form very quickly on damp moist items. The boiling is very good and you need to make sure that your equipment dries thoroughly including in all the nooks and crannies.

Dr. Falkinham is quite active on ntminfo.org. You might send him a note there.

@scoop
I was told by nurse who came to my home to do Arakayce inhaled, that all neb pieces should never be washed in anything scented (Dawn) nor antibacterial. So, for my regular nebulizers (Aero Eclipse II). I have not been using Dawn, I use Palmolive free & clear. If we are to be using Dawn to break biofilm, is it ONLY Dawn, and if so, is it the blue dawn?
I do use boiled distilled water after that for a rinse, then boiled distilled in my baby bottle sterilizer. Thanks

@tte If you have been counseled to use fragrance free, non-antibacterial detergent and are comfortable with that, then that's your answer. Your method of using boiled distilled water sounds spot on. Dish washing detergents contain surfactants, Dawn and others, which bust biofilms on our plastic gear. It's in these biofilms where NTM and pseudomonas and other pathogens hide and grow. Your BBS will then dry your equipment thoroughly halting further development of biofilms.

There's a particularly good up-to-date video presentation by Dr. Honda on this topic that anyone who is questioning their current methods of cleaning and sterilizing would benefit from watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch

What you decide to do depends on your disease state, comfort level, and risk tolerance. You will read here and other places varying degrees of methods and routines. Until there is a testing kit for home use which can test the adequacy of each method, we rely on experts in the field like Dr. Joe Falkinham and Dr Honda to guide us.

And remember to keep up with airway clearance as it's the mainstay of treatment for bronchiectasis!

@tte I still wonder why I have to soak in soapy water if I IMMEDIATELY immerse in boiling distilled water and boil for the recommended 10 minutes and an additional minute for every 1000 feet of elevation. I will write to nationally famous biofilm expert, Dr Falkinham and then I will post his answer.

@scoop @beejenigma I had an email recently from Falkinham. He said it doesn't have to be Dawn (for those that think it has to be Dawn for the cleaning of our medical devices.) . I indicated I was using The Unscented Company Dish Detergent and he said that was fine. NHJ recommends Seventh Generation Dish detergent.
Barbara

@blm1007blm1007 I am waiting for him to answer me as to whether soaking is necessary if I am going to boil immediately. And if so, for how long.

@scoop Thx. went to NTM and sent a question. I boil immediately for 11 minutes and then put in a UV and drying baby bottle sterilizer for 70 minutes!

I just started using the Bololo. I run the cycle for 60 min and then additional drying for 40 min. In spite of that I find the Aerobika is not 100% dry. When I air dry it is 100% dry. I believe the unit is working fine.