1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis

Is it okay to microwave nebulizer or in baby bottle sterilizer?

Posted by terryb1 @128128terry11t, May 17, 2017

Was calling some number today to order a few more nebulizers so that if I go away, I won't have to keep cleaning/sterilizing (great suggestion obtained from the forum). I happened to ask the question: "Is it all right to microwave nebulizer in steam bags or in baby bottle sterilizer equipment?" The gal replied an emphatic "no". I was not clever enough to ask why ... suppose plastic might melt or give off something toxic?? Person went on to say that they only recommend boiling (for 5 minutes) or soaking in 1part white vinegar to 3 parts water for at least 30 minutes. I wish that I could find the number that I called but anyone may verify by going on internet and calling a number or live chatting with someone from a reputable nebulizer company. Please advise if you get a different response. Hope that this is helpful.
Terry

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formergardener | @formergardener | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @sueinmn "For all concerned about keeping your equipment clean, remember NTM live encapsulated in a biofilm. If..." + (show)
@sueinmn

For all concerned about keeping your equipment clean, remember NTM live encapsulated in a biofilm. If you regularly clean your equipment, using soap, hot water and a bottle brush to scrub all accessible surfaces, then rinsing and air drying, you are denying those nasty little bugs a place to thrive. So daily sterilization or alcohol soaks are not strictly necessary. But I won't deny I am also a weekly boiler of my equipment.

But, here's something else to think about. How do you clean inhalers holders (not the canister of medication), spacers, water bottles and straws? Your bathroom glass? These should get the same scrub and soak treatment on a very regular basis. Anything that can tolerate it goes through the sanitizer cycle (148F) in my dishwasher.

We used to hike in Arizona, where desert fever was a big concern, and our friends taught us all water bladders, bottles and straws had to be thoroughly cleaned and dried after every use - we have continued to use the same process everywhere, all the time, and our kids and grandkids do too.

How does everyone else clean these items?
Sue

Jump to this post

Sue, I started out after I began treatment by soaking the equipment in soap and hot water, rinsing with tap water, and air drying while boiling once weekly. Then I learned about how stubborn this bug is.

I am pretty certain that our water has MAC. We don’t get the pink slime in bathroom areas that competes with it. It is also everywhere here. I realized that the tap water I was rinsing with surely decontaminated it with each wash.

I started to rinse it with distilled water, but it takes a lot of it to thoroughly rinse all the pieces, and it gets expensive when I do it twice a day.

So, after cleaning, I started putting it in a baby bottle sterilizer, but I never felt it got as hot as boiling would, even though steam was raging when I took the lid off.

After boiling the equipment in our hard, hard water, I would see the water gunk up the equipment. Finally, I just started rinsing the equipment really well under tap water immediately after using and then immediately rinsing it with distilled water, then boiling for 6 minutes with every use- twice daily.

I read about all the people soaking and rinsing their equipment in hot, soapy water. Do they rinse their equipment with the tap water that contains MAC? If it was soaked and washed to get the bacteria off, but their water contains MAC, and they then rinse it with water that contains MAC, is that cleaning it?

It just got easier for me to rinse with tap and distilled water and then boil in purified water that we have delivered. I just use a dedicated pot. I would really appreciate your insight. I remember you saying that your water does not have MAC, but if it did, what would you do? Thank you so much.

REPLY
2 replies
irenea8 | @irenea8 | Sep 7, 2023

The best thing is to follow the precise manufacturers guidelines for cleaning and sterilize of nebulizer cups, aerobika etc. If they say to boil at certain intervals then you should. NJH also has guidelines on their website for certain brands of nebulizer cups.

REPLY
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @formergardener "Sue, I started out after I began treatment by soaking the equipment in soap and hot..." + (show)
@formergardener

Sue, I started out after I began treatment by soaking the equipment in soap and hot water, rinsing with tap water, and air drying while boiling once weekly. Then I learned about how stubborn this bug is.

I am pretty certain that our water has MAC. We don’t get the pink slime in bathroom areas that competes with it. It is also everywhere here. I realized that the tap water I was rinsing with surely decontaminated it with each wash.

I started to rinse it with distilled water, but it takes a lot of it to thoroughly rinse all the pieces, and it gets expensive when I do it twice a day.

So, after cleaning, I started putting it in a baby bottle sterilizer, but I never felt it got as hot as boiling would, even though steam was raging when I took the lid off.

After boiling the equipment in our hard, hard water, I would see the water gunk up the equipment. Finally, I just started rinsing the equipment really well under tap water immediately after using and then immediately rinsing it with distilled water, then boiling for 6 minutes with every use- twice daily.

I read about all the people soaking and rinsing their equipment in hot, soapy water. Do they rinse their equipment with the tap water that contains MAC? If it was soaked and washed to get the bacteria off, but their water contains MAC, and they then rinse it with water that contains MAC, is that cleaning it?

It just got easier for me to rinse with tap and distilled water and then boil in purified water that we have delivered. I just use a dedicated pot. I would really appreciate your insight. I remember you saying that your water does not have MAC, but if it did, what would you do? Thank you so much.

Jump to this post

Can you turn the temp on your water heater to 135F or higher? That kills MAC. I do all my washing and soaking in HOT tap water. I also scrub with a bottle brush (that gets the same soak treatment) which dislodges any biofilm trying to form - that is where MAC grows, not on dry clean surfaces. If I am away from home I boil the water first or use spring water.
@irene8 is correct - the manufacturer and NJH guidelines are safe.

I notice you also asked about toothbrushes - the abrasive action of the toothpaste again keeps biofilm from forming. I rinse mine in HOT water after every use and replace it every 2 months. I did this way before MAC because I have always struggled with sinus and mouth infections and the dentist suggested it.
Sue

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @becleartoday "If you have a mesh nebulizer, it has metal in it. You cannot microwave it. Also,..." + (show)
@becleartoday

If you have a mesh nebulizer, it has metal in it. You cannot microwave it. Also, some of the PEP devices have metal components so be careful.

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Thanks for the reminder Linda! A lot of people learned the hard way if they didn't read or heed the instructions that came with the device.
The ProNeb is exactly the reason I started my boiling procedure - and realized it works well for everything
Sue

REPLY
formergardener | @formergardener | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @sueinmn "Can you turn the temp on your water heater to 135F or higher? That kills MAC...." + (show)
@sueinmn

Can you turn the temp on your water heater to 135F or higher? That kills MAC. I do all my washing and soaking in HOT tap water. I also scrub with a bottle brush (that gets the same soak treatment) which dislodges any biofilm trying to form - that is where MAC grows, not on dry clean surfaces. If I am away from home I boil the water first or use spring water.
@irene8 is correct - the manufacturer and NJH guidelines are safe.

I notice you also asked about toothbrushes - the abrasive action of the toothpaste again keeps biofilm from forming. I rinse mine in HOT water after every use and replace it every 2 months. I did this way before MAC because I have always struggled with sinus and mouth infections and the dentist suggested it.
Sue

Jump to this post

Thank you, Sue. Yes, my doctor said to set the hot water heater to at least 130. We did that. She also said to turn on all the hot water faucets at once every month one time, and to let them run for 15 minutes. I did that until we were put under water restrictions for severe drought. We get fined for using too much.

As for tooth brushing hygiene, I worry about the biofilms that form in the pipes. Since our water is so hard, it leaves deposits in the pipes. I wonder if the biofilms adhere more to that. We cannot use water softening because of my husband’s kidney disease.

Thank you for all of the useful tips.

REPLY
dwood003 | @dwood003 | Sep 8, 2023

The cleaning and sanitizing instruction that comes with my reusable Pari nebulizers I scanned and as a photo, hope it is visible. Simply put immediately when I finish I vigorously wash the disassembled parts in Dawn liquid dish soap, shake them, and let the parts air dry then assemble and store. One unit in the AM and another in the PM. Every other day I let them soak in 1 part distilled vinegar and 3 parts water for 30 minutes, shake, air dry, and store them for the next day.
They do give instructions for the dishwasher, but I never do.
REPLY
fdixon63 | @fdixon63 | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @sueinmn "Can you turn the temp on your water heater to 135F or higher? That kills MAC...." + (show)
@sueinmn

Can you turn the temp on your water heater to 135F or higher? That kills MAC. I do all my washing and soaking in HOT tap water. I also scrub with a bottle brush (that gets the same soak treatment) which dislodges any biofilm trying to form - that is where MAC grows, not on dry clean surfaces. If I am away from home I boil the water first or use spring water.
@irene8 is correct - the manufacturer and NJH guidelines are safe.

I notice you also asked about toothbrushes - the abrasive action of the toothpaste again keeps biofilm from forming. I rinse mine in HOT water after every use and replace it every 2 months. I did this way before MAC because I have always struggled with sinus and mouth infections and the dentist suggested it.
Sue

Jump to this post

It pays to read each subject posting because it can easily move into another subject. As far as the toothbrushes, here is what I do. I run hot water over it, flick the excess water off and then dip in hydrogen peroxide. After brushing I rinse the toothbrush under hot water, then hydrogen peroxide before returning to the holder.
Another thing I do, when I first get up I rinse with Peroxal (check out the foam it creates first thing in your mouth) then rinse out with bottle water. Feel like I'm killing all kinds of germs.

REPLY
jglennel | @jglennel | Sep 9, 2023
In reply to @formergardener "Sue, I started out after I began treatment by soaking the equipment in soap and hot..." + (show)
@formergardener

Sue, I started out after I began treatment by soaking the equipment in soap and hot water, rinsing with tap water, and air drying while boiling once weekly. Then I learned about how stubborn this bug is.

I am pretty certain that our water has MAC. We don’t get the pink slime in bathroom areas that competes with it. It is also everywhere here. I realized that the tap water I was rinsing with surely decontaminated it with each wash.

I started to rinse it with distilled water, but it takes a lot of it to thoroughly rinse all the pieces, and it gets expensive when I do it twice a day.

So, after cleaning, I started putting it in a baby bottle sterilizer, but I never felt it got as hot as boiling would, even though steam was raging when I took the lid off.

After boiling the equipment in our hard, hard water, I would see the water gunk up the equipment. Finally, I just started rinsing the equipment really well under tap water immediately after using and then immediately rinsing it with distilled water, then boiling for 6 minutes with every use- twice daily.

I read about all the people soaking and rinsing their equipment in hot, soapy water. Do they rinse their equipment with the tap water that contains MAC? If it was soaked and washed to get the bacteria off, but their water contains MAC, and they then rinse it with water that contains MAC, is that cleaning it?

It just got easier for me to rinse with tap and distilled water and then boil in purified water that we have delivered. I just use a dedicated pot. I would really appreciate your insight. I remember you saying that your water does not have MAC, but if it did, what would you do? Thank you so much.

Jump to this post

Describe a dedicate pot. Stil working on the sanitation part of ACTs

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Sep 9, 2023
In reply to @jglennel "Describe a dedicate pot. Stil working on the sanitation part of ACTs" + (show)
@jglennel

Describe a dedicate pot. Stil working on the sanitation part of ACTs

Jump to this post

I think she is saying a pot used just for boiling the water, which is not necessary. There would be no bacteria transfer between the devices and the pot because the boiling water takes care of it.
Sue

REPLY
Arlo | @equanimous | Sep 9, 2023

I sterilize my neb parts and Aerobika in steam bags with no problem. Add a couple ounces of distilled water to be and pop them in for 3 minutes. Been doing this for months without any trouble. Very convenient for those of us who do not have counter space to accommodate a big sterilizer. I also soak parts in 1 cup vinegar solution 1 cup water every so often to demineralize things.

REPLY
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