Maintaining and Cleaning Humidifier Reservoirs

Maintaining and Cleaning Humidifier Reservoirs

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Many health professionals and the American Association for Respiratory Care, believe that most of the time, humidifiers on oxygen concentrators are unnecessary, and conclude that only those using a flow of 4 LPM or higher need it. You might feel otherwise if you think your airways are getting dryer during the winter or the dryer months of the year. Some people also say that the humidifiers for oxygen concentrators don’t produce enough moisture for it to count. If you are on the go with your portable oxygen machine and you feel dry, then there is a need for it.

Thankfully, maintaining and cleaning the humidifier for your portable oxygen unit isn’t difficult, and you don’t need to do it every single day. Of course, you should always follow the manual instructions that came with your oxygen concentrator or the humidifier, but these are some general guidelines.

When refilling your humidifier to use your concentrator after downtime, don’t be tempted into only top off the old water with new water. The standing water in the humidifier may have already gotten the chance to become a home for bacteria. Empty the reservoir of the old water, rinse it out, and refill with new water. Always use distilled water, since you can count on it not having any metals or other traces that could harm you or cause damage to the humidifier.

Clean the humidifier bottle every 3 days with a mild detergent. Start out washing with warm water and the soap, and then be sure to rinse all trace of detergent away with hot water. It’s a good idea to give it a soak in a vinegar and water solution for a minute or two, to make sure there are no remaining bacteria. Vinegar is an effective bactericide and fungicide, without being a harsh chemical that can cause damage over time. Dry the bottle as much as you can with a paper towel and let it air dry on a clean surface.

Scrub any tubes attached to the humidifier with the mild detergent, and use the same hot water rinse and vinegar method that you used for the bottle. Scrub it with a plastic brush that is only used for cleaning your humidifier. Keep this scrub brush clean by cleaning it with bleach and allowing it to dry completely.

Information on this page is for reference and educational purposes only.

Page last updated: October 26, 2018

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Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.

Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

About Scott Ridl:

Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more. Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.

22 thoughts on “Maintaining and Cleaning Humidifier Reservoirs

    • For unit specific information regarding maintaining your unit or accessories, it is always best to refer to the owners manual. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at 877-303-9289.

    • How is the Humidifyer Water Bottle hooked up to the concentrator? May I clean tubing with hot soapy water. Must distilled water be used with Humidifyer Bottle? Is bottled water the same thing?

      • Thank you for your comment, Susan. If you review the above blog post you can find we specify to “Always use distilled water, since you can count on it not having any metals or other traces that could harm you or cause damage to the humidifier.” You can also find details regarding cleaning in the post above. If you are interested in hooking up a humidifier bottle to your concentrator you will want to review to the owners manual with your machine. If you do not have the owners manual, you can download your specific manual here: Oxygen Concentrator Manuals

    • The answer to the first question is still completely unclear: what do you scrub with a brush, and what does the brush look like? When the author says “Scrub it with a plastic brush,” does he mean to scrub the tubing? What kind of brush could get inside it?

      • The article is referring to scrubbing the tubing. The brush would be one that you can get from the store that would be for straws.

          • Hello Noeleen, I understand how that sentence could be confusing. The small tube that connects the concentrator nozzle and humidifier bottle is supposed to be cleaned with a brush from outside with mild detergent. Remember to change your humidifier bottle every three months or as suggested by the manufacturer.
            To clean nasal cannulas, most places recommend washing them once a week or as needed in 10 parts water and one part vinegar. Again, use a small amount of a mild detergent, like Dawn. Rinse the nasal cannulas thoroughly and hang them to dry. Allow them to dry completely before use. If you have been sick, it’s best to replace the nasal cannulas and tubing with new ones. In addition, if you’re ever unsure about what to do on how to keep your oxygen equipment clean, call the manufacturer or your doctor for assistance.

  1. Once you start using the humidifier bottle, is it normal for the tubing to have water very visible? When I remive it from my nose, the water just pours out.

    • Thank you for your comment, Sherrie. If you are seeing visible water in your tubing it is likely you have over-filled the humidifier bottle. If you are still experiencing issues, contact our Service Department at 877-303-9289.

    • Dear Loubna,

      Thank you for reaching out – you can use bottled water in place of distilled for your vacation.

      Sincerely,

      The AMSR Team

    • Manufacturers suggest the humidifier bottle should be changed every three months or sooner if the mineral deposit cannot be removed. Remember to replace the water in the bottle every day.

  2. HI
    I want to ask how can i handle with humidifier in my health care facility , is it heat resistant ? it is compatible with washer disinfect ,low temperature sterilization and steam sterilization ?

    • The manufacturer suggests replacing the humidifier bottle every 14 days for hospital use. Also, it should not be sterilized or used on more than one patient.
      You can use warm soapy water to clean the bottle every three days.

  3. My grandma has an oxygen concentrator. The water in the humidifier bottle had a yellow tint. So, I took it off and it had a smell of bleach. I assume it is not good practice to have bleach in that water? Can you confirm?

    • Looks like the humidifier bottle has been used for a long time. The manufacturer suggests replacing the humidifier bottle every three months.
      Also, sterile, distilled or boiled tap water should be used. If using boiled tap water, cool water to room temperature before adding to the Bubble Humidifier.

    • When the water in the humidifier bottle is less than the minimum level oxygen won’t pick up moisture. It should not hurt the machine. Just make sure that the humidifier bottle is clean and there are no leaks.

  4. If you’re O2 tubing is getting water condensation from your humidifier, then you should switch humidifier brands. My wife has acute COPD and uses a humidifier bubbler bottle with her concentrator. Almost as soon as I installed the standard brand bubbler bottle (e.g., Salter, Drive, Invacare), we started having lots of condensation in the tubing going all the way to my wife’s cannula. I tried the water traps, which did collect / trap some water, but still allowed condensate to reach the cannula. Then I discovered the B&F Medical brand bubbler and the water in the tubing problem disappeared! The B&F Medical uses a fine micro-filter attached to the end of the tubing inside the bubbler bottle creating very bubbles that vaporize in the O2 stream and do not condense in the tubing! Here’s a link to the web site for the bubbler.

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