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If you are using a CPAP device to control your sleep apnea symptoms, you might be thinking pretty seriously about opting for a cleaning machine to keep your CPAP breathing device free of germs. Some of you might be wondering whether it’s worth buying yourself the cleaning machine. In researching this product, I found a lack of in-depth SoClean CPAP reviews that actually gave me the information I liked, so I decided to take up the cause. Buckle Up! here we go.
Does The So Clean Actually Work? Lab Results Are In.
The SoClean was tested by 3 different scientific testing laboratories with various types of bacteria, and fungi. In order to test the Socleaner, The labs would prepare a growth culture of various microorganisms that are normally found in CPAP machines. Some of them were pathogenic and others were not necessarily harmful, but caused odors. Then, they placed the bacterial and fungal cultures on CPAP equiment ( the machine, the hose, the mask ) that didn’t have any bacteria on them. After the equipment was allowed to dry and the microorganisms time to grow, they tried to get the Soclean CPAP cleaner to sanitize the equipment. -Results Follow.
How Does the SoClean Work? – High School Chemistry & Biology Review
It uses Ozone, which is a great naturally occurring element that is super powerful for killing and sanitizing. Ozone has the chemical symbol of O3 and is sometimes called “activated oxygen” because it has 3 atoms of oxygen rather than the 2 normally found on Earth. In nature, ozone is formed by lightning strikes . This third atom of oxygen is what does most of the “cleaning” work here. Oxygen doesn’t “like” to be in a group of three, so ozone is always “looking” to get rid of its third wheel. This is the oxidation process and is very useful in killing microorganisms.
How Ozone Kills Microorganisms In Your CPAP Equipment
- Ozone molecule contacts the cell wall – cell wall is what keeps the bacteria inside (kind of like your skin)
- Ozone reacts with cell wall – tries to get rid of that extra Oxygen atom
- The oxygen atom breaks free from the ozone and interferes with the molecules of the cell wall
- This causes a “Oxidative Burst” -Yeah.. puts a hole in the cell wall
- More ozone = more holes in the cell wall – thousands in just a few seconds
- Bacterial wall can’t hold its shape – everything important inside starts to ooze out and the cell DIES (YEAH!)
Lab Results:
Yes, the SoClean 2 machine cleans 99.9% of germs. All the laboratories found this same 99.9% cleaning of all the microorganisms.
Is it EASY to Use?
The designers of the SoClean 2 built it for use with CPAP masks and machines. It is built to sit on your bedside table next to your CPAP machine. Admittedly, when I tried one out for myself, it was very simple to use, and convenient. It reduced how often I had to pull apart my CPAP mask and equipment for cleaning (although I still continued to do so). It added no significant steps to my morning or evening routine. Once I had it setup beside my bed, I simply took my mask off in the morning, placed it in the chamber (with the hose running through the designated groove), and shut the lid. The machine turns on automatically and turns itself off when it is done.
There has been a debate about the usefulness of CPAP cleaning machines in different SoClean CPAP Reviews and how effective they are at removing the harmful germs from your device. Most patients with sleep apnea are left in dilemma about whether using a cleaning machine would be a good option. In this article, we will discuss all these points and review SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine based on its features. We will also have a look at the different pros and cons of this machine to help you take an informed decision.
If You Don’t Clean Your Car Every Week, the SoClean is Probably Worth a Try.
For the most part, these sanitizers are better for the rest of us, who are a little bit lazy about keeping our equipment clean. Do you sometimes have to wear a pair of socks twice because you just didn’t have time to get the wash done? If so, the SoClean we are reviewing may be the right answer for you. However, This sanitizer may be even more worthwhile in considering, especially if you are immunocompromised, or really do appreciate the comforting feeling that everything is hospital grade clean. In addition, these devices may be suitable for sleep labs, or for sanitizing trial masks between patients.
What is SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine?
The SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner Machine, as the name suggests, is a device you can use to sanitize your CPAP machine. Patients who suffer from a sleeping dysfunction such as sleep apnea know how important it is to effectively clean their CPAP equipment.
A CPAP device is recommended for patients who experience frequent disruptions in their sleep due to breathing difficulties. CPAP machines can help them breathe well and thus, enable them to sleep well.
However, there’s a catch here!
Using CPAP means you are breathing through a machine, which, if not cleaned and sanitized regularly, can harbor bacteria, fungi and viruses. So, you may end up breathing in infected air that could increase your risk of infections in the lungs and air passages.
That is why many physicians recommend using a SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine. Let’s take a deeper look at the features of this product.
Product Features: SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine
Advantages of a CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine
Higher Efficiency
The SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaning Machine claims to kill up to 99.9% of the harmful germs that could be thriving in your CPAP equipment. It would thoroughly clean and sanitize the hose, mask, and even the water reservoir of your equipment, if it has one.
This is the best feature of SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner considering the fact that microbes tend to thrive in the moist environments. Your CPAP device offers a perfect favorable environment for these pathogens to survive and multiply. These facts make using SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner a wise choice for keeping your breathing device free of germs.
Ease and Convenience
Washing your CPAP equipment manually with a gentle disinfectant and cleaner can be a time-consuming task. It requires you to do it all by yourself. On the other hand, SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaning Machine works on its own and saves your time and efforts.
You just need to put your device into the cleaner machine and switch it on. It does all the work for you while you can use this time to complete your other important tasks. Hence, the machine is suitable for the people interested in keeping their equipment clean, but don’t have the time to work on it every day.
Compatibility
Some users have expressed concerns about whether their masks would fit in SoClean 2 CPAP cleaning machine. This should not be an issue as the chamber of this machine has wide dimensions. So, even a full face-mask can fit inside it without any trouble.
Special Considerations
SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaning Machine is even more important for the patients who are prone to respiratory infections due to a low immunity.
Would I Buy One for Myself to Clean my CPAP?
To be blunt; yes, I really like it. I know that for some, they may not find that that bit of extra convenience is worth the investment. For me, however I really like it. I’m sure I could just keep cleaning my CPAP mask and equipment in dishwashing liquid and water. But time is money. If you really think about it, it takes a good 10-15 minutes each time you have to break down the CPAP to clean it. But if you are like me, you have lots to do, and taking apart everything to take care of your cleaning can be a royal pain. If you are really bad at keeping your mask and CPAP equipment clean, or if you just don’t have the time to waste doing a operating room type cleaning, then this really is a good product.
Review of the Pros on the SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner
Things I Was Less Excited By:
One factor that most users do not like about this cleaning machine is you have to fill up its water reservoir frequently. So, if you were to put any part of your CPAP device in the cleaning machine without sufficient water in it, it wouldn’t work at its best. However, the machine has an indicator light that flashes on when the water level is less. So, the all it takes you is to be a little vigilant when you start the machine and fill in water in case the indicator is on.
To be honest, some CPAP users may not see a point in using SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizing Machine. These patients would prefer to sanitize their CPAP device with regular soap and water in their sink. I’m not one of those people.
However, the manual cleaning method may not guarantee complete removal of the germs. Remember, you are breathing through your CPAP device. So, any germ build-up in the machine will directly enter into your lungs and cause infection. You can reduce your risks of sickness if you replace your manual cleaning with the machine cleaning your device.
The higher effectiveness of this machine to the level of 99.99% for removing the pathogens is an advantage that you can’t overlook. Doesn’t this make sense?
You always have the option to follow the manual cleaning method if you think you have enough time and patience to clean your CPAP device thoroughly on a regular basis. If your hectic lifestyle is keeping you busy, you can opt for SoClean 2 CPAP Cleaner Machine to save your time and efforts and be sure you are breathing in clean and safe air.
Who should buy the So Cleaner?
- You absolutely loathe cleaning your CPAP mask and machine, buy one.
- If you are immunocompromised or are someone who seems particularly susceptible to getting sick.
- You identify as a forgetful and realize it has been over a week since you last cleaned your device.
- Your CPAP is super stinky too often and you don’t wear it.
- If you think your dishwasher is better than hand washing your dishes.
Otherwise, clean your mask and machine as normal.
Here is a useful guide to cleaning your CPAP mask.
Accessories and Extras
There are quite a few different accessoris for the SoClean 2. Here are a few of the most popular items available for this sanitizer
what evidence do you have, other than marketing materials, that it kills 99.9% of germs?
Although stating a 99.9% kill rate of microbes may seem a bit pretentious; ozone is regularly used to disinfect operating theaters, water, and air.
One study that looks to the antibacterial properties can be found here at the Journal of Dentistry.
In addition, the SoClean lab report can be found here
What is your basisi for saying that the SoClean2 cleans 99.9% of germs and is the term cleans the same as sanitizes.
Ozone, which is purportedly what the SoClean uses to sanitize is not a very stable form of oxygen and I am not sure that enough of it remains to clean everything. Plus I am not sure that the concentration of ozone is when created and when at the point of sanitizing action. I just do not trust their claims.
The terminology can be tricky, I know I often get caught. If I used the words clean and sanitize interchangeably, it was a mistake. Clean basically mean to remove visible soiling or foreign material. The word sanitization is a little bit ambiguous, but I find it is often synonymous with disinfection. And then there is next-level; sterilization.
As to the concentration of Aerosol Ozone that is created in this device, I cannot speak (I intend to find out though, watch this space). Yes, Ozone is particularly unstable, with a half-life of about 22 minutes (i.e. half will revert back to water and oxygen after 22 minutes). However, this is also a blessing, as it reverts back to harmless oxygen and water molecules after it is done poking holes in the cell walls and membranes of microbes (kind of like poking holes in a water balloon is how I envision it).
Honestly, I wouldn’t trust the device to clean everything. I’d still be wiping it over with a unscented wipe.
Ozone has been cleared by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention as a suitable means to process (i.e. sterilize) reusable medical equipment. Sterilization is as good as it gets, and is basically a 100% kill rate. Admittedly, to achieve a SAL of 10^-6 (so effectively killings 99.9999% of the surface microbes) equipment needs to be exposed for more than 4 hours.
I’m not saying it will sterilize the mask, I’m only speaking of Ozone’s capacity to disinfect and sterilize equipment.
Interesting question though, I’ll endeavor to find out the ppm concentration of ozone that the SoClean produces; as you can see from this article the relative concentrations greatly influence the exposure time required to disinfect surfaces.
There is a lab report that can be found here. Although it doesn’t answer the 99.9% question, it does speak to how well the SoClean disinfects the CPAP mask surface.
I hope something in there helps.
BJ