Taking care of your nebulizer can extend its lifespan. Doing so prevents it from getting bogged down and will preserve its performance. Have you ever ask around how to clean a nebulizer properly?
If so, these easy-to-follow steps will keep your nebulizer in top shape and performing like when you first had it.
Primary Care and Maintenance
To begin, always follow the manufacturer’s care instructions. Never use nebulizer accessories and parts longer than 6 months or more than the recommended length of use.
Regularly conduct parts inspections even if these look fine. Remember that plastic materials deteriorate and may affect the performance and benefits of your treatment.
Replace parts of your handheld nebulizer that appear crack, dirty, or grey.
Then, you need to find a suitable space at home where you can keep your nebulizer. This place should be free of dust and other contaminants that can compromise the compressor nebulizer filter.
It is best to keep your nebulizer in a clean dry box. And this should be stored away from open windows. Best to have in your room since it is frequently vacuumed clean.
And always have a fresh clean towel handy to dry the newly cleaned nebulizer and parts before storing them in a dust-free storage box.
How to Clean a Nebulizer After Every Session
You need to spend extra time to perform maintenance and cleaning after every use. It is important to keep your nebulizer machine clean after use. Keep in mind that not all brands have the same cleaning and maintenance instructions. Always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the effectiveness of your nebulizing treatment as well as the safety of your equipment.
After every treatment, you must follow these easy steps:
Foremost, wash your hands thoroughly with clean water and soap. Or you may use alcohol or hand sanitizer in absence of water to kill bacteria or germs. Also, making sure your hands are clean will prevent the transfer of these harmful microorganisms to the nebulizer.
Now, disassemble the nebulizer. Carefully take the pieces apart: mask, tubing, and other pieces. But to be safe, only remove the pieces that can be detached since you won’t be cleaning all these parts.
Rinse the mouthpiece with warm water for at least 30-60 seconds. Do not wash the mouthpiece or mask with soap. Also do not wash the handheld nebulizer or nebulizer compressor. But you can still keep it clean by wiping the outside with a clean towel.
Once all necessary parts are washed with warm water, shake off any excess water. Then, place all parts on a clean towel and let it air dry.
Once completely dry, reassemble the parts. Let the compressor run for at least a minute to ensure drying.
How to Clean a Nebulizer Weekly
Apart from these after-treatment cleaning methods, the manufacturer may also require owners or users to run a once a week cleaning. Refer to your owner’s manual on how to clean a nebulizer as per the manufacturer.
Since not all nebulizers are designed the same, consult the manufacturer’s instructions. You may be required to soak all necessary parts in a hot water and white vinegar solution or mild soap.
The right disinfecting solution should be in the literature that came with the nebulizer purchase. If you can’t get the specified cleaning solution, you can always make your own. Mix half cup white vinegar and one and a half cups of warm water on a clean container. Soak nebulizer parts for about 20 minutes and rinse under a steady stream of warm water.
Shake off excess water and air dry on a fresh clean towel.
Leave it for at least 20 minutes or until the excess water has evaporated. Make sure nebulizer components are thoroughly air dried before storing them back in a dry storage box.
Other brands may recommend the use of mild soap or dishwashing soap for cleaning. If so, wash every part of the equipment with mild soap for at least 30 seconds. Then, rinse under running clean water to make sure soap is removed. Shake off and air dry.
How to Clean a Nebulizer (Deep Cleaning)
This method is done every 3 days to maintain the nebulizer machine is bacteria or germ-free. Deep cleaning kills bacteria and other microorganisms that are not removed during regular cleaning.
Deep nebulizer cleaning is done once twice a week or every 3 days. Commercial deep cleaning solutions are available in pharmacies.
Remove all the connectors and nebulizer components apart. Put these in a bowl and cover them with the deep cleaning solution. Make sure all parts are totally submerged.
Leave the parts soaked for about 20 minutes to an hour. Then, remove the pieces from the bowl. Rinse one by one under running warm water for half a minute each.
Shake off, air dry, and connect the pieces. Turn on the machine for 30 seconds just to check if it is working properly and to ensure drying.
Store the nebulizer in a clean plastic bag or container. You may want to cover it with clean a towel for extra protection.
Lastly, keep the bag or nebulizer container in a dust-proof area.
Conclusion
Cleaning a nebulizer may seem complicated but it is not actually. The process is straight forward. Cleaning it the first time may be a bit confusing but your owner’s manual will save the day.
When you purchase a nebulizer, it is always a good idea to refer to your manufacturer’s care instructions since maintenance and cleaning information vary according to the manufacturer.
Your purchase may come with a warranty but it is your responsibility to take care of your handheld nebulizer to keep it performing.
Learning how to clean a nebulizer will not only extend the years of use, and keep it in order but also ensures that you are getting the benefits of your nebulizing treatment.