Soclean cpap cleaner and sanitizer reviews

Designed with you in mind, the SoClean 2 destroys 99% of mold, bacteria, and viruses without you having to disassemble your sleep equipment. Simply place your mask, tubing, and other sanitizable sleep equipment inside, and close the lid.

Benefits of the SoClean 2 CPAP Sanitizer & Cleaner

• Automatically begins after equipment is placed inside and lid is closed
• Just a 2 minute cycle followed by a 2 hour rest period
• No taking equipment apart on a daily basis
• Kills 99% of all bacteria, mold, and viruses
• No assembly, chemicals or water needed
• 2 year warranty

Features Putting the SoClean 2 Above the Rest

• Left or right hose insertion option
• Easy filter cartridge system
• 3 Top SoClean Adapters
• Small and sleek design
• Cycle indicator lights
• Front Display

Most manufacturers recommend cleaning your CPAP accessories daily to avoid the growth of mold and bacteria that can cause serious infections. The SoClean 2 makes daily CPAP maintenance easy. This waterless CPAP cleaner and sanitizer machine can accommodate most types of CPAP units from manufacturers like Philips Respironics, Fisher & Paykel, Carefusion, and more!

Take a look at the SoClean compatibility list to find your specific CPAP unit. Some machines require an adaptor to connect to the SoClean. If you are unsure about which one is required, please call customer service.

Contraindications for Use: Persons with underlying lung diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also known as COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis) and those with cardiovascular disease may be sensitive to ozone and should consult with their physician before using this product.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is a treatment for sleep apnea that uses a constant flow of air to keep the airway open while a person sleeps. To keep machines clean, doctors recommend that users clean their devices regularly with soap and water.

In addition, some advertisers claim that CPAP cleaners or sanitizers like SoClean or Lumin can reduce CPAP users' risk of infections.

But is there any evidence to support those claims? This article explains the purposes, costs, potential benefits, and possible risks of CPAP cleaners.

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FDA Warnings Over CPAP Cleaners

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not authorized the use of ozone gas or UV light for CPAP cleaning. Between 2017 and 2019, the FDA logged 11 complaints of cough, difficulty breathing, and other symptoms from people using ozone gas cleaners. It warns of safety risks from using ozone gas and UV light products, which it considers "illegally marketed" in the United States.

Keeping CPAP Equipment Clean

CPAP manufacturers, suppliers, and sleep physicians all recommend cleaning CPAP equipment regularly. In fact, healthcare providers consider a person's ability to keep CPAP products clean and well maintained before recommending them.

Basic cleaning instructions include:

• Washing the mask, tubing, and water chamber daily (or at least weekly) with liquid dish soap and hot water
• Replacing the device’s filter every 2 to 4 weeks
• Using distilled water in the water chamber

This cleaning standard can be hard to maintain. Therefore, some people never clean their equipment. But dirty equipment can lead to significant problems, including:

• Minerals may accumulate within the water chamber.
• Mucus can collect in the mask.
• Germs may proliferate in the tubing.
• Mold may grow in moist environments.
• The machine may develop an unpleasant smell.
• The equipment may appear unhygienic.

Dirty equipment could lead to direct exposure to bacteria, viruses, and molds. This has led to concerns that this exposure may raise the possibility of infections and even pneumonia.

Infection Risks

CPAP has been around for more than 35 years. Millions of people use the therapy nightly.

In a 2017 study of 137 people, there were no differences found between CPAP users and non-CPAP users regarding upper respiratory infections and pneumonia.

CPAP use, mask choice, or humidifier use had no impact on the prevalence of infections. In addition, it also did not affect the type of micro-organisms that were isolated based on nasal, mask, and humidifier swabs.

In an earlier study from 2012, researchers found CPAP treatment decreased inflammation and mucus production within the nose, potentially reducing congestion and the risk for infection.

There is no conclusive evidence that unsanitized CPAP machines lead to infections. However, regular cleaning is an easy way to reduce the potential risk of infections.

Sanitizing Options

Most professionals recommend cleaning CPAP equipment with liquid dish soap and hot water or diluted vinegar and water. For decades, these cleaning standards have proven adequate in preventing widespread respiratory infections associated with CPAP use.

A number of companies have developed a niche market of CPAP cleaners and sanitizers that use ozone gas or ultraviolet (UV) light. However, there is concern over the use of these devices.

SoClean 2

SoClean 2 is an automatic CPAP cleaner that allows users to clean their CPAP machine daily without taking the machine apart. Instead, it cleans by delivering ozone into a sealed container and the CPAP device's internal chambers from the mask via the tubing.

Benefits

The device reportedly kills 99.9% of bacteria found in CPAP masks, tubing, and water reservoirs based on controlled laboratory testing.

In addition, you don't have to disassemble the mask —it is placed directly in the container with the tubing poking through a side hole.

A smaller travel version, the So Clean 2 Go, operates on eight AA batteries.

Risks

Since ozone exposure is potentially dangerous for those with respiratory conditions, the residual smell of ozone may be unpleasant and risky. Federal law describes it as a "toxic gas with no known useful medical application."

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that relatively low amounts of ozone can cause shortness of breath and worsen chronic respiratory disease. Ironically, exposure to it may compromise the body's ability to fight respiratory infections.

As of February 1, 2020, ResMed has indicated that ozone damage will void the CPAP manufacturer's warranty. Therefore, they recommend that SoClean not be used with ResMed CPAP machines.

Cost: $398

Annual replacement parts: $30 (cartridge filter kit)

Lumin

Lumin uses UVB light to clean and sanitize CPAP machines. To use, place the mask or water chamber in the sliding drawer to clean. Since you don't experience direct exposure to UV light, the risks associated with it (such as skin cancer or eye damage) are irrelevant.

Benefits

This device promises to kill 99% of bacteria with UV light. In addition, it works quickly, delivering a dose of sanitizing light in just five minutes.

You can also use it to clean dentures, hearing aids, and toothbrushes.

Risks

The device may create an unpleasant smell within the equipment, but this may not be harmful. Unfortunately, it only cleans the surfaces directly exposed to the light.

Opaque materials may interfere with the efficacy of the cleaning. Therefore, you can not use it to clean CPAP tubing (you would need to use a separate device to clean the tubing).

It is theoretically possible that the UV light may deteriorate the plastics of the CPAP equipment.

Cost: $249

Annual replacement parts: None

Summary

CPAP sanitizing machines can be used to disinfect CPAP devices. However, there is no evidence that sanitizing devices reduce the risk of infection.

Further, the FDA has not authorized their use in the United States and continues to investigate product manufacturers to verify the devices are safe and effective. Ultimately, regularly cleaning your CPAP with soap and water is considered the best method.

A Word From Verywell

Further research is needed to determine if these devices have any beneficial role in routine CPAP cleaning. However, the risk of infection is so tiny, and the evidence for the benefit is so weak that these devices are not currently recommended. Instead, soap and water do the trick.

Do doctors recommend SoClean?

Therefore, we do not recommend the use of SoClean or any ozone CPAP cleaner. For cleaning your CPAP parts, we recommend use of a UV cleaner or simply hand washing CPAP parts once a week.

Why does ResMed not recommend SoClean?

The ozone gas that SoClean cleaners use may, over time, possibly cause minor disintegration of the silicone seal. While this should not affect the CPAP machine, it may lead to minor leaking of air, which can decrease the effectiveness of your CPAP therapy.

Is SoClean still safe to use?

To summarise, SoClean is a safe and effective way to sanitise your CPAP equipment. The claims made by Philips have never been proven and the machine continues to be used by thousands of CPAP users. The device has not been discontinued and remains one of the best CPAP sanitisers on the market.

Why was SoClean 2 recalled?

The reason for the product recall, according to SoClean's complaint, was that Philips chose a material for sound abatement—polyester-based polyurethane foam—which is “known to degrade in the presence of heat and humidity” and “off-gases harmful chemicals right out of the box.” Many of the recalled products operate ...