CPAP machines work wonders for people with obstructive sleep apnea. It can help you get some much-needed rest while it maintains your airway.
The trade-off is that you need to clean the machine daily. You are breathing through this machine and apparatus so you don’t want any germs or mold lingering.
Cleaning can be a bit of a hassle without a machine. You need to wash, rinse, and dry the tube, headgear, cushion, and reservoir. If you don’t dry out the tube and cushions then you will end up with fungal growth.
To make it all a bit easier, CPAP cleaners have sprung up on the market. They use a variety of different cleaning and sanitizing methods to get rid of the bacteria.
We’re going to take a look at one CPAP cleaner on the market today. The Respify cpap cleaner is made by Respify and uses O-zone to get rid of the bacteria. Read on to learn what we uncovered when discovering Respify reviews from past customers.
Our Respify CPAP Cleaner Reviews
Product Description
‘Small in size, big in performance, Respify harnesses the power of Activated Oxygen (O3/Ozone) to neutralize bacteria and odor in sleep equipment, without the work and mess.’ – Respify
The key thing about this product is that it uses activated oxygen to disinfect the equipment rather than UV light.
Activated oxygen has been used for a great number of years in a variety of industries including pool cleaning, food processing, brewing, and laundry services. It is one of the fastest-acting disinfectants available.
Also known as ozone, activated oxygen works because it has an extra oxygen atom. Hence why it is sometimes also referred to as O3. This extra atom is a bit lonely and will hook up with the nearest atom around.
By coupling up with other atoms, it destroys bacteria and viruses. It pulls the germs apart cell by cell.
Ozone has a very short half-life, around 20 minutes or so which means that it degrades after this time. When it does degrade, it only leaves behind oxygen meaning there are no harmful chemicals or residues after using this cleaner.
What makes the Respify CPAP cleaner reviews different from competitors is its simple design and portable nature. Instead of being a hard machine with a plastic case, the Respify cleaner is a cloth bag.
You put all your kit into the bag, then place the small square cleaning unit into the bag and let it do its magic. By the time night, comes around, your equipment should be clean and ready to use.
Availability & Pricing
The Respify CPAP BIPAP cleaner & sanitizer is only available from the Respify website and other CPAP retailers. You won’t find it on Amazon or other large retailers.
You may be able to buy your cleaner from the same supplier as your CPAP machine. Not all CPAP retailers supply cleaners.
One thing you should know is that CPAP cleaners (such as the Sleep8 sanitizer) are not covered by Medicare. Insurers are also unlikely to cover the cost of a CPAP cleaner because they are not considered necessary to the operation of the machine.
Buying privately, you can expect to pay over a hundred dollars for the complete cleaner set. This will include the bag, the cleaner, and the charging kit, and cables.
Performance
The best thing about this cleaner is the incredibly portable size. The bag measures 14” x 18” so it can fit all of your CPAP kit easily. It also folds down to wallet size which is super handy for traveling.
The cleaning machine is only 3” x 3” and can slip inside a pocket or a handbag. Again, this is ideal for traveling. Lugging a CPAP around no mean feat, but this cleaner makes the job a bit easier.
The CPAP cleaner is operated with a single button and completes the cleaning in 90 minutes. It’s certainly not the fastest cleaner on the market but if you do turn it on as soon as you get up it will be ready for the night.
Another great thing about this cleaner is that you don’t need to continuously buy filters or adaptors. There is no filter on this machine. The only thing you’d ever need to replace is the bag if it became damaged.
The ozone can be dangerous if it leaks out which is why the bag is sealed. If you do want to get a bigger bag or replace the bag, you will need to make sure you buy a sealable bag.
One of the frustrating things about this cleaner is that it doesn’t take care of oils or residues. You should still wipe the cushions, headgear, and frame daily. You can use CPAP wipes to clean away any gunk though most it is still worthwhile while using water and soap every so often.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a CPAP cleaner out there that can remove the residue without water. What this, and other ozone cleaners do is sanitize. They remove bacteria and other germs rather than physical dirt.
Recent Respify Reviews
There are a limited amount of Respify reviews available for this cleaner but those that are available are really quite positive.
Most customers are very happy with how much easier this makes their daily cleaning routine. They find the operation to be incredibly simple and highly effective.
A number of these happy users also mention traditionally cleaning the equipment at least once a week. As annoying as this may be, the Respify cleaner does reduce the frequency with which extended cleaning needs to happen.
The less enthusiastic reviews and Respify complaints mostly mention the smell. Ozone can create an unpleasant odor after use. This is why it is best to clean your equipment early in the day. The smell should have dissipated by the evening.
If the smell does persist, when Respify troubleshooting some users recommend taking your kit out of the bag a few hours before bed.
Overall, customers are very much happy with this product.
Final Thoughts
The Respify, CPAP cleaner is a nifty bit of kit that can make CPAP maintenance easier. It is not a complete solution but it does the best possible job.
Pros
- Portable and lightweight.
- No ongoing maintenance.
- No special adaptors are needed.
- Can get 4 uses on a full battery.
- Simple operation.
Cons
- Does not remove physical dirt or grime.
- Can create a bit of an odor.
