How to clean a CPAP mask, tubing and water chamber

The routine at a glance

Part	Daily	Weekly
Mask cushion / pillows	Wipe with a damp cloth or mask wipe	Wash with mild soap and warm water
Mask frame and headgear	-	Hand wash with mild soap, air dry
Tubing	Hang to dry if wet	Wash inside with warm soapy water, rinse, hang to dry
Humidifier water chamber	Empty, rinse, refill with distilled water	Wash with mild soap; occasional vinegar soak if your manual allows
Reusable filter	-	Check; rinse with water and dry fully

This matches the general guidance from the Sleep Foundation and large CPAP suppliers such as Lincare. Your mask's and machine's manuals come first; the FDA's own advice is to follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions, which typically mean mild soap and water.

How to clean a CPAP mask

Every morning

Skin oil and sweat build up on the cushion overnight and are the main reason silicone degrades and starts to leak. After you take the mask off, wipe the cushion with a damp cloth or an unscented CPAP wipe. It takes thirty seconds and makes a fresh seal last noticeably longer.

Once a week

1. Take the mask apart: cushion or pillows, frame, headgear.
2. Wash the plastic and silicone parts in warm water with a few drops of mild, unscented dish soap. Rub the cushion gently with your fingers.
3. Hand wash the headgear in the same water. Do not put it in a washing machine unless the manual says you can.
4. Rinse everything well with clean water so no soap residue is left on the cushion.
5. Air dry on a clean towel, away from direct sunlight, and reassemble only when completely dry.

How to clean CPAP tubing

Tubing is the part people skip, and it is the one where moisture sits longest. Once a week:

1. Disconnect the tube from the mask and the machine.
2. Fill a sink with warm water and a little mild soap and swish the tube so the water runs through the inside. A tube brush helps with stubborn residue.
3. Rinse thoroughly with clean water.
4. Hang it to dry, for example over a shower rod, so water drains out of both ends. The Sleep Foundation notes tubing dries better hung vertically.

If you see drops of water in the tube in the morning (often called "rainout"), hang it to dry that day too, not just on cleaning day.

How to clean the humidifier water chamber

Every morning, empty whatever water is left, rinse the chamber and let it dry. Fill it with fresh distilled water before bed; tap water leaves mineral deposits that are hard to remove and can pit the plastic. Once a week, wash it with warm soapy water. Many guides also suggest a periodic soak in a diluted white vinegar solution to dissolve mineral film, but ratios differ between sources, so use the one in your machine's manual. White crust, cloudiness or cracks that do not wash away are a sign the chamber is due for replacement.

What not to use

• Bleach, chlorine, alcohol or harsh chemicals. They can damage silicone and leave fumes you breathe all night.
• Scented, moisturizing or antibacterial soaps. Residue irritates skin and can break down the cushion.
• The dishwasher, unless the manufacturer explicitly allows it for that part.
• Ozone or UV "CPAP sanitizers". The FDA has not authorized any device that uses ozone gas or UV light to clean, disinfect or sanitize CPAP equipment, and it received reports of cough, breathing difficulty and headaches linked to ozone products. Soap and water remain the method manufacturers recommend.

A weekly cleaning checklist

Pick one day, for example Sunday morning, so the parts have the whole day to dry before bedtime:

1. Disassemble the mask and wash cushion, frame and headgear.
2. Wash the tubing and hang it.
3. Wash the water chamber.
4. Check the filters: rinse the reusable one, look at the disposable one against something white.
5. Wipe the outside of the machine with a damp cloth (unplugged, never submerged).
6. Look for wear while everything is apart: torn silicone, stretched straps, cracks in the chamber or tubing.

When you are ill or travelling

If you have a cold or another respiratory infection, it is sensible to wash the mask and tubing more often until you recover, and to replace the cushion afterwards if it is due soon anyway. When travelling, pack a small bottle of mild soap and a microfiber towel; a hotel sink and a shower rod are all you need. Use bottled distilled water for the humidifier if you can, or follow your manual's advice for running without humidification.

Cleaning does not replace replacing

Washing removes residue, but it does not restore stretched headgear or a cushion that has lost its shape. Even well-kept parts follow a replacement schedule: under Medicare, nasal cushions are covered twice a month, tubing every three months and the water chamber every six months. Cleaning extends the useful life of each part; it does not make it permanent. If you still smell mustiness after washing, or see spots of mold you cannot remove, replace the part.

Make it a routine you do not have to remember

The hard part is not the washing, it is remembering which day it is. Nightkit includes a cleaning schedule in Pro: a daily mask wipe, a weekly mask wash, weekly tubing and water-chamber washes, and a weekly filter rinse, each with its own reminder and a history of when you last did it. The free version tracks replacement of the cushion, disposable filter and tubing. Always follow the cleaning instructions from your mask and machine manufacturer.