There are millions of Americans that suffer from sleep apnea. In fact, the number is estimated to be as high as 18 million people. For these people, the most recommended form of treatment is CPAP therapy or if you like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. To comprehend how a CPAP cleaner works we need first to understand what a CPAP machine is, and how it works.

So, what is a CPAP Machine?
lady sleeping soundly

A CPAP machine is a device that is used to remedy sleep-related breathing disorders including obstructive sleep apnea. The CPAP machine achieves this through applying continuous positive airway pressure.

If you are in the market for a CPAP machine or already own one, you know that there are various CPAP machine brands and models. To determine which CPAP machine is best for you, you need to consult with your doctor.

Despite your CPAP’s machine brand or model, most CPAP machines include the following component.

  • Full-face or nasal CPAP mask
  • A CPAP hose that usually measures 6 feet

A heated humidifier is usually available as an option with most CPAP models. Most people usually experience a dry throat when operating a CPAP machine. Using a heated humidifier however eliminates the dryness issue as it moistens the air that travels from the CPAP machine through the hose to the CPAP mask.

It is recommended that obstructive sleep apnea patients use the CPAP dehumidifier for a more pleasant user experience.

How A CPAP Machine Works

Before we go into details explaining how a sleep machine works, we will first take a look at what sleep apnea is and how it makes people suffer.

What Is Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea takes place when the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much to making it impossible for normal breathing. This is because when your muscles relax too much it causes your airway to narrow or close when you inhale and you might be unable to breathe for approximately 10 to 20 seconds.

This in turn would cause reduced levels of oxygen in your bloodstream and even cause a build up of carbon dioxide.

Every single time your airway closes, your brain will cause you to wake up so that you can reopen your airway. Usually people won’t even remember waking up. However, when you’re suffering from sleep apnea, this is likely to happen about 30 times in an hour and assuming that you are sleeping for 8 hours a night, it is easy to see how this hinders restful sleep.

How A CPAP Machine Works

A CPAP machine operates by continuously pushing gentle and pressurized air through the airway. The increased air pressure is designed to avoid the collapse of your airway when you breathe.

When applied as prescribed by your physician, CPAP therapy is capable of improving the quality of life of sleep apnea patients. Some of the positive changes you might experience include:

  • Less snoring
  • Reduceed breathing obstructions
  • Reduced sleepiness during the day

Research findings indicate that using a CPAP machine to treat sleep-related disorders is responsible for reducing certain health problems that are associated with obstructive sleep apnea such as:

  • Depression
  • High blood pressure
  • Cardiovascular issues

Even though you will need to adjust to this new lifestyle of sleeping with a mask on your face, by committing to this treatment method that is hailed by sleep specialists as the gold standard for sleep-related disorders, you will feel better and healthier.

How A CPAP Cleaner Works

In order for your CPAP machine to work effectively, you will need to keep it clean at all times. During its operation, a CPAP machine and its components might get dirty from:

  • Dirt and dust in the atmosphere
  • Body oils that stick on the CPAP mask that originate from your own skin
  • Bacteria that originates from your mouth
  • Mold and germs that might colonize your equipment due to the damp environment

There are two ways to clean your CPAP equipment:

  • Handwashing using a white vinegar solution
  • Using a CPAP cleaning machine like VirtuCLEAN

Use 1 part of white vinegar to mix with 3 parts of water, then soak your hose and CPAP mask with the for at least 30 minutes. Air-dry these two pieces of equipment away from direct sunlight.

If your CPAP machine comes with a humidifier, you will need to empty all the water in the humidifier chamber and fill it with the vinegar solution. Let it seat for 30 minutes then pour out the solution and air-dry the humidifier chamber away from the sun.

Do this every single day.

Using a CPAP machine is much easier. Using VirtuCLEAN, all you will need to do is connect the CPAP mask to the VirtuCLEAN device using the standard PAP hose then press the orange button to start the process.

VirtuCLEAN uses activated oxygen to get rid of any nefarious bacteria that might be lurking in your mask or your humidifier chamber.