A nebulizer machine requires keenness for it to work perfectly. It is an excellent machine that is used to get the medication directly to the lungs for fast relief. One of the main areas of concern for people handing a handheld nebulizer is cleaning. You need to know how to clean nebulizer parts like a pro for them to work effectively.
How Often Should You Clean Nebulizer Parts?
The complexity and the importance of a nebulizer make it an important medical machine that needs constant care.
You need to clean the device after every single use. Similarly, you need to perform a thorough cleaning of the parts every week to ensure that no bacteria get to the nebulizer machine.
In summary, you need to perform:
- Quick cleaning – after every use
- Deep cleaning – after every week
We will highlight the process that you should follow when using these two cleaning methods.
Quick-Cleaning Your Nebulizer
Every time you use the nebulizer, you should perform these steps to keep your nebulizer clean for use:
-
Wash Your Hands
The first thing that you need to do before you touch the nebulizer machine is to wash your hands. This should be done both when you are about to use it and when you are planning to clean it. You should wash your hands using soap or an alcohol-based sanitizer to kill bacteria on them. This method of washing the nebulizer doesn’t require soap, thus, the need to ensure that your hands are clean so that bacteria are not transferred to the nebulizer.
Washing hands effectively sounds easy but you should read guidelines given by WHO to familiarize yourself with the correct procedure for washing your hands properly.
-
Take the Nebulizer Apart
You need to separate the pieces of the nebulizer for you to clean them effectively. Most nebulizers have a compressed air machine, a mask or mouthpiece, connecting pieces, and a section of tubing. You need to separate these parts from each other gently for you to clean the required parts.
Some nebulizers have parts that cannot be removed. You need to check which parts can be removed and which ones can’t so that you don’t destroy the machine.
One of the most important parts that must be removed is the mask or mouthpiece.
-
Wash the Mouthpiece With Warm Water
In a quick-clean method, the mouthpiece is the most important part that needs thorough cleaning because it is used more than other parts. You need to run warm water, not hot, for about one minute. Rinse the mouthpiece using the running warm water, ensuring that every part of the mouthpiece is clean.
You should not run warm water on the air machine or the tubing as this is not its intended way of cleaning. These parts can be wiped with a clean towel.
-
Let Air Dry
After you have washed the mouthpiece, you should shake it gently to remove any water remaining. Set it on top of a clean towel and allow it to dry with air. The climate will dictate how long this may take. However, it is approximated that it may take between 20 minutes to one hour.
-
Reassemble the Machine
After the mouthpiece has dried, you can put the pieces of the nebulizer back together. Ensure that the pieces are put back correctly.
You can run air for about 20 seconds to ensure there is no water in the machine.
If you are not using it immediately, you need to store the tubing and the mouthpiece separately from the compressor air machine.
Deep-Cleaning Your Nebulizer
If you regularly use your portable nebulizer, you need to perform deep-cleaning every 7 days. Here are the steps that you should follow:
-
Wash as Directed in Quick-Cleaning
The long-term cleanliness of the nebulizer depends on regular deep cleaning that kills bacteria. It is recommended that you perform deep cleaning every 7 days to avoid bacteria. You can also clean it twice a week if you use it regularly.
-
Get a Disinfectant Solution
Deep cleaning sessions require disinfectant solutions. Some nebulizers are sold with their cleaning solutions packaged with them. If you don’t have a disinfectant solution attached to your package, you can buy from a pharmacy or make yours.
-
Soak Your Pieces
Once you have found the cleaning solution, you need to remove all the parts of the nebulizer and place them in a clean bowl with the cleaning solution. Ensure that the cleaning solution covers all the parts of the nebulizer. Soaking the parts inside the cleaning solution will clean them thoroughly. The manufacturer should recommend the amount of time you will leave the compressor nebulizer inside the cleaning solution. Ideally, you should let it stay for about 30 minutes to one hour.
-
Rinse the Parts Before Air Drying
After you have soaked the parts for more than 30 minutes, you can remove them and rinse them thoroughly using running warm water. You should let the water run for about 30 seconds. Shake the excess water and place the parts on a clean towel.
Repeat the process of air-drying the parts.
Finally, store the parts as advised. It is important to cover the compressed air machine when storing it.
Important Tips of Cleaning Your Nebulizer Parts
There are sets of tips that can help you improve the sanitization of your nebulizer parts.
-
Always Keep Your Hands Clean
Your hands should be cleaned with soap and water when handling nebulizer parts. Even after soaking, you should wash your hands again to touch the parts of the nebulizer.
-
Change Air Filter
At some point, you may have to change your air filters. The manufacturer will advise when it is important to change the air filters.
-
Store Properly
Every part of a nebulizer has to be stored as directed by the manufacturer. Proper storage protects the nebulizer from coming into contact with bacteria.
Conclusion
Anyone using nebulizers should learn how to clean nebulizer parts like a pro to keep themselves safe. These simple steps will always ensure that your nebulizer works effectively and cannot be bacteria-prone.