Are ozone CPAP cleaners safe? Very many people around the world suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes difficulty in breathing during sleep. The best way so far to deal with such a condition is by using continuous positive airway pressure which serves to keep their passage clean.
The machine is basically a small box with a flexible hose piping and a mask through which the relaxing air effect is channeled to the nose and into the air tract. As the user breathes into the machine, it might get dirty inside and consequently need some cleaning.
There are different types of cleaners for the CPAP machine and one of them that is widely used is the zone CPAP cleaner. Now, are ozone CPAP cleaners safe for use? Let’s find out.
Available CPAP Cleaners
Before we get into the depth of the ozone CPAP cleaner, let’s find out the major types of cleaners that exist in the market. There are two major types of CPAP cleaners;
Uv CPAP cleaner
Ozone CPAP cleaner
Now, apart from the two cleaners, some people use the handwashing method with reliable cleaners to make sure the machine is in good condition. Fairly, there has been a controversy around the use of these cleaners and which one of them is the best.
There are many discussions around the topic and it is yet to be established. However, away from the discussions, we are supposed to know about each of the methods and how they work out.
Ozone Based Cleaner
Our major focus today is on the ozone-based cleaners and how safe they are for use. Ozone based CPAP cleaners use oxygen to clean the machine. The oxygen used is inactivated form. It clears all air contaminants in both CPAP machines and makes sure it is fresh again.
However, there are a lot of presumptions about the use of ozone-based cleaners to clean the CPAP machine.
Is it Safe for Use?
This is another big question, it all needs a lot of informed decision. There are a number of reasons why sleep clinical experts seem to consider ozone CPAP cleaners quite unsafe for use.
While some argue that the ozone molecules can act chemically on the CPAP machine and cause gasket leakages as well as corrode some of the parts of the machine, others argue that ozone is bound to damage the electronic parts of the machine.
Over the recent past, several federal agencies on environmental and health issues have pitched a spirited fight against the use of ozone and similar substances in individual homes. They argue that there are a lot of hidden effects that come with the use of ozone, especially on respiratory aids.
Further, questions came up in the recent past and there is also a great task to determine the legitimacy behind the opposing view. The respiratory authorities have been the latest clinical stakeholders to go against the use of ozone and they claim that there is great clinical as well as potential health Heath that comes from inhalation if the ozone CPAP cleaner residues.
The greatest worry about the use of ozone is that some of its dangers are hidden and they pose the greatest health hazard as the air is inhaled directly into the tissues. The effects might be long terms and they might not be established yet.
To this effect, some states have adopted legislation against the use of ozone. The CARB (California Air Resources Board) being the first, has raised alarm against the use of ozone claiming that for it to be used as a cleaning agent, it has to be insufficiently high concentrations that to some extent cannot be tolerated by human tissues.
Due to this, the California state placed markable bounds against the use of ozone in the CPAP cleaning process. They decided that if we are not sure about what we’re using, we better not use it. The question still remains, are ozone CPAP cleaners safe?
So far, many health specialists classify it as unsafe. The use of ozone CPAP cleaners is broadly discouraged and it has to do with hidden factors. there is currently little support for their use. So, what next? Should we shun the use of ozone CPAP cleaners?
It is a choice to make but an informed choice would be better, just like the CARB reminds us if we’re not sure about what we’re using it’s better not to use them at all. We got to decide on that.
Any Alternatives?
Now, in case we decide against the use of ozone-based CPAP cleaners, what are we to go for? In other terms, are there other options to consider? Of course, there are. The main one that rivals the ozone-based cleaner is the UV based cleaner. They have their effects and there is not yet any comparison between the extent of safety between the two.
Before we finish up with this discussion, it is better for us to understand what is not said. Are there any potential hazards that are not considered by the manufacturers? There might be but the advice here is to stick to the rules specified for the ozone cleaner for as long as you’re using it.
Some give strict specifications to leave the machine for some hours before this. There is obviously a reason behind this and we got a reason to stick to it.
Are Ozone CPAP Cleaners Safe? – Conclusion
The discussion is long and it might not end anytime soon. Some people are still discouraging and on the other hand, some hazards are yet to be established. The greatest factor to consider is our general health safety. How safe is the equipment we use? It is still a big question and the answer has not been established yet.
What we do therefore understand what we are using and keep asking the experts this question; are ozone CPAP cleaners safe? People have got different views but research is what will bring the final answer to the users.
