There are an estimated 22 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea. For those people diagnosed with sleep apnea a CPAP machine can be a life-changing device, but just like with other medical devices it is important for the CPAP machine to be clean and sanitized.
These days so many of us have such hectic lives that we can’t get everything done, so we let things slide. For CPAP users this often includes properly cleaning and disinfecting their CPAP equipment, thereby exposing themselves to the health risks associated with using dirty equipment.
Fortunately, 3B Medical is here with their Lumin CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer to help make this task quick and easy to complete. Keep reading our review of the Lumin CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer to see if it makes sense for you and your situation.
Table of Contents
How Important is it to Clean Your CPAP Machine?
Only a little bit of water left in your CPAP mask or hose can help create a perfect environment for mold, bacteria, and viruses to grow and thrive. Allowing these things to grow unchecked in CPAP equipment could put the user at risk for respiratory or other health problems. As a matter of fact, research has found that adults with sleep apnea had a 20% increased risk of being diagnosed with pneumonia than the control group, with the risk factor increasing to 32% for those people who use a CPAP machine. The researchers suggested that one of the possible explanations for this finding is that the CPAP machines are exposing the users to bacterial contaminants that can lead to pneumonia.
Every CPAP manufacturer will have their own recommended schedule for the cleaning, disinfection, and maintenance of their CPAP machines. However, it is usually recommended that CPAP tubing, mask, and headgear should be cleaned at least once per week, while the humidifier chamber reservoir should be rinsed out on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, many people end up putting their health at risk because they struggle to find the time to clean their CPAP equipment as frequently as the manufacturers suggest.
Thankfully, CPAP users now have another option to help make the cleaning and disinfecting of their CPAP equipment quick and easy.
Introducing the Lumin CPAP Cleaner and Disinfector
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The Lunin CPAP Cleaner works by using a high powered germicidal Ultra Violet (UV) light to neutralize and kill 99% of bacteria and mold in minutes. The UV light is an extremely powerful disinfectant and is the same method used to disinfect things in hospitals, operating rooms, surgical centers.
The people at 3B Medical knew that creating a machine that could be used to thoroughly disinfect CPAP equipment wasn’t enough. They knew that they needed to make a product that was so quick and easy to use that people won’t skip disinfecting their CPAP equipment even on their busiest days.
Not only does the Lumin do a great job at disinfecting, but with its’ short 5-minute cycle users can’t ever say that they were too busy to disinfect their CPAP machine and equipment.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Effective
- No messy soaps or chemicals
- Can also be used to disinfect other items as well
Cons
- May not be effective at disinfecting your CPAP hose
- Larger than some other options
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Review of the Key Features and Benefits of the Lumin CPAP Cleaner and Sanitizer
Effectiveness
When used as directed the Lumin can kill up to 99% of CPAP bacteria, pathogens, and fungi in your CPAP mask and reservoir.
Chemical Free
The Lumin is chemical free. So you don’t need to worry about needing to use water, or chemicals in order to sanitize your CPAP equipment.
That doesn’t mean that you will never need to do anything else to keep your CPAP clean. For example, the Lumin doesn’t remove any dirt or oil that might be on your mask. So it is still a good idea to use some mask cleaning wipes.
Ozone Free Disinfection
If you are someone who has a respiratory condition that can be aggravated by exposure to ozone or someone who just doesn’t like the odor of ozone you will be happy to know that the Lumin doesn’t use ozone like some other CPAP cleaning and disinfecting machines.
The Ultra Violet (UV) light that the Lumin uses to disinfect objects doesn’t leave anything behind that could aggravate respiratory conditions.
Ease of Use
One of the great things about the Lumin is that it is very easy to use and only minor disassembly of your CPAP is required to use the Lumin.
Here is a description of how to properly use the Lumin from the 3B Medical website:
First wipe the inside of your mask and cushion with a wipe to remove any physical residue. If disinfecting your humidifier water chamber, open the chamber and place in the drawer face up. If disinfecting your mask, lay your mask in the drawer face up. Close the drawer and press the button. In 5 minutes the cycle is complete and your mask and water chamber are ready for use. Because UV-C disinfection involves light waves, it operates in line of sight fashion, only irradiating surfaces within its sightlines. If there is a heightened need for disinfection, the mask can be disassembled or a second cycle used after flipping the object over. For general daily use, only one cycle is necessary.
Below is a video showing you how the Lumin works.
Remember to Disinfect the Hose by Hand
3B Medical is unable to make a marketing claim on the ability to disinfect a CPAP hose due to the large variety, shapes, and colors of CPAP hoses. The ability to disinfect a CPAP hose using Ultra Violet light depends on optics. In testing with standard CPAP hoses, sufficient Ultra Violet light penetrates the hose to offer sanitization and 3B Medical recommends using Lumin twice weekly as part of your CPAP maintenance schedule.
So since you can’t be sure that the Lumin is able to fully disinfect your CPAP hose you should play it safe and plan on cleaning your CPAP hose by hand. This is probably the biggest drawback of using the Lumin.
Other Items
The Lumin is also useful for disinfecting any personal items that fit inside of it, including cell phones, hearing aids, toothbrushes, and oral appliances.
Size
The Lumin weighs about 5.5 pounds and measures 12.25″L x 8.5″W x 7.75″H.
The Lumin isn’t as small as some other disinfecting options and will take up some significant counter space, which is something to think about if you plan to put it on a small nightstand where you already have your CPAP machine. The size of the Lumin shouldn’t be a deal breaker for home use, but you should consider the Lumin’s size if you travel a lot (especially if you fly) unless you are OK with cleaning your CPAP equipment by hand when you are away from home.
Price
The Lumin is competitively priced when compared to other high-quality CPAP disinfecting machines and is well worth the price if you are not in the habit of keeping your CPAP equipment disinfected like you are supposed to.
Other Options
VirtuCLEAN
The VirtuCLEAN uses ozone to disinfect your CPAP equipment, which is the biggest difference between it and the Lumin. The VirtuCLEAN is also significantly smaller than the Lumin and is a great option for people who travel a lot (especially if you fly often and need to bring it with you on a plane). It is also rechargeable and can work in situations such as a camping trip where you might not have power.
SoClean 2
Another option that uses ozone to disinfect your CPAP equipment is the SoClean 2. SoClean 2 is significantly larger than the VirtuCLEAN and will require more room for you to place it on your nightstand. Using the SoClean 2 is a simple one-step process that doesn’t require any disassembly of your CPAP equipment.
The one drawback with using the SoClean 2 is that because of its’ larger size it isn’t as portable as the VirtuCLEAN. Along these same lines the SoClean 2 doesn’t have a rechargeable battery so bringing it on outings such as camping trips could be more difficult.
Sanitizing Your CPAP by Hand
If you don’t want to part with your money and have both the available time and commitment to follow through with the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning and disinfecting schedule for your CPAP unit doing it by hand is certainly an option.
You can find all kinds of wipes, soaps, and helpful cleaning tools on Amazon to help you do it yourself.
Final Thoughts
The Lumin CPAP Cleaner does a fantastic job at eliminating the germs from your mask and reservoir. It uses Ultra Violet light to disinfect whatever you place inside of it and doesn’t use ozone, which is a bonus for those who are sensitive to ozone. Plus, it doesn’t use any messy chemicals or soaps. So if you are having a hard time cleaning your CPAP equipment like you are supposed to getting a Lumin might be a great thing you can do to help safeguard your health
You can learn more about the Lumin CPAP Cleaner and buy it here.