Help! Sterilizing

[LookingforPeace]

Hi everyone,

I was told that I can boil the... Geeze I don't even know the terminology. I was told that I can boil my nebulizer (The thing I put my pulmozyme in) for 10 minutes "at a rolling boil". I swear I've completely deformed it. The lid doesn't close all the way.

I noticed this so I started using soap and water and figured I'd sterilize via boiling a couple times a week.

But today, while inhaling, I tasted the soap! So it's back to boiling. I'm considering purchasing a baby bottle sterilizer.

How do you all sterilize your equipment? I also have an acapella that I need to sterilize (been advised not to boil it as it will melt),

Help! (PS I am new to this, clearly)

 

[briarrose]

We wash everything I'm hot soapy water and put it in the baby bottle sterilizer with distilled water. We use the event 6 bottle sterilizer but our rt said any of them is fine as long as it is not one that goes through the microwave. We used to boil but the baby bottle sterilizer really changed everything and makes it so much easier and more manageable.

 

[Jana]

I've read that also and believe it's because a microwave doesn't necessarily heat evenly--you know how microwaved food tends to have cold and hot spots. Killing bacteria requires a temperature held at the required level uninterrupted for a certain period of time. I've also heard the microwave ones sometimes melt nebulizers because of the uneven heating.

Personally, I use an Avent baby bottle sterilizer (the electric kind) with distilled water. It works great, takes 6 minutes, and has removed a lot of complication from my treatments!

 

[Printer]

Top shelf of dishwasher works well.

Bill

 

[Jane]

I've often heard using a dishwasher too Bill, but I never quite trust there won't be food particles left behind. Is there a mesh container or something you use?

 

[bananagirl]

I use a combination of things. My favorite method is the dishwasher just cuz its easy and doesn't require any extra work, since I wash other things in it too. I have a container with a lid that holds all my nebs, I got if from the cf pharmacy but you can buy one at a store too, it is just the basket thing that people use to put baby bottle parts in. I am in college currently and do not have a dishwasher in my dorm so there I use the baby bottle sterilizer (I also use this at home for the eflow neb since it can't go in the dishwasher or be microwaved (is that a word?)) It works pretty well but takes an extra step, plus you have to wait for it to do its thing and then wait for the pieces to cool enough to put them away. The last method I have used is the microwave steam bags. I got some from my doc but I think they also sell these in stores with baby bottle supplies. You put water in them and the nebi parts and pop it in the microwave. I like the bags because they are faster than the steamer. The down side to them is that you can't put the e-flow in it. The nice thing about all these methods is that they are pretty human proof. I have never melted a neb before and I have been doing this for years.

 

[stephen]

For sterlizing, I’ve been using Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags. (I think someone suggested them in one of these forums.)


The bags are easy to use and are quite inexpensive. They cost less than a dollar and are resuseable for at least 20 times. They hold several nebulizers. Just add water and place it in the microvave for several minutes.

 

[Twistofchaos]

I like to spray my neb cups with acticid/ethanol after use and put them away. ..also because I like the scent of it.

 

[nocode]

I dip my neb cubs into a bowl with hot water and soap for 10 minutes, then into a container of ethanol and leave it there for another 10 minutes. These are the processes for cleaning and sterilizing. Once a week I boil for 10 minutes with a tad of vinegar. Then I add salt and pepper and I eat them. (Kidding.. but everything until and inc the vinegar is true).

 

[Beccamom]

I soak in hot soapy water for a few minutes rinse with tap water and put the neb in a large container. I keep adding dirty nebs until I run out. Then I put all the dirty nebs into the Avnet 3 in 1 baby bottle sterilizer with distiller water. I open the sterilizer and ensure the nebs are dry then I keep the clean nebs closed in the sterilizer until I use them all and repeat the process. I hope this is working.

 

[Liza]

Just don't use the Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam bags or dishwasher to sterilize the Altera (Cayston) nebulizer.