See How to Wash Your Hands for tips on getting your hands as clean as possible. If you have a germ-sensitive job (e. g. , healthcare worker), you may want to use the more conservative WHO guidelines for hand-washing. [4] X Trustworthy Source World Health Organization Health information and news provided by the World Health Organization Go to source
Most nebulizers come in one of two varieties: atomizer jet and ultrasonic. Atomizer jets, the more common variety, use compressed air to disperse your medicine, while ultrasonic nebulizers vibrate the liquid medicine with soundwaves to make it into a vapor. While these two nebulizers use different mechanisms to operate, they both use similar mouthpiece/tubing setups to disperse the medicine, so the cleaning instructions are virtually identical for both. Some nebulizers (like, for instance, smaller portable models) may have slightly different configurations. In these cases, do your best to remove the pieces that can be removed. Nearly all nebulizers will have some sort of mouthpiece or mask — this is the most important thing to remove and clean.
Do not rinse the tubing or the compressed air machine with water. The tubing is difficult to dry and the machine itself is not intended to be cleaned this way. You can, however, wipe down the outsides of these pieces with a towel.
A good place to store the mouthpiece and tubing is in a clean ziplock bag. The compressed air machine can be covered with a sheet or towel to keep dust off of it.
Remove the nebulizer’s mouthpiece and any T-shaped connector pieces attached to it. The tubing and compressed air machine should not be washed. Run warm water. Use mild dishwashing soap or detergent to wash the pieces for about half a minute to one minute, making sure that every part of the pieces is cleaned. Rinse for about half a minute to remove soap. Shake the excess moisture off and air-dry on a clean towel.
Most manufacturers recommend performing a deep cleaning once or twice per week. If you are unsure how often to deep clean your nebulizer, consult the instructions that came with it.
To make your own cleaning solution, mix one part white vinegar to three parts water. For example, you might combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1 1/2 cups of water.
To make your own cleaning solution, mix one part white vinegar to three parts water. For example, you might combine 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 1 1/2 cups of water.
Once again, don’t soak the tubing or the compressed air machine.
Remove the pieces from the solution and rinse them thoroughly with warm running water for at least 30 seconds. Shake the excess water off and set the pieces on a clean towel. Allow the pieces to air dry. When dry, you may re-connect the pieces and run the compressed air machine briefly to remove any water caught inside them. Store the tubing and mask in a clean ziplock bag. Cover the compressed air machine with a towel before storing it. Dispose of your leftover cleaning solution — don’t reuse it.
