Can you soak POWERbreathe in a mixture of 50% vinegar to disinfect it?

8 thoughts on “Can you soak POWERbreathe in a mixture of 50% vinegar to disinfect it?”

1. Is HOCl solution safe to use to clean POWERbreathe? I’m thinking of HOCl that’s a weak acid to neutral pH, in a strength safe for skin and mouths. The infant bottle cleaning tablets in the USA have ingredients that leave behind scent and taste, like chemicals or peppermint oil, which I don’t want to taste or inhale.

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   1. Hi Katie, I’m afraid we aren’t able to confirm the use of this solution you mentioned, as we haven’t tested it ourselves. If you are unsure yourself, then my recommendation would be to err on the side of caution and not use it. A washing-up liquid solution that you use for your dishes and cutlery would clean your device and help to clear any sticky saliva too.

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2. The tablets aren’t available in US. What do you suggest instead?

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   1. The POWERbreathe cleansing tablets are similar to those used for cleaning a baby’s bottle and are safe for anything that comes into contact with the mouth. So you could use something in the USA that has a similar use. Hope that helps.

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3. I think you’ve missed the point that NTM is resistant to chlorine, but chlorine disinfectant is the only thing you recommend. Also, the device can’t be completely disassembled which means there are parts of the spring assembly that are hard to get disinfectant into and hard to dry, which seems like a recipe for bacteriological growth.

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   1. Hi Samantha, SoChlor, NaDCC is also used in hospitals for all healthcare cleaning & disinfection, but again this too is soluble chlorine so I’m not sure what they would use for cases of NTM I’m afraid. You could use hot soapy water which is alkaline. The Classic and Plus devices can be fully disassembled if you prefer, but you’ll need to be careful about not mislaying the O ring on the top of the valve.

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4. As someone with NTM-PD, I’m concerned that the only way to disinfect the PB is with chlorine type disinfectants, when NTM is notoriously resistant to chlorine. Then I am sucking hard on this device which is potentially harbouring a new NTM species and drawing it deep into my lungs.

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   1. Hi Samatha and thank you for your enquiry. We always recommend using the Cleansing Tablets for exactly the reason that concerns you, that your device will be exposed to saliva and therefore you want it to be as clean as possible when you come to use it. The cleansing tablets are the same as that used for cleaning a baby’s bottle and are safe for anything that comes into contact with the mouth. Of course it must be completely dry before using. I hope that helps.

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