How to Clean Oxygen Equipment

Home oxygen equipment comes in two primary forms. The first is a tank filled with oxygen. The second type is an oxygen concentrator. It pulls oxygen from the air and concentrates it for the patient to use. Both systems connect to the patient with plastic tubing. Depending on the patient’s needs, there may be a face mask or a nasal cannula, which fits inside the patient’s nostrils. It’s a relatively simple process to clean oxygen equipment. For the health of the patient, it’s important to follow cleaning instructions carefully.

Things You'll Need

• Soft cloth
• Dishwashing detergent

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Instructions

• 1

  Wipe off the oxygen concentrator or the oxygen tank with a soft cloth weekly or more often if needed to remove dust.

• 2

  Clean the filters on the oxygen concentrator weekly. Rinse the filter under tap water. Gently squeeze out excess moisture before replacing the filter in the oxygen concentrator.

• 3

  Use dish detergent to clean the bubble humidifier and water traps on the oxygen concentrator. Perform this task every 48 hours or as often as you refill the humidifier. Allow the humidifier to air dry before refilling it. Follow disinfecting procedures from the home medical supply company. If the bubble humidifier or the water trap is showing signs of wear, replace the parts.

• 4

  Wipe the tubing off with a damp cloth once a week. Tubing used with a bubble humidifier needs replacing every month. Tubing used with an oxygen tank needs replacing every three months. Replace the tubing more often if it shows signs of cracking, or if it doesn’t come clean with a damp cloth.

• 5

  Use liquid soap to clean the face mask or the cannula as often as needed. Rinse them well. Replace the face mask or cannula every two weeks. If the patient has a cold or other illness, replace the face mask or cannula when symptoms of the illness pass.