How to Clean Nebulizer Attachments

If your child is asthmatic or experiences serious respiratory illness such as RSV or pneumonia, your pediatrician might prescribe a regimen that includes using a nebulizer. If this is the case, learn to properly clean the nebulizer to ensure that you do not accidentally cause further infection.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bowl
• Mild dish detergent

1. Fill a bowl with warm water. Add a small amount of mild dish soap that does not include lemon scent. Harsh soaps and lemon-scented soaps weaken the nebulizer attachments. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the nebulizer parts for cleaning.
2. Disassemble the washable nebulizer attachments. Remove the hose from the mouthpiece or mask and set it aside. The hose is not washable and you want to keep it as dry as possible. Separate the mouthpiece or mask from the medicine chamber. Open the medicine chamber to complete the disassembly.
3. Place the nebulizer attachments in the bowl of warm water. It is unnecessary to soak them for a great length of time. Adequately run the soapy water through each piece to thoroughly clean it. Shake off the excess soapy water.
4. Rinse each nebulizer attachment. Run each clean piece under warm water to remove any remaining soapy residue. Lay the nebulizer parts on a clean paper towel and allow them to air dry. Do not dry the attachments with paper or cloth towels. Tiny fibers from the towels might contaminate the equipment.
5. Store the nebulizer in a hygienic bag. When the attachments are completely dry, reassemble the pieces and place them in a clean, dry plastic bag. Seal the bag and keep it closed until the next use.

Tips & Warnings

• Soak the clean nebulizer attachments in a vinegar solution once a week. Use two parts vinegar with two parts distilled water and soak for 30 minutes. Allow the pieces to air dry after they finish soaking.
• Avoid cleaning your nebulizer with bleach or extremely hot water.