How to Sterilize a Nebulizer

If you have chronic lung problems, it's likely you must use a nebulizer to stay healthy. While these machines can significantly improve the quality of life for sick people, they require a certain amount of care. If you have a lung infection or a virus, the germs may be left in the nebulizer, and you will re-infect yourself with each use. Your nebulizer may also grow bacteria. Sterilizing your nebulizer daily will help keep you healthy.

Things You'll Need

• Pan
• Water
• Microwave
• Microwave safe container
• Baby bottle sterilizer
• Distilled white vinegar
• Sterile water
• Bowl
• Dishwasher
• Paper towel

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Instructions

Boiling

• 1

  Fill a saucepan with enough water to submerge all your nebulizer parts. Boil water for at least 10 minutes. It will be sterile at this point.

• 2

  Remove pan from heat.

• 3

  Immediately drop dissembled nebulizers into the hot water and let them sit for 10 minutes. Do not boil masks or blue reservoir tubes.

• 4

  Remove nebulizer parts from the water and lay them on a clean paper towel.

Microwave

• 5

  Fill a microwave safe container with enough water to submerge your nebulizer parts.

• 6

  Drop your dissembled nebulizer into the water. Do not microwave masks or blue reservoir tubes.

• 7

  Microwave for six minutes on high.

• 8

  Remove nebulizer parts from the water and allow them to dry on a clean paper towel.

Baby Bottle Sterilizer

• 9

  Place your dissembled nebulizer in the bottle sterlizer. Do not add masks for blue reservoir tubes.

• 10

  Add water to cover your nebulizer parts.

• 11

  Plug in the sterilizer and allow it to complete its cycle. It will automatically turn off when it is finished.

• 12

  Remove the nebulizer parts and allow them to dry on a clean paper towel.

Vinegar

• 13

  Mix one part vinegar with three parts sterile water in a bowl. Boiling tap water for 10 minutes will sterilize it.

• 14

  Put dissembled nebulizer into the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.

• 15

  Remove nebulizer pieces and rinse them with warm water.

• 16

  Places pieces on a clean paper towel and allow them to dry.

Dishwasher

• 17

  Place dissembled nebulizer pieces on the top rack of your dishwasher.

• 18

  Allow your dishwasher to complete its cycle.

• 19

  Remove nebulizer pieces and allow them to dry on a clean paper towel.