Masks should be washed daily with warm water and gentle soap or baby shampoo. Let the mask air dry. Never use antibacterial soap as it will break down the silicone of the mask cushion. Avoid soaps that include lotion which can coat the mask and cause it to lose its seal. A safe cleaner is the Control III Disinfectant CPAP Cleaning Solution. Remember, going to bed with a clean face will improve your seal and protect the lifespan of your mask.

The best time to clean your mask is in the morning after use. This removes the oils left behind from your skin which can reduce the lifespan of your mask. We recommend using Mask Wipes to make daily morning cleaning easy. The mask wipes are made from materials that will not break down your mask.

For customers who want to completely disinfect their mask and accessories, there's an even better option than wipes. The Lumin Mask and Accessories Cleaner uses powerful UV light to disinfect, killing almost all bacteria almost instantly. It's not a cleaner and doesn't scrub or wash anything, but for simple disinfecting the Lumin works great!

Here are some other cleaning products to help with keeping your mask fresh:

Citrus II CPAP Mask Spray Cleaner

Control III Disinfectant CPAP Cleaning Solution - Home Care Kit

Hurricane CPAP Equipment Dryer

Unscented CPAP Mask Wipes

Lumin CPAP Mask and Accessories Cleaner

Medicare allows for mask cushion replacement every three (3) months, and a complete mask system replacement every six (6) months. CPAP manufacturers and vendors suggest these replacement schedules as well. In our experience, most mask cushions begin to deteriorate after about six months of use. The cushion eventually becomes too soft to hold a seal. The headgear straps lose elasticity and must be tightened more and more to get the same quality seal. We strongly suggest replacing cushions and pillows as soon as they start to soften. Air leaks may reduce the effectiveness of CPAP therapy and headgear that is too tight may cause facial sores at pressure points. In most cases, replacement headgear is available if it is stretched out or the Velcro worn out. To see what parts of your mask are replaceable refer to our Replacement Part Finder. Just search for your mask to see all of the replaceable parts.

Sleeping on your side or stomach is preferable to sleeping on your back because sleeping on your back worsens all forms of sleep-disordered breathing. However, sleeping on your side or stomach can present problems with CPAP therapy. Both positions can put pressure on one side of your mask increasing your leak rate. Your options are to (1) try a mask that other side sleepers like (2) try bed pillows made for CPAP users.

• Masks: In our experience, some masks allow for movement in different sleeping positions better than others. See our recommended masks for Active or Side/Stomach Sleepers.
• Special CPAP Pillows: Regular bed pillows can put pressure against the mask and cause leaks. CPAP pillows are made with CPAP users in mind. These special pillows are designed to minimize the contact of the CPAP mask with the pillow, even when you are sleeping on your side.

A mask prescription must contain all of the following information:

• One of the following words or phrases: "CPAP Mask", "CPAP Supplies", "CPAP Humidifier", "CPAP", "Continuous Positive Airway Pressure", "APAP", "AutoPAP", "AutoSet", "Auto CPAP", "Auto Adjusting CPAP", "Self Adjusting CPAP", "BiPAP", "BiLevel", "VPAP", "BiPAP Auto", "BiPAP ST", "Synchrony ST", "VPAP ST"
• Your physician's contact information
• Your physician's signature
• The patient's full name

Here are some of our top selling masks:

DreamWear Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear - Fit Pack

ComfortGel Blue Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear

AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear

+ See More

If your mouth drops open during sleep, a full face may be selected to allow for the CPAP airflow to be delivered through both the nose and mouth. Some CPAP users move to using a full face mask after finding that using a nasal mask along with a chinstrap does not meet their sleep therapy needs. Some CPAP users use a full face mask when suffering from seasonal allergies.