How to Sterilize Your Nebulizer

Josh from Missouri wrote in asking, “Do nebulisers need to be cleaned/sterilized? How often should I do this?”

Typically, it is recommended that you do a quick cleaning of your nebulizer (part that holds the medicine) after each use and sterilize it once a week. The cleaning is simple and shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes. Make sure your hands are clean, then disassemble your nebulizer and rinse all the pieces with warm water. Don’t wash the nebulizer tubing or the compressor (nebulizer machine). Once that’s done, let the pieces air dry.

To sterilize the nebulizer, you have a few options—

    1. Dishwasher

Most nebulizers are dishwasher safe. If you have a dishwasher, washing the nebulizer pieces is probably the easiest solution. Do not put the nebulizer tubing, mask, or compressor through a dishwasher.

    2. Vinegar

Another simple way to sterilize is to soak the nebulizer parts (except for the tubing, mask and compressor) in a solution composed of one part distilled white vinegar and three parts hot water. Just let them sit for an hour then put them on a towel to air dry.

    3. Boiling

You can also boil water for 10 minutes, then drop the nebulizer parts in and let them sit for another 10 minutes. Again, don’t wash the nebulizer tubing, mask or compressor. After they’ve sat for 10 minutes, put them on a towel to air dry.

Cleaning and sterilizing your nebulizer will help get rid of any potential germs/bacteria and keep your nebulizer running at maximum efficiency.