Cleaning and filters: the whole routine

Almost every my concentrator stopped working properly call comes down to a filter. Not a failed compressor, not a dead sieve bed, a clogged sponge that costs a few dollars and takes a minute to deal with.

Here is what actually needs doing, and how often.

Why filters matter more than people expect

A concentrator works by pushing room air through a sieve that strips out nitrogen. Everything about its performance depends on getting enough clean air in.

Restrict the intake and two things happen at once: flow drops, and concentration drops with it, because the sieve beds are not getting the volume of air they were designed around. The machine will often still run, still make its normal noise, and still light up as though nothing is wrong. It is just quietly delivering less than it should.

Dust also shortens the life of the sieve beds themselves, which are the expensive part. A dollar filter protects a several-hundred-dollar component.

The two filters

The intake sponge, weekly

This is the coarse foam pad, usually on the outside of the housing behind a clip-off cover. It catches hair, dust and lint. It is the one you can see, and the one that does most of the work.

To clean it:

1. Turn the machine off and unplug it.
2. Pop the cover and pull the sponge out.
3. Rinse under warm water until the water runs clear. Mild dish soap is fine if it is greasy.
4. Squeeze, do not wring or twist, that tears the foam.
5. Let it dry completely. This is the step people skip. A damp sponge pushes moisture into the sieve beds, which is the one thing that genuinely damages them. Give it several hours, or overnight.
6. Refit and close the cover.

Two sponges makes this painless, one in the machine while the other dries.

The internal filter, roughly every six months

This is the finer filter further inside the airflow path. It is not washable; it is replaced. Six months is the usual interval, sooner in a dusty house or with pets shedding.

Replacing it is a matter of opening a panel, pulling the old cartridge and pushing the new one in. No tools on most machines. Your manual will show the exact location, since it varies.

The rest of the machine

The cannula or mask. Manufacturers generally suggest replacing a nasal cannula every two to four weeks with regular use, sooner if it gets stiff, discoloured or uncomfortable. They are cheap and they are the part in contact with you.

The humidifier bottle, if your machine has one. Empty it daily, rinse it, refill with distilled water. Not tap water, the minerals build up as scale. Wash it properly once a week and let it dry.

The housing. Wipe with a damp cloth. Keep vents clear. Nothing needs to go inside.

Where you put it matters

• Leave clearance around the vents, a foot on all sides is a reasonable rule. Machines pushed against a wall or into a cabinet run hot and pull less air.
• Keep it off deep carpet, which both blocks the underside and feeds it fibres.
• Away from kitchens, fireplaces, candles and smoking. Oxygen makes anything that is burning burn faster.
• Away from aerosols, air fresheners and cleaning sprays. Whatever is in the air is what the machine draws in.

A simple schedule

• Daily: empty and rinse the humidifier bottle, if fitted.
• Weekly: rinse the intake sponge, dry it fully. Wipe the housing.
• Every 2 to 4 weeks: new cannula.
• Every 6 months: new internal filter.

When it is not the filter

Call us if you get any of these, because they are not maintenance issues:

• A purity or concentration alarm that keeps sounding after a filter change
• A noticeable change in the machine's normal running sound
• Burning or hot-plastic smells, turn it off and unplug it first
• Flow that will not hold steady at a set level
• Any alarm you cannot clear

1-786-658-5217, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm ET. If it is inside the first year we will sort out repair or replacement under warranty and tell you which on the call.

Always follow the maintenance instructions in your machine's own manual, which take precedence over general guidance. Long Breeze machines are intended for general wellness and everyday breathing comfort. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, prevent, or relieve any disease or symptom, and they are not a substitute for professional medical care or for oxygen therapy prescribed by your physician. Statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.