Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner Review: Is It Worth the Money?
Half the battle with using medical equipment is ensuring they are clean and adequately sterilized before each use. This maxim holds even more weight with respiratory equipment, where even a minor contaminant can cause serious health issues.
Hence, when using CPAP devices—a positive airway pressure ventilator that helps to keep the airways open and improve breathing in people with obstructive sleep apnea. However, keeping a CPAP device clean is no easy feat.
Your standard set of CPAP equipment includes a humidifier, filter, and mask—all environments that stay humid and warm, and are potentially a perfect breeding ground for microbial growth.
Consequently, you must clean and air dry your CPAP device thoroughly each day.
However, these cleaning cycles can be quite time-consuming and challenging to adhere to for many. Here, automated cleaners like the Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner bring a more forgiving alternative to manual cleaning.
Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner Review: Overview
The Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner is a cleaner that uses activated oxygen (ozone) instead of water to sanitize your CPAP equipment. This method of cleaning promises a 99% efficiency rate in eradicating mold, bacteria, and other potentially dangerous microbes from all corners of your CPAP device.
Other popular types of CPAP cleaners include those that use water as their cleaning agent and others that use ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms at the molecular level.
The setup for this cleaning device includes a small portable cleaner that draws power from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery to generate ozone for a thorough cleanse and disinfecting of your CPAP machine.
With this cleaner, CPAP device users get the promise of a stress-free cleaning process that cuts out the typically time-consuming and labor-intensive cost of owning their machines.
Key Features
- Kills up to 99.9% of bacteria, germs, viruses, and mold inside your CPAP device
- Convenient cleaning process with single-button control that requires minimal effort from the end-user
- Ultra-fast ozone generation process that begins killing microbes in minutes
- Time-saving, short 30-minute cleaning cycle
- No water or chemical input needed
- Works with your CPAP device fully assembled
- Compatible with most CPAP device brands
- Portable, lightweight cleaner that weighs only half a pound
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
- Maintenance-free
- Relatively quiet operation
Q: How often should I clean my CPAP device?
You must clean the hose and mask components of your device daily. For the machine’s water reservoir, you can restrict the cleaning to every week.
Q: Can I travel with a Clean Zone Cleaner on airlines?
Yes. The device and its lithium-ion battery meet TSA/FAA standards. However, you have to bring your device with you onto the airplane, as you can not pack it in stored luggage due to travel regulations.
Effectiveness
Automatic cleaners like the Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner bring the promise of increased convenience, time savings, and labor-free operation.
However, all these benefits only become worth it if these cleaners can provide a level of performance that is on par with or even surpasses the manual alternative. So, how does the Clean Zone Cleaner with its activated oxygen cleaning process measure up?
Exceedingly well.
Activated oxygen is a common disinfectant that appears in many popular industries, including water purification, food handling, and even in some hospitals.
While ozone can be dangerous in large doses, causing respiratory irritation, ozone cleaners like the Clean Zone allow very minimal emissions from the device that are significantly below the FDA’s exposure recommendations at 0.05 parts per million.
Plus, the use of ozone has significant scientific backing, as multiple studies, including this one on the effects of activated oxygen on MRSA infections, found the method to be almost 100% effective at eliminating microbial groups.
Hence, it is no surprise that ozone cleaners are some of the most recommended ways to clean your CPAP machine, and the Clean Zone brings some of the best efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the bunch.
Plus, an added benefit to using ozone cleaners like the Clean Zone, is the fact that they do not use any water or added chemicals, which further reduces the risk of contamination and increases your safety.
With its small, portable size, its relatively short 30-minute cleaning cycles (most cleaners take at least 2 hours per cleaning cycle), and its super competitive pricing, the Clean Zone Cleaner represents one attractive CPAP Cleaning deal that is hard to refuse.
Plus, with this cleaner, you get a comparable level of cleaning efficiency to some of the best cleaners on the market.
Usage
Using the Clean Zone Cleaner is quite straightforward, as the device ships with two adapters that will work with most CPAP machines. To Use the Clean Zone Cleaner, follow these simple steps:
- First, remove the mask from your CPAP tube
- Connect your cleaner to your CPAP machine’s tube using the matching adapter
- Press the power button once to begin a 30-minute cleaning cycle
- At the end of each period, the cleaner will shut down automatically. However, you can press the power button at any point during the cycle to turn the device off
- Wait at least 2 hours after each cleaning cycle before using your CPAP device.
Tip: The Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner also works with BI-PAP and APAP machines.
Pricing and Package Options
The Clean Zone Cleaner retails for $99.99, which is significantly lower than the standard market pricing for cleaners of this caliber. For comparison, other popular cleaners like the SoClean 2 will set you back $298, while the Sleep8 Cleaning Companion System retails for $249.
However, with the Clean Zone Cleaner, you do not get free shipping, and you have to pay an additional $8.95 for shipping during purchase.
Nevertheless, the Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner offers one of the best deals on the market.
Furthermore, you can also get a “Deluxe Package” option for $10 more, which adds a set of Clean Zone CPAP cleaning wipes to your order. These wipes can be great for cleaning any debris off your CPAP mask and the other external parts of your CPAP device.
Both packages ship with a rechargeable battery and a USB cord for charging the device included in the box.
Note: If You’re in a tight budget, check these cheap choices on Amazon.
Warranty
Each Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner ships with a 60-day trial period that lets you return the device for repair or replacement.
Possible Disadvantages
So far, we’ve seen that the CleanZone CPAP cleaning device has excellent performance efficiency. However, for this review to be complete, we must take a look at the possible disadvantages that come with the use of this cleaner;
- Customer Service – many customers seem to complain about the customer service of the CleanZone company. It seems that customer support doesn’t answer emails, nor do they answer or reply to customer calls. This is, however, anecdotal and needs proper verification. But, before purchase, bear this in mind in case you need to contact customer support and service.
- Unpleasant odor – many customers also seem to complain about the odor of the cleaner upon unpacking. Some even reported that they’re unable to use the cleaner because of how strong the odor is. People tried airing the device for some time, but it didn’t help. And, because the customer service doesn’t work, many were not able to return or replace their CleanZone device.
- Not suitable for ResMed CPAP machines – ResMed has stated that they don’t recommend CPAP cleaners that use Ozone or activated oxygen sanitizing technology. The reason for this is that activated oxygen degrades the internal parts of the ResMed CPAP machine. So, if you’re using a ResMed CPAP machine, we also recommend you don’t use the CleanZone device.
- Late or no order arrival – allegedly, there have been cases where people received their CleanZone months after the initial order. Some people, however, never received their cleaner, and because of the bad customer service, they also never got refunded.
Verdict
The Clean Zone CPAP Cleaner offers an effective way to clean your CPAP machine, as its 99.9% efficiency matches industry standards and provides comparable performance to other more expensive options like the SoClean 2.
Hence, if you are tired of the lengthy manual cleaning process, find yourself procrastinating often, and want a device that can get the job done effectively without costing you an arm and a leg, you can’t go wrong with this device.
While you typically won’t get any side effects from using an automatic cleaning, take note of any coughing or breathing irritation you feel during a cleaning cycle, as some people may have an extremely high sensitivity to ozone.
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I have a ResMed Airsense A10 CPAP.
I also have a Clean Zone cleaner that I haven’t used yet. I have a few questions about it; maybe you can help. As best I can tell, per instructions, the A10 shouldn’t be connected to the Clean Zone, only the hoses and removable reservoir. If the case, why all the negative feedback regarding residual odor. Is the source of the odor what hangs around in the A10 parts that get removed, and if so, does THAT migrate into the CPAP when one goes to use the thing again? And does the CPAP humidifier (heater) exacerbate the odor problem? Thank you, Tony
Hi Tony,
You are right, per the manufacturer instructions, you shouldn’t connect the A10 core to the cleaner, as this can damage your CPAP machine over time.
About the residual odor, that is a dynamic issue that will require some troubleshooting to find the source of the smell; as the odor source can vary from user to user. The odor can stem from remnants—and mildew, mold, or bacteria growth in either the tubing, mask, or removable reservoir.
One of the most common causes of residual odor is that users often fail to keep the CPAP parts connected to the cleaner long enough for a thorough cleanse.
Alternatively, you could be dealing with a faulty CPAP cleaner. You should try cleaning your CPAP manually if you suspect such malfunction.
The CPAP humidifier could exacerbate an existing odor problem as add in a moisture component which can compound any microbial growth in the air channel.
However, you can easily check if the humidifier is of any consequence in this situation by running your machine without it by taking out the removable reservoir (ResMed sells an optional cover panel for the side of the machine that lets it run without the humidifier.)
My mom ordered one and when we got her bank statement they charged twice , I cannot get anyone to respond to us so we can make it right , I’ve held on a phone call for 45 minutes and no one answers .
That’s horrible, try to get help from PP. Some people reported the same experience on FB (https://www.facebook.com/Clean-Zone-108121000781834/reviews/?ref=page_internal)
I had the same problem with Clean Zone and was very upset, but my doctor from cpapcleaning.org said it was better to just wash the mask and tube in soapy water. That seems to be enough.
If you used a credit or debit card, call the credit card company.
Same thing happened to me. I contested with the PNC credit card folks IN FACT, THEY DID SHIP TWO of the same item but I only ordered one.. THERE IS A DIFFERENT COMPANY SUPPLING THE SAME PRODUCT. DON’T BUY FROM CLEAN ZONE AND MAKE SURE YOU’ALL TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS THAT CLEAN ZONE, WHILE MAKING A PLAUSABLE PRODUCT AREN’T
REPUTABLE BUSINESS AGENTS !
Don’t know if, in the future, anything u order thru PayPal is advised. They take care of these problems and get ur money back.
I purchased a CleanZone in January 2020. The battery charger no longer works – will not take a charge! So much for the limited warranty – WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!
Carol: I purchased a CleanZOne in December and had the same problem with the battery. I cannot recommend this item to anyone. You’re right, the limited warranty (60 Day), is for the birds!
Ed Daniel
Carol and Ed – I, too, purchased a CleanZone unit in January 2020. The charging unit has never worked correctly, spasmodic, at best, and, at this writing, still does not work properly. The 60-day warranty should have been a warning sign to me. Regrettably, it was not. I have pursued the possibility of filing a complaint for unfair and deceptive practices with the BBB of the state in which the company is located.
Same thing here. Waste of money. Should have with first thought and got so clean.
Same problem here!
I need to buy a connector (charge cord)
I bought another CPAP cleaner is similar to Cleanzone, iCaty CPAP cleaner with free charge adapter, much cheaper, only $89, and with free shipping. https://www.icatycare.com/ozone-cpap-cleaner/
Used Clean zone for the first time. Why dose it smell like bleach when or dose this go away .
I have been using it for about a month, ordered directly from CleanZone when I see it’s sold at Walgreens and Bed Bath Beyond for $20 less. Bed Bath Beyond just filed for bankruptcy yesterday. My wife connected it to the machine and the lights now do not come on during the powering up, but will scroll to the different screens and the machine still works. I was thinking about bringing my CPAC back to the medical supply and say something is wrong. As far as cleaning the tube, mask and water chamber, it really works. I use to have a cough because I never cleaned the machine. Once cleaned, cough gone 99 percent. As far as should you clean the CPAC, YES! I remember when I had a different CPAC, I just left the water in the water chamber, and just refilled the chamber. I kept coughing. I finally looked inside the chamber and saw this black spiking mold thing, kinda looked like the Covid picture but black. I got rid of that CPAC, went to the ENT and another sleep test for a double the pressure CPAC since I was that bad. CleanZone is a easy to use machine, yes hoses have an odor after cleaning, but better than cough and wheezing because of a dirty CPAC.
Hi Rey, thanks for sharing
Bought this thing less than 6 months ago. Worked great for the first 3 months, hasn’t worked since. Wasted my money.
Thanks for sharing. Has anyone tried LEEL CPAP cleaner? https://bit.ly/2Af0Epm My friend said this is great and I am planing to buy one recently. Any recommendation?
Hi Catherine, try the iCaty CPAP cleaner, I have used it for more than half a year, it works great, with speically designed hole to prevent ozone leakage. Hope it helps! https://www.icatycare.com/ozone-cpap-cleaner/
Thank you. I finally got the leel cpap cleaner. I am satisfied with it so far.
This CleanZone machine is a piece of shit…customer service sucks. Reporting to u.s. atty gen/nm atty gen..deserve class action lawsuit…Only has 30-day warranty. When set to clean blue light stays on. Charge every day so no excuse for blinking blue light after set to clean. Made in China so what do you expect. Never dropped nor abused in any way.
I too have had trouble with CleanZone, but there is good news to go with the bad news.
Good news. I purchased mine from Big Dog Marketing and they handled the problems very well.
Bad news. The unit I received had a loose charging port. I kept it working for a while but then it failed. Top Dog sent a replacement unit. The charging port on the second unit was much tighter, but eventually it too failed and I could no longer charge the unit. Top Dog gave me two options: try a third unit or refund my purchase price.
I took the money.
As have been mentioned a lot in the comments, I have that bad odor experience as well. I tried to connect it and run for more than 30 minutes, but the odor stays and it’s so lingering and very irritating to the nose and looks like it’s hurting inside my throat. I used it a few times but I stopped using it altogether. I am cleaning my CPAP tubing and masks and water chamber every day with mild soap and water and it works just fine.
I have had the bad odor with my using the clean zone as well and when I use cpap I feel like it gives me sinus infection so I will try just cleaning with soap and water
It is possible the bad odor you refer to is that of the ozone the unit generates for cleaning (disinfecting, actually) the unit.
After cleaning, I take the bag outside and open it there, removing the hose and nosepiece to let them air out a bit. The ozone smell disappears, but it is you should not use the equipment for a few hours after cleaning, this to allow more complete dissipation of the ozone. I clean mine in the morning, so there is no issue with that here.
Good luck!
Garbage NOT worth the money. The problem I had was it didn’t want to charge at time. I always had to fiddle with the cord to get it to charge the machine. It took like forever to charge the unit. But something else.
Same problem here. The unit is not charging
i’ve have had my cleaner for about 6 months now. i call my Dr. about the smell , yes they have that smell. said ok, said if i have any side effects let them know. the usb cord is a little loose, but i wiggle a bit till it turns red . then the green comes on , but a few times it did not . so i called and they said , put all in bag and press on where the green light is not lite , so i did and i heard it came on. seem the more i use this the smell is less, don’t know if that is good or bad. i have not gotten sick or anything so i guess that’s a good thing.
See my reply to Dondeo regarding the smell.
My husband has been using the Clean Zone since Oct to clean cpap tubing/mask. He has developed a constant runny nose and frequent episodes of sneezing (not unusual to sneeze 10 to 20 times in a row multiple times day and night). Went to MD, placed on multiple allergy meds without relief, now went to allergist and had testing….NO allergies but something is irritating him. Suspect that it may be the Clean Zone since this is the only thing we can think that has changed over the last few months. Anyone else experience this issue?
Yes I have
I’ve had a Clean Zone for about six months. It worked great the first three times I used it. Horrible smell every time I used it. The red light started blinking during charge. The green light would come on but when I pushed the green button to start the charge, it would go out.
Can not get through to their customer service department after numerous attempts. I want a refund within thirty days or I will file a Federal Trade Commission complaint.
How do I clean my Resmed machine using clean zone? Does it not need to be clean?
I bought the product based on the advertising on TV. It arrived within a week. I used it one time on my mask and hose. The smell from the “ ozone “ was to strong that I could not use them with my CPAP. I returned the device for a refund. However, I never did receive a refund from this fly by night company. I suppose that I should have suspected that it was a low quality system. The TV advertisement looks like something you would find on the cover of a cheap tabloid next to the article about the three headed chicken left by space Aliens. Anyway, do yourself a favor and don’t Believe the hype concerning this product or their B S return promise.
Had a question for clean zone on two sanitizers I purchased that had stopped working. Some individual in N. Carolina answered my call and knew nothing about my purchase unless I gave her my order number which I had probably discarded because the items worked well in the beginning. I don’t exist in clean zone’s system. Items do not work now and I can’t get any kind of answer. Is it possible someone in your area could assist me?
Has anyone tried Clyn cz001 CPAP cleaner? My friend said it has activated carbon filters and could help remove the ozone odor left after cleaning. Any recommendation? Thanks.
Yes, the Clyn CZ001 cleaner machine has a t-adapter heated hoser, so i can clean the mask and unit simultaneously, it saves at least 50% of the time, so I have more time to go to do the things I like.
Charlene. I have an original So Clean, but after purchasing a ResMed AirMini travel machine I decided to purchase a Clyn cz001 for that device. I also use the Clyn for my standard-size ResMed at home and it seems to work just fine. https://bit.ly/cpapcleaner. I have no complaints.
I have ordered and received two, ” Clean Zone” CPCP cleaners within a one year period & they simply stop charging!!
I feel like I have been ripped off, where are these things made!?
I would very much like to receive a product that works consistently.
It is made in China. Is that not recommendation enough?
I have been using my ResMed CPAP for over a year, I do not use the humidifier. I NEVER clean it! – And I have no problems at all! – Where is the proof that they must be cleaned??? – Serious question. Would appreciate any knowledgeable responses. Thank you!
only used once, woke up three hours after using with dizzy spell, could not get out of bed for 1/2 hour, have not used again. after a month still not well, had to buy new tube & mask
You may wish to reference your user’s manual regarding – mine clearly states the unit should be cleaned “regularly.” Using an unclean mask, hose and humidifier can cause serious respiratory issues, this owing to contaminants in water used in the humidifier (if you don’t use distilled) and germs, bacteria, etc., entering the mouth/nosepiece and hose from your respiratory system.
I clean mine daily using my recently received CleanZone device. Some comments refer to an “odor” after using the cleaning machine, something I am certain is caused by the bacteria-killing ozone generated by the CleanZone. Follow the cleaning unit instructions closely, airing out the equipment a few hours before use. As I mentioned in a previous reply, I clean mine in the morning and once the process is complete, I open the zipper bag outside and air out the equipment a bit before re-assembly.
The only “gripe” I have so far about CleanZone is that the instructions do not provide an estimate for charging time. My experience is that it takes between 2-3 hours for the red light to go blue.