CPAP product reviews and other helpful tips for CPAP users!
What's A Lumin™ Bullet? Our Honest Thoughts
If you're asking yourself: "What is this Lumin™ Bullet thing?", you're not alone. We've received tons of questions from confused CPAP users asking what it does and why would someone want such a thing.
What Is The Lumin™ Bullet?
Before we dive into what exactly the Bullet is, let's briefly talk about the Lumin CPAP Sanitizer - the sidekick to the Bullet. The Lumin is a multi-use CPAP sanitizing device for your personal items. To use, simply put stuff like your phone, toothbrush, dentures, keys and even baby bottles into the CPAP Cleaner’s drawer, close it and the Lumin Sanitizer blasts it with ultraviolet light technology to kill viruses, bacteria and mould in just a matter of minutes.
The Lumin has been a strong competitor to the popular SoClean sanitizer in the CPAP world which uses ozone technology as it's the active agent to disinfect CPAP equipment. Although the Lumin is an excellent product, the biggest drawback was its inability to sanitize CPAP tubing - giving SoClean, it's competitor a leg up.
That's where the Lumin™ Bullet comes in. It's a CPAP Tubing cleaner. Used in tandem with the Lumin Sanitizer, it covers all bases of your CPAP sanitizing needs.
What Technology Does This CPAP Cleaner Use?
Here's how it works: Put your CPAP mask and chamber into the Lumin drawer, close it and let it do what it does best. While that's going on, slide the Bullet (it's really more like a pen or a wand) into your CPAP tubing. Slide it out slowly - slow enough so it takes about 60 seconds to pull it through the entire length of the tubing.
The Bullet unleashes powerful UVC light to destroy germs and pathogens in the tubing, leaving you with a sanitized CPAP tube. There is no delay period and no harmful gas or chemicals are emitted.
The Lumin™ Bullet comes with:
- An outer bullet shell
- A metal "bullet" that's chargeable
- USB cable
The Bullet requires charging before you use it for the first time. You'll know its charging by the red blinking light. The indicator lights up solid blue when it's done. It can be used about 30 times on a single charge.
How To Use This Lumin Product?
Place charged Bullet into your tubing. Open the shell, put your tubing inside and close and lock the shell. Take about 1 minute and slowly pull the entire tubing through the bullet shell. Once the hose is pulled through, it comes out of the shell, but the bullet stays inside the shell.
Compatibility: Which CPAP Tubing Does It Work With?
The Lumin™ Bullet works with most standard CPAP tubing. It does NOT work on popular heated hoses like the ClimatelineAir, and others require some minor adjustments to use. For example, to sanitize the AirMini hose, you'll need to remove the attachments on the hose so the Bullet can fit through. The DreamStation heated hose will allow the Bullet to fit through one end only.
Usage: How Often Should This CPAP Cleaning Equipment Be Used?
It is recommended to use this cleaning device twice weekly on your hose to prevent the development of a nasty biofilm - ensuring that your hose remains slime free. Make sure to use it daily during flu season for extra protection.
Our Final Verdict: What We Really Thought
In our opinion, we find the Lumin CPAP Sanitizer and the Bullet both make excellent CPAP and personal sanitizers but they work best as a pair (What's the point of cleaning your mask and machine when your tubing is still filled with gross bacteria and slime?!)
Not only will it clean your CPAP equipment, but many other personal items in the home - offering way more bang for your hard-earned bucks. We really like that there is no need to constantly replace filters on the Lumin and the light bulb lasts for ages! There are no chemicals or odours released into the air and, unlike the SoClean, you don't have to wait for your CPAP stuff to air out.
Together, we think the Lumin and the Bullet are a great pair and offer an excellent alternative to the SoClean. Considering the Lumin's added uses around the house, it may be the smarter choice.
21 Day Beat The Dirt Challenge
Have you ever wondered, “If I clean my pajamas once a week; how often should I be cleaning my CPAP equipment?” Well, the answer is simple, you should be cleaning the mask daily while washing the tubing and water chamber at least once a week.
“Why should I be cleaning my mask when I do not see any dirt on the surface?” Germs and bacteria are not visible to our eyes. There are also debris that are hidden within your mask that you probably do not see when you are putting on your mask at night. Facial oils, skin residue or simply dust trapped within the mask cushion are all considered dirt you would breathe in if you do not wash your CPAP equipment thoroughly. Inhaling mold and bacteria growing in your CPAP equipment may compromise your overall health as well.
To remove dirt and oils and prevent buildup, we’ve linked a few items that might help you get through this daily process more efficiently:
SoClean 2 Ozone Sanitizing Device
Simply wipe down the mask cushion and surface with some mask wipes and/or sanitize the mask using the SoClean 2 or Lumin. Wash the tubing and water chamber with distilled water and mild soup. Make sure you hang the tubing upside down to allow the water within the tubing to escape and dry. Just remember to avoid leaving your equipment directly under sunlight as it could damage the supplies.
It takes 21 days to form a new habit and we challenge you to take a 21 Day Beat The Dirt CPAP Cleaning Challenge! By the end of this; I’m sure your CPAP equipment are sparkling clean and your new cleaning habit has hopefully been formed. Now that your CPAP equipment are clean, maybe it’s time to wash your pajamas!
Lumin CPAP Cleaner & Personal Sanitizer Review
CPAP Sanitizer & Cleaner Machine Review: The Lumin™
Today we will be reviewing the Lumin™ CPAP cleaner & sanitizer, providing our pros and cons of this unit from our own experiences, including feedback from our clients across North America.
Earlier this year, we started carrying a relatively new sanitizing device called the Lumin™ (made by 3B Medical) as an alternative to the very popular SoClean 2 CPAP sanitizing device. The Lumin™ is a sanitizer for everyday household objects like toothbrushes, baby bottles, smartphones, dentures etc... but is also marketed as a CPAP equipment cleaner.
According to the manufacturer, the Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner & Personal Sanitizer is a waterless sanitizing device that operates by emitting a high energy light within a narrow spectrum referred to as UV-C. They claim this UV light will disinfect up to 99% of detrimental bacteria, pathogens and fungi that can cause infection and illness on items placed inside the chamber.
Simply place household items you wish to sanitize into the chamber, close it and press start and the special UV bulb does all the dirty work. The manufacturer describes this method as the safest disinfection option on the market.
Lumin CPAP Cleaner Review: Here’s What We Think
What Are The Pros Of The Lumin™?
- It's a quick 5-minute cycle to kill most bacteria and mould on a surface: It takes the same amount of time to brush your teeth in the morning so you can easily sanitize items while you get ready for work or while you are giving your children breakfast.
- Minimal set-up: It took a couple of minutes from taking it out of the box to our very first sanitizing cycle. The instructions are easy to follow and self-explanatory.
- Versatile device: You can clean and sanitize almost anything you have around the house - sunglasses, headphones, baby bottles, cell phones etc.
- It is competitively priced compared to the SoClean 2: Besides the bulb, there are no replacement parts, such as filters and adapters.
- No lasting smell: There is no odour associated with the usage of the Lumin™.
What Are The Cons Of This CPAP Cleaning Machine?
- Cleaning is limited: The Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner and Personal Sanitizer cannot disinfect the inside of your CPAP machine because the UV light cannot reach the inside. You can use the device to sanitize your mask, standard hose and water chamber.
- The drawer opening to the chamber is not very big: There are limits to what you can and cannot fit into the chamber. This can be frustrating for some users.
- Metallic lining can cause scratches: We found that, if you're not careful, you can scratch yourself or your stuff on the drawer's metallic lining. As long as you're not rushing, this shouldn't be an issue.
Our Honest Verdict: What We Really Think Of The Lumin™ CPAP Cleaner & Personal Sanitizing Device
Overall, we think the Lumin™ is a great cleaning product for CPAP equipment but is it right for you? Well, that depends.
In our opinion, if you have little children or elderly family members who are susceptible to getting sick, it is a handy device to have in the house to keep bacteria at bay. The Lumin™ will help keep you healthy and keep your mask from smelling like an old running shoe. But if you're looking to disinfect your CPAP machine inside and out -- motor and all -- you might want to consider an alternative like the SoClean 2.