Inhaler Maintenance: How to Use and Care for Your Inhaler Correctly

When you rely on an inhaler, a handheld device that delivers medication directly to the lungs for conditions like asthma or COPD. Also known as a puffer, it’s one of the most important tools in managing breathing problems—but only if you use and care for it right. Many people think that if the inhaler clicks and sprays, it’s working. But if it’s clogged, dirty, or used incorrectly, you might be getting less than 10% of the medicine you’re paying for.

Inhaler technique, the exact way you coordinate breathing with pressing the canister is just as critical as the device itself. Studies show over 90% of asthma patients use their inhalers wrong—either breathing too fast, not holding their breath long enough, or not shaking the device before use. That’s why spacer devices, tube attachments that help slow down and capture the medicine before you inhale are often recommended, especially for kids or anyone struggling with timing. They’re simple, cheap, and can double how much medicine reaches your lungs.

Then there’s inhaler maintenance, the daily cleaning and storage habits that keep your device working. You wouldn’t let a car engine run without oil, so why let your inhaler sit with medicine gunking up the nozzle? Moisture, dust, and dried medication build up fast—especially with corticosteroid inhalers. A quick rinse under warm water once a week, then air-drying, can prevent clogs. Never use hot water or put it in the dishwasher. Store it at room temperature, away from humidity. And always check the counter: if it says you have 20 doses left but it’s been three months since you started, you’re probably out of medicine and don’t even know it.

People with inhaler maintenance routines don’t just save money—they avoid flare-ups. A clean, properly used inhaler means fewer emergency room visits, fewer missed workdays, and better sleep. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being consistent. Even small fixes, like rinsing your mouth after using a steroid inhaler, cut down on thrush and hoarseness.

Below, you’ll find real-world guides from people who’ve been there: how to tell if your inhaler is empty, which spacers work best with which devices, how to clean a dry powder inhaler without breaking it, and what to do when your inhaler stops spraying even though it’s not empty. These aren’t theory pages—they’re fixes that actually work.