Wheelchair Maintenance

Imagine this, you (along with hundreds of other people) are rushing to the nearest grocery store to stock up on toilet paper, disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and a surplus of other hygiene products. Actually, this isn’t very hard to imagine at all because it was just days ago that this very thing happened and will continue to happen. With all the panic in the air about staying healthy and safe, everyone’s attention has shifted to raising awareness about hygiene and how to maintain yourself and your home clean. However, there seems to be a lack of attention on the fact that for many, cleanliness goes beyond washing your hands and keeping the kitchen counter disinfected. For people who own wheelchairs, keeping them clean and working smoothly, is something that needs to be prioritized as well, and what better time to check in on your wheelchair than now. Below we will share with you some tips on how to make this process simple and easy to make regular.

Know Your Chair Besides knowing the model and the use intended for your wheelchair, as the owner of it you know when things are not running as smoothly. 
Taking a moment to make a list of the issues you have noticed on your chair, may make solving them easier.        Your list could include parts of your chair in need of cleaning, checking tire pressures, tightening screws, or checking the positioning of certain equipment. Making this step a habit could also minimize the number of repairs that could become more costly, and potentially shorten the life of your chair. 
Wipe Down Regularly Giving your wheelchair a thorough cleaning can be time consuming so doing it regularly be better and faster. Try making it a habit and wipe down your wheelchair regularly. Depending on how often you use your chair, wiping it down everyday or every couple day wouldn’t hurt. This simple step could help prevent the buildup of dirt and germs. With the high demand for products like disinfecting wipes in this health crisis, maybe opting for a “DIY” disinfecting technique could help save you a few bucks. We recommend using warm water or a household cleaner on your wheelchair and wiping it down with an old (but clean) t-shirt or rag. Take it Apart Wiping your chair down regularly is a measure that can be taken to decrease the buildup of dirt, but there are parts of your wheelchair that can't be cleaned with a simple wipe down. Taking some time every couple of weeks or every month to do some more detailed cleaning on your wheelchair is also recommended to help extend the life of your chair.            Detaching parts of your chair to get those hard to reach places is a great idea, and with quick release axles you can easily and quickly remove your wheels for a more thorough cleaning. Once you have removed your wheels you can then spray pretty much any household cleaner on them and wipe them down using a towel or rag. Using a toothbrush or a smaller long object can be helpful in cleaning those tight places.                                                                          You can then detach the upholstery from your chair. If you are able to detach your upholstery you can always hand wash and hang to dry. If detaching them is not possible you can take a damp towel and wipe down the sling and back using a small amount of soap. This process can take care of any spills or accidents on the chair.                               As for the rest of the wheelchair, using that same household cleaner and rag will tackle any dirt that has accumulated over time. Once you are satisfied with the state of your chair the last step is to re-attach any part you may have detached to clean or fix.                                                                                                                                               One Last Tip Maintenance on your wheelchair should not bring you stress, so the last tip would be to not hesitate to reach out to someone who may have more knowledge about your wheelchair when you run into any doubts. If you have a question about any parts or noticed something not working properly give us a call and we will gladly help you out. Stay safe & healthy by keeping yourself and your wheelchair clean!  
9th Jun 2022 AZermeno

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