How to Care for Mobility Equipment Between Professional Cleans

Between professional cleans, the aim is not to replicate a deep clean. It is to keep on top of the surfaces you use constantly, and to notice changes early. Both are straightforward.

The weekly essentials

Focus on what your hands and body touch most:

• Hand rims and push handles. These get the most contact of anything on the chair. A wipe with a damp cloth is enough.
• Controls and joysticks. On powered equipment, wipe gently around controls — damp, never wet, and never spray directly onto them.
• Armrests. Skin contact all day, and easy to forget.
• Brake levers. Both for cleanliness and because it prompts you to check they still engage properly.

Every few weeks

• Look at the castors. Hair and thread wrap around castor axles steadily. If you can see it, pull out what comes away easily. Do not force anything or dismantle the housing.
• Check the seating. Surface marks are easier to deal with sooner. Keep fabric as dry as you reasonably can.
• Look over the frame. Particularly where a folding frame creases, and around any fitting that is regularly adjusted.

Wet-area equipment

Shower chairs, commodes and shower trolleys need slightly more attention because they live in humidity.

• Rinse and dry after use where practical
• Pay attention to rubber feet and where the frame meets the floor
• Check where tubing sections join, since water tends to sit there
• Let equipment dry properly rather than storing it damp

What to avoid

• Harsh solvents and bleach at strength. They can damage powder coating, degrade rubber and mark plastics.
• Hosing down powered equipment. Water and electronics do not mix. Damp cloth only, kept away from controllers, motors and battery housings.
• Abrasive scourers on fabric or coated frames. They break down the surface faster than the dirt would.
• Dismantling things yourself. If a part needs to come off to be cleaned properly, leave it for the professional clean.

A quick monthly check

Five minutes, once a month:

• Do both castors turn and swivel freely?
• Do the brakes engage firmly and hold?
• Are the tyres in reasonable condition, and inflated if pneumatic?
• Is anything loose that should not be — armrests, footplates, backrest?
• Any new noise, catch or resistance that was not there before?
• Any tears or wear appearing in the seating?

If something on that list has changed, it is worth mentioning to whoever maintains your equipment. Small changes usually have small causes if they are dealt with early.

Keep a note

A short note on your phone is more useful than it sounds. Jot down anything you notice as you notice it, and bring it up at the next clean. It is very easy to forget a minor squeak by the time someone is standing in front of the chair.