Wheelchairs must be regularly serviced if they are to last and be safe to use. If it is utilized on a weekly or daily basis, creating a checklist of areas of the chair to evaluate is beneficial.
The upkeep of your metal wheelchair ramp is critical to its safety and performance. Whether you purchased it from Essential Aids or another mobility store, it’s essential going over the list to ensure that everything is covered.
Cleanup
The most important aspect of continuing wheelchair maintenance is keeping it as clean as possible. If used outside, it will collect up dirt and particles from the environment, which might accumulate on the moving parts and cause damage or safety hazards. It’s especially critical to ensure that the brakes and wheels are clean and in good functioning order.
Upholstery cleaning on a wheelchair
In most circumstances, cleaning wheelchair upholstery with hot water and soap or light detergent is beneficial. You should try to rinse out as much soap as possible and if feasible, air dries the chair. Remember that you won’t be able to use it while it’s drying, so keep that in mind before you begin.
A damp sponge is important for the process, as is a cloth or towel for wiping away as much moisture as possible. The best method is to dry the wheelchair outside in the sun or wind.
Cleaning the tubes on the frame
Whether the wheelchair frame is made of steel or aluminium, the first way of cleaning is with soap and water. Again, it’s preferable to deal with this before a substantial amount of trash has accumulated.
Using a towel soaked in WD40 to clean the tubing may also be a good idea. It not only dissolves filth and grime, but it also leaves a protective coating. It’s best to be as thorough as possible with all tubing, including the difficult-to-reach areas. To that aim, it’s a good idea to lift the wheelchair, perhaps by placing it on a table or bench surface. This will allow you to reach areas that you might otherwise be unable to access.
Wheelchair wheel cleaning
If the chair is self-propelled and has huge rear wheels for pushing, you should pay special attention to these details. Grease particles can accumulate on the rim surfaces, therefore it’s a good idea to try to clean them.
One helpful idea is to use an alcohol-based cleaning that you can just wipe on with a cloth. This should restore the rim to its original condition
While cleaning the push-rims, you may come across an unexpected piece of damage to the metal itself. Collisions with curbs and other objects can cause nicks and scrapes, which can develop into sharp edges in some situations. Because of the force required to propel the chair, these could slash your palms or fingers. It’s worth paying attention to and dealing with anything like this when cleaning. This form of damage can be rubbed down using sandpaper. This should sand down any rough edges and make the rims safe to use again.
The inner rims to which the spokes are attached should be treated similarly to the tubing and rubbed down with WD40. This is an area that is prone to filth gathering, so it is vital to pay special care to it. This method can also be used to clean the spokes. It is also worthwhile to clean the tyres themselves. These gather up small particles of debris that can become embedded in the tread or the tyre’s substance. Scrub the tread thoroughly with a little bleach solution before washing it with soap and water. This may have the effect of lowering the shine that some tyres get as they age, which can be detrimental to their traction.
If your hands come into contact with the tyres as you push, restoring them to the near-factory condition can improve both their feel to the touch and their performance.
Nuts, screws, and bolts
Every couple of months, especially if you use your wheelchair frequently, go over all of the fasteners to make sure nothing is coming loose.
It is probable that this will happen over time, with the chair being folded down and back up again, and sustaining little impact in addition to ordinary wear and tear.
Check that you have the proper gauge spanners and screwdrivers to ensure that everything is secure and tight.
