Wheelchair Maintenance Checklist: Prevent Wheelchair Malfunctioning and Accidents

A wheelchair is not only a mobility aid but a lifeline for the independence of a wheelchair user. So, it is imperative to keep it maintained. Keeping your wheelchair in a good health will not only save you from costly repair bills but will also keep you safe and active. A breakdown in the wheelchair can pause your life if you rely on the wheelchair for your mobility. Here are some wheelchair maintenance tips to keep your wheelchair comfortable, safe and reliable.

1. Add Wheelchair Cleaning in Your Weekly Routine

Your wheelchair needs a thorough cleaning once a week, especially if you take your wheelchair outside. A weekly cleaning session will not only keep your wheelchair neat but you will also easily find any minor wear and tear in your wheelchair parts. Of course, you understand the importance of solving any problem in its initial stage. You can use warm water with little soap to clean and stop damages done by dirt scrapping against moving parts. Don’t forget to dry your wheelchair after cleaning it well to prevent it from rusting.

2. Lubricate All Moving Parts of Your Wheelchair

When you clean your wheelchair, see if all the moving parts of the wheelchair are lubricated enough. In most cases lubricating your wheelchair parts once a month will be enough. Castor oil is considered one of the best lubricants. You can use all-purpose silicone lubricant spray too.

3. Repair Any Damage as soon as Possible

If you are using a wheelchair, you should learn small repairing techniques like tightening any loose screw. These small maintenance will go a long way in enhancing the life of your wheelchair and preventing you from any potential injuries due to the sudden breakdown of your wheelchair. You should also keep the contact details of your nearest wheelchair repairing professional in case you find any damage that you cannot repair yourself. While checking for any damages pay special attention to fittings, brakes, wheels, casters, etc.

4. Pay More Attention if Your Wheelchair has a Pneumatic Tyre

If your wheelchair has solid tyres you will just need to check for any visible damage. But if your tyres are pneumatic you need to check the air pressure too. When you press your tyre ideally it should not go down more than 5mm. If the tyre has less air you’ll need to fill in the air which you can do using a bike pump. If you don’t know what kind of tyres your wheelchair has, just look at the rims and you’ll know. If there aren’t any valves, you have solid tyres and if there are valves you have pneumatic tyres.

5. Clean Casters and Axel Minutely

Lint and hair get tangled in the casters and axels of the wheels. Initially, it will make propelling wheelchair tougher and eventually lead to premature wearing of your wheelchair. These are the areas that you cannot simply clean by washing or wiping. You will need to use scissors, tweezers, or pliers to take out the tangled lint and hairs. Keeping casters and axels free from dirt, lint and hairs will save you a lot of energy in addition to increasing the longevity of your wheelchair.

Following a weekly cleaning, maintenance and repairing routine for your wheelchair will need hardly 30-60 minutes per week. Investing a small amount of time in these works will save you from possible accidents due to malfunctioning of the wheelchair.