In addition to extending a wheelchair's lifespan and maintaining its original appearance, proper wheelchair washing and disinfection stops the spread of viruses and germs like COVID-19.
Owing to the virus's ease of spread, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued some crucial guidelines to stop it from spreading, such as avoiding social situations, washing your hands frequently, and thoroughly cleaning the objects and surfaces you use on a daily basis. Wheelchair cleaning and disinfection become even more crucial now that we are starting to spend more time outside.
Today, we'd like to provide you with some suggestions and pointers to help you regularly clean your wheelchair and stop the virus from spreading.
How to disinfect and clean a wheelchair
Disinfection vs. Cleaning
First and foremost, keep in mind that cleaning and disinfecting are two different things. Cleaning gets rid of dirt and germs from surfaces, but it doesn't destroy germs. Eliminating them merely reduces the quantity of bacteria and the likelihood of illnesses spreading.
On the other hand, we use chemical treatments to eradicate microorganisms like bacteria when sanitising a wheelchair. Unclean surfaces are not always cleaned by this procedure. After cleaning, eliminating surface-level bacteria can help stop the spread of infectious diseases.
In light of this, you should regularly clean and sanitise your wheelchair with a surface-specific sanitizer. These goods bear the labels "virucidal" and "bactericidal." A guide to these goods is available on the UK government's Public Health England website. To ensure correct usage and disinfection, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Advice and suggestions for wheelchair cleaning
It is crucial to keep your wheelchair clean each time you go to a public location, such as a grocery store.
Use of a disinfecting solution is required for all surfaces in contact. Wipes with a minimum 70% alcohol solution or other approved store-bought surface-disinfection solutions should be used for disinfecting. For a minimum of fifteen minutes, the sanitizer needs to stay on the surface. Next, use a wipe to clean the surface and an aseptic cloth to rinse it.
An electric wheelchair's joystick can be wiped down with a moist cloth and mild sanitizer.
Make sure that following disinfection, all surfaces are completely dried and washed with clean water. Recall that a poorly dried wheelchair may sustain harm. Any part of your chair should always be cleaned with a little moist towel rather than a wet one.
Avoid using abrasives, solvents, bleaches, sprays, synthetic detergents, and wax enamels. For further details on how to clean the controls, refer to the wheelchair's manuals.
Remember to sanitise the handles, armrests, and other parts that carers and users commonly come into contact with.
Essential wheelchair parts
Even though you should thoroughly clean the frame after going anywhere in public, there are some parts and accessories, like the cushion, the armrests, or the hand-rims, that you should take extra care of because they are often the target of viral infection.
Wheels in the front and rear of your wheelchair: These parts come into direct contact with the ground, which exposes them to a variety of microorganisms. It is advised to carry out a cleaning routine each time you go home, even if a daily disinfection is not done. Before applying, make sure the disinfectant is suitable for your mobility chair. Another option is to completely dry the seat with soapy water. Your electric wheelchair should never be submerged in water or hosed off.
Handles: Because wheelchair handles are frequently in contact with numerous hands, they are one of the primary places where viruses infect wheelchairs. It is therefore essential to sanitise them after cleaning. These goods have virucidal and bactericidal labels. Visit the Public Health England UK Government website to view their suggested list of disinfectants and surface cleansers.
Armrests: If at all feasible, use one of these surface sanitizers to clean the armrest as it is another area of regular contact.
Joystick and hand-rims: In the event of an electric wheelchair, it is imperative that the joystick be cleaned, and in the case of a manual wheelchair, the hand-rims be cleaned. These two components can concentrate large amounts of germs because they come into complete touch with our hands.
Cushion: Our bodies make complete contact with the seat and back cushions. Sweating and rubbing can aid in the growth and dissemination of bacteria. If at all feasible, sanitise it, let it sit for fifteen minutes or more, and then pat it dry with a paper towel or disposable cloth.
You can adhere to the same guidelines and sanitise the areas that are regularly touched when using crutches or canes, or other forms of assistance items, particularly when using them in public settings.