How to Keep Your Equipment Clean

Guest blog post by Bob Vogel

One of the perks of being a journalist is having the opportunity to attend many wheelchair events — like the Abilities Expo. One of the things that puzzles me — you may have noticed it, too — are wheelchair users who have a disconnect between how they dress and how they care for their mobility equipment. I could never figure out how somebody takes the time to be clean and dress well, but neglects cleaning their chair. A quick reminder — spending a few minutes wiping down your chair with a damp cloth or having your personal care attendant clean it for you — does wonders for your appearance.

People DO notice whether your chair is clean — or not. My wife — now ex-wife, good friend — said one of the things she noticed about me when we first dating was that I kept my chair clean. To her, this is a sign of self-confidence and comfort with my disability. She found this attractive.

Even more important than keeping your chair clean is making sure to keep your cushion clean! Keeping a cushion clean is something I rarely hear mentioned, but it is important — a cushion can get pretty funky if you don’t clean it now and then. We get used to our own odor, so if our cushion starts smelling rank, we probably won’t notice it. However, other people do notice the odor. To make matters worse, it is unlikely that even your close friends and family will tell you because there doesn’t seem to be a polite way to say it. Here is a hint — if people seem to give you a lot more personal space than everybody else, you may want to do some cushion cleaning.

The first step in avoiding cushion odor is to wash your cushion cover on a regular basis. After all, we change our underwear every day — I hope. I have two cushion covers and I change mine every couple of days. Standard size ROHO cushion covers can be purchased at authorized online retailers or The ROHO Store. Cushion covers can also be purchased at your local DME dealer. I find washing the covers on the “gentle” cycle and hang drying them helps them last much longer.

To purchase a cover for a custom size ROHO cushion, call customer service at 800-851-3449. The average cost of a custom cushion cover is around $70. Be sure to have the serial number of your cushion handy when you call. It’s printed on the white tag on the bottom of the cushion.

The next step to avoiding cushion odor is cleaning your cushion on a regular basis. With a ROHO cushion this is a quick and easy process. I give my cushion a quick clean every week or two when I’m in the bath or shower. I grab my cushion (still inflated with the valve closed) remove the cover and take it into the tub or shower with me. I clean it with a washcloth and soap — I use Irish Spring — by gently scrubbing around all the air cells, rinse thoroughly, especially around each cell and then towel dry around each cell. The process takes about 3–5 minutes total.

In-depth cleaning instructions can be found on The ROHO Group’s website at Cleaning and Disinfecting ROHO^® DRY FLOATATION^® Products.

For stubborn odors, like dreaded bladder or bowel accidents, go to the section on deodorizing under Cleaning and Disinfecting ROHO® DRY FLOATATION® Products.

Here are the directions:

• Deflate the cushion and close the valve(s). Make a mixture of one tablespoon of baking soda per quart of water (25 gm/l) or a solution of 1 part vinegar in 10 parts water — make enough to soak the cushion in deep wash basin.
• Soak the cushion in the basin for several hours, rinse and let dry. For really stubborn odors you may need to repeat the process.

I find using some type of weight — I use a small barbell — keeps the cushion immersed in the solution. It helps if you have an extra cushion — see “How Often Should You Replace Your Cushion?” — to sit on while the other one is being cleaned.

Remember to keep your mobility equipment clean. Here is to hoping that a significant other — or potential significant other — notices the effort!

 

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Bob Vogel, 51, is a freelance writer for the ROHO Community blog. He is a dedicated dad, adventure athlete and journalist. Bob is in his 26th year as a T10 complete para. For the past two decades he has written for New Mobility magazine and is now their Senior Correspondent. He often seeks insight and perspective from his 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, and Schatzie, his 9-year-old German Shepherd service dog.