Dealing with Wheelchair Stains

For those who have to live with the help of a wheelchair, life is often comes with a double edged sword. While they are able to get around with relative ease, new types of messes are usually produced that have to be dealt with. Some examples of these stains or other problems are nicks, dents, divots, tire tracks, rubber smudges, and so on. All of these are easily dealt with or even prevented if you only keep in mind a few simple guidelines.

• Protect the lower walls. Take a little bit of time, and prepare the walls to help protect them from any possible damage by installing some plastic molding. There are two basic types that you can use, either stick-on or nail on molding. These two types are also available in clear or colored variations. Use which ever one will work best with your home decor.
• Have separate wheelchairs. One possible way to prevent dirt tracks, or other problems from the wheels of your wheelchair is to actually have specific wheelchairs for indoor use and for outdoor use. By having these dedicated wheelchairs you can prevent any outdoor mud or dirt from getting inside and on your carpeting and flooring. In addition, if your indoor wheelchair has the right kind of wheels you will be able to prevent rubber marks from getting on the flooring or on the walls.
• Use Windex, or glass cleaner. By using Windex or some other type of glass cleaner, you can remove most kinds of rubber marks from flooring. Simply spray a little bit of the cleaner onto a plastic scrubbie sheet, and rub away the stain. Be careful when you do this though, so that you do not damage the flooring material, or inadvertently gouge the flooring in any way.
• Denatured rubbing alcohol will work. You can use denatured rubbing alcohol in much the same way as glass cleaner. Be sure that you are using a soft lint-free rag when cleaning the rubber marks from the floor. This method can often be used to work on most any surface.
• WD-40 will work if you are careful. WD-40 will also work on removing most types of stains. However, you will need to test sparingly in an inconspicuous are first. The reason for this is that WD-40 can potentially damage the some surfaces. Be aware that WD-40 will make the surface you apply it to very slippery, so you will want to remove as much of the WD-40 as you possibly can after you have cleaned the mess. To do this you will want to use a soft lint-free rag, which has good absorption abilities. Simply moisten the rag with a little bit of rubbing alcohol, and then rub to remove the WD-40.
• Specialized sprays. You can also purchase a specialized cleaning spray from the wheelchair vendor. This type of spray is extremely effective, but it is also fairly expensive. While it will work, there are often other less expensive cleaning agents that you can use.