Updated August 10, 2014.

Wheelchair Washers: What They Are, And What They Do

Bacteria builds quickly on durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, commode chairs, and medical carts, to name a few. The amount of germ build-up is too much to be removed by washing the equipment by hand with a sani-cloth for example. Heavy-duty use requires heavy-duty cleaning.

That's where the equipment or wheelchair washer comes in handy.

A medical equipment or wheelchair washer is a stainless steel case big enough for a wheelchair, or medical cart for example, to fit inside. The door shuts and locks securely, and the washing machine hooks up to a water hose system. The equipment inside gets washed under high-pressure hot water with the appropriate chemical mix to kill up to 99 percent of the bacteria in just one wash. Some machines take twenty minutes for a complete wash, but some manufacturers (Medco Equipment and HubScrub are two examples) have newer machines that can completely wash equipment in 5 minutes.

Washers can be a fixed in place unit, or they can be mobile with casters under them. The mobile units are typically narrower than a standard 36" wide doorway so that they can be moved throughout a hospital, clinic, assisted living, or nursing home facility.

So while mobile washers are narrow, typically around 34" wide, they are still tall enough and deep enough to be able to fit two pieces of durable medical equipment in a single wash cycle.

Each manufacturer makes a different model size with slightly different dimensions, but in general the length and height are each generally in the 58" range.

Power

You should have no trouble finding an equipment washer that connects to a standard 110v wall outlet. There are varying degrees of power on different models. But the typical standard is 3/4 horsepower that generates 30 pounds of pressure. The key to the efficacy however is not finding the highest pressure possible. Independent lab tests have shown that a mix of high pressure and low pressure is needed throughout the cycle. The low pressure plays an important part in throughly soaking the bacteria with the cleaning agents to get the maximum germ-killing benefit.

Inside the washer, you'll find spray jets positioned in the bottom, sides, and ceiling of the cabinet. Equipment and wheelchair washers also use a spin arm mechanism like a traditional dishwashing machine in a home. This improves the coverage of the spray, cleaning, and rinsing effort.

Capacity

Washers come in different sizes. There are even extra tall units so that high-back positioning chairs can fit in the machine for cleaning. Typically the washer hooks up to two garden hose attachments; one for the rinse cycle and and one for the drain process. When selecting your equipment washer, make sure you choose one that does not recycle the same water. There should be new, fresh, clean water used for the clean and rinse processes.

Safety

Safety features to look for when comparing washers:

• Ground fault interrupt circuit (GFI) in case power needs to be immediately shut off
• Handles to make moving the washer safe
• Casters for ease of movement, but make sure at least two of them are locking casters so that you can stabilize the unit while it is running
• Make sure there is an inside exit door handle so that no one can be locked inside the cabinet
• Look for features like rust-free plumbing
• UL listing
• Locking doors
• Emergency stop switch
• Cross-contamination avoidance; no re-use of water

Learn More About the Equipment That Washers Wash

• 3 Types of Materials for Medical Cart Bodies
• 4 Common Categories of Durable Medical Equipment
• How Long Should an I.V. Pole Last?
• Unique equipment to keep your bariatric patient, and your staff, safe.
• 12 Types of Wheelchairs
• How to Determine Proper Fit in a Wheelchair
• Medical Cart Uses
• How a Case Cart System Improves Efficiency, Cuts Costs, and Improves Care
• How To Plan Your Case Cart System
• Medical Supplies Storage Locker - Exterior Benefits