Wheelchair Cushion Maintenance 

Care

The wheelchair cushion is a very important piece of equipment. The cushion helps to properly position you in your chair, provide the proper level of support and helps to reduce pressure to bony areas of your body which, in turn prevents or reduces pressure sores. Regular routine maintenance of your cushion is required in order to prolong the life of your cushion and to ensure it will work for you. Examine your skin twice daily for any discoloration which could be the beginning of a pressure sore. Skin discoloration may be an indication that your cushion is not providing the proper level of support and needs to be replaced. As a general rule, most cushions should last for approximately five(5) years if you take care of them.

Maintenance

• Clean the cushion according to the manufacturer’s guidelines
• Most cushions have a cover that can be removed for cleaning. The cover should be cleaned in a washing machine. After washing the cover, it can be dried using the air tumble setting. Do not place the cover in a commercial dryer. The dryer can cause heat damage.
• Air cushions should be inspected weekly for leaks
• Gel cushions should be checked on a monthly basis for leaks
• Foam cushions should be checked monthly for areas where the foam is compressed and cannot provide the proper level of support

For a PDF of this information click here.