Maintenance 101: Essential Tips to Keep Your Mobility Scooter in Top Shape
When it comes to looking after your lightweight mobility scooter, it may be overwhelming on where to start. In this guide, we will walk through some maintenance tips that will keep our scooters in great condition and give it the love and care it deserves.
Keeping Your Mobility Scooter Clean
Your mobility scooter will soon become your number one companion so you will need to keep it clean. This is something that you may not have considered before. By using a soft cloth, you can use this to wipe down the exterior, the control panel, seat and any nooks and crannies where dust and debris may build up on your travel travel mobility scooter. It may be a good idea to keep a clean cloth to hand so when you are out and about and notice something needs cleaning, you can do it there and then.
Keeping your mobility scooter clean is important to make sure it works well and stays nice. Avoid spraying water directly on any parts with lights or electronics. Don't use a lot of water when cleaning. Just a little damp cloth is enough. See this article on how you can prepare for the colder weather with a travel mobility scooter.
Battery Care
Taking care of the battery in your travel mobility scooter is really important to keep it running well. The battery is the heart of a mobility scooter so you need to keep good care of it. In order to do this, you need to avoid overcharging them. The best way to do this is to avoid charging it in small stints. See an in-depth explanation on overcharging your mobility scooter battery here.
For example, if you are just popping down to the shop and back, then you may not need to charge the battery if you haven’t used much battery life. The reason why we suggest against small stints of charging is because this will damage the health of the battery over time as they’re designed to be drained and then re-charged.
Follow the guidance from the manual in regards to the recommended charging times. Therefore it is recommended to the battery die down before charging it again in order to maintain top performance. Additionally, it is always recommended to use the charger that came with your scooter as other chargers might not work well with your folding mobility scooter and could even hurt the battery. See this article on tips to look after your mobility scooter’s battery.
Brake Checks
The functionality of your folding mobility scooters brakes are crucial for your safety. You will need to monitor the brakes to ensure you're safe at all times and they respond promptly and effectively. If the brakes seem to be making an unusual noise or there is a decrease in the braking performance, refer back to the product manual or consult the retailer for further advice. Make sure that you’re able to use the brakes in 2 ways: being firmly and sharply for emergency stops, plus slowly and steadily for speed control in heavy traffic areas.
Tyre Maintenance
We need to protect our tyres and one way we can do this is to replace inner tubes or use a puncture prevention gel to reduce the risk of getting any punctures in our scooters. Don’t forget that keeping the tyres clean is also part of maintenance. Dirt and debris can build up on the tyres, potentially causing damage over time. Regularly cleaning the tyres will always help them last longer.
As discussed above, the tyres need tread for better grip, however if they are filled with dirt and debris then the amount of grip on the tyres will be reduced. If you have had your lightweight mobility scooter for a few years or have noticed the tread wear down then you may find it’s time to look at replacing the tyres, see this range of tyres available for a range of folding mobility scooters.
Storage Tips
When you are not using your folding mobility scooter, you need to ensure that you are keeping it in a dry and enclosed space to protect it. This does not include leaving outside in the open under a cover as the moisture and any water will damage your lightweight mobility scooter.
If you are unsure of where you would actually store your mobility scooter then here are some suggestions. If you need to store your folding mobility scooter outside then look into an outdoor shed like this one, or you may want something more portable such as a Waterproof Outdoor Cover like this one.
Taking care of your folding mobility scooter is not just about extending the lifespan, it is about ensuring your continued independence and safety. By following these maintenance tips, you can keep your travel mobility scooter in top shape for years to come. A well-maintained mobility scooter will provide you with countless worry-free rides and adventures.