Stairlift Maintenance and Cleaning-Here's Some Tips

With your new stairlift installed, it’s important to protect your investment and make sure it gives give many years’ trouble-free service. Like any machine, a home stairlift needs routine servicing and maintenance. Here are some tips for cleaning and maintaining your stairlift.

With your new stairlift installed, it’s important to protect your investment and make sure it gives give many years’ trouble-free service. Like any machine, a home stairlift needs routine servicing and maintenance, but any mechanical or electrical work on your stairlift must be left to the experts. Stairlift manufacturers recommend their products are regularly serviced (usually once a year) by a competent stairlift engineer. This keeps them working well and ensures any damaged or worn parts can be identified and replaced.   

The first service (sometimes the first two) should be covered by the manufacturer’s warranty supplied with a new stairlift. This should be checked before you buy. Beyond that, most manufacturers offer extended warranties or ‘annual service agreements’ to ensure your stairlift continues to receive routine expert maintenance after the initial warranty expires. Although technical maintenance must be left to the experts, there are some basic things you can do to help keep your stairlift in good clean condition. Refer to the care and maintenance section of the user manual supplied with your stairlift for any advice specific to that make and model. Some general tips include:  

• Dust and clean the stairlift rail once a week with a dry cloth. You can apply a little household polish to the cloth, but do not use a damp or wet cloth on the rail, or any abrasive cleaner.  

• If you can easily access the toothed metal rack part of the stairlift rail it’s a good idea to vacuum it regularly to prevent a build-up of dust. You’ll need to use one of the tool attachments for your vacuum cleaner.  

• Most stairlift carriages have surfaces that can be cleaned with a damp (not wet) cloth or a disinfectant wipe, especially the seat, backrest, armrests, and footrest. Refer to your user manual to be sure, and clean very gently around any control switches.  

• Remote control handsets should be regularly cleaned with a damp cloth or disinfectant wipe. You should also check the batteries regularly and change when necessary.  

• Make sure the stairlift carriage is always ‘parked’ on its charging point at the top or bottom of the stairs when the stairlift is not in use, so the batteries are topped up. If you’re not sure how to do this, we advised that you refer to your user manual.  

• Do not unplug or switch off the power supply to the stairlift rail. This will result in the batteries inside the stairlift carriage losing their charge so the stairlift will not work.  

• If the stairlift is not needed for a while, you should still run it up and down the stairs at least once a week to keep everything moving. Make sure it is properly parked for recharging.  

• If other people in your household use the stairs in the normal way, make sure the arms, seat, and footrest of the stairlift carriage are folded up when not in use. Other people will find it easier to get past the carriage and will be less likely to damage it by bumping into it.   

WARNING: do not attempt any cleaning, dusting, or vacuuming operation on the stairs if it puts your safety at risk! The main purpose of a stairlift is to keep you safe on the stairs, so how foolish would you feel falling down the stairs while attempting the clean the stairlift rail? If you can’t do it safely, ask someone to do it for you.