Your custom medical cart has been through engineering, production, and packaging and is ready to enter the field. When the cart reaches the end user, there will no doubt be many questions regarding its functionality, safety, and maintenance. And when it comes to maintenance in the medical field, cleaning and disinfecting equipment is particularly crucial.
In terms of cleaning custom medical carts safely and effectively, end users are bound to have some questions related to which products they should use to properly maintain the cart while maximizing the longevity of its appearance. To help you out, here are answers to some of the most common questions we hear and a summary of our own in-house test results.
How Long is Paint Expected to Last While a Cart is in the Field?
The exact lifetime of any cart’s paint/appearance is difficult to estimate with accuracy due to wide variations in usage and exposure. In general, the appearance of carts exposed to UV light and high levels of service will have a shorter lifetime than others. While HUI cannot specify a lifetime for paint, we can guarantee that we use the most durable coatings available on our carts.
Will the Paint Hold Up to Cleaners?
The paint on your custom medical cart will hold up against non-abrasive and non-concentrated cleaners. Cleaners that are recommended for the cart’s field of use will work best for cleaning the cart effectively, and standard household cleaners will generally clean the surface without causing damage to the appearance. Abrasive or strong commercial concentrated cleaners are not recommended for cleaning your custom medical cart as such products will affect the gloss and color of the paint over time.
Which Cleaners are Recommended?
One of our customers uses and recommends Sani-Cloth, a germicidal disposable wipe for cleaning carts. These wipes are commonly used in hospitals, healthcare settings and critical care areas, and are “Ideal for daily use in fast-paced environments that require short contact times and broad coverage of microorganisms.”
Another customer’s Instructions for Use (IFU) related to cart cleaning reads as follows:
“Do not clean the cart with abrasive cleaning or disinfectant compound solvents or other materials that could scratch the surfaces. Wipe all surfaces of the cart with a damp cloth and mild cleaning solutions.”
Note: These questions have been answered with help from HUI’s contact at Sherwin Williams. You can read more about the paint our answers are based on here.
HUI’s In-House Test Results
At HUI, we conducted our own in-house testing using various cleaners and paint textures. Here are our results:
|
Cleaner |
Effect on Paint |
Cleaning Efficiency for Visual Markings** |
|
1:1 Bleach & Water Mixture |
None |
Most Effective |
|
Generic Disinfectant Wipes |
None* |
Cleans Well |
|
Sani-Cloth |
None* |
Cleans Well with Applied Force |
|
Generic Glass Cleaner |
None |
Not Effective |
|
Generic Disinfectant Spray |
None |
Effective |
|
Oxy Glass Cleaner Spray |
None |
Effective |
|
Twister Heavy Degreaser |
None |
Cleans Well |
|
Vandalism Mark Remover |
Discolored the Paint and Changed the Texture |
Effective |
* Wipes or towels have a tendency to leave behind fibers on rough textures
** Results reflect testing on visual markings, not on disinfecting or bacteria removal.
Maintaining the finish and appearance of a custom medical cart is one key to its longevity of use in the field. With use of the right cleaners, and a little end-user instruction about maintenance, your carts will continue to look in perfect condition.
