Like any room in your home, personal home elevators need to be cleaned regularly. Unlike the rest of your home, residential lifts and elevators have mechanical parts that can be affected by using the wrong cleaning materials, leaving many people unsure about how to properly clean elevator cars and doors.
Fortunately, elevator cleaning isn’t that complicated. Below is a short guide on how to clean your residential elevator or lift.
How Often Should You Clean Your Home Elevator?
How often you need to clean your home elevator depends on your lifestyle and how much use the elevator sees. Follow a similar schedule for cleaning other rooms and you won’t go far wrong, although the presence of mirrors and metal safety handles may mean you need to clean a little more often than in other rooms.
Remember you’ll only be cleaning the elevator car and doors. Cleaning of mechanical parts should be left to trained technicians during your elevator’s semi-annual servicing.
Tips for Cleaning Your Home Elevator
The type of cleaning agents used to clean residential lifts and elevators is important and should be included in the manufacturer’s operating manual. Generally, however, you can use the same standard gentle cleaning agents used in the rest of your home.
Here’s a quick overview of how to clean personal home elevators:
- Dust all elevator surfaces frequently to avoid dirt and dust accumulation.
- Real wood car and gate panels should be wiped down regularly. Use furniture cleaning solutions to clean and polish wood panels and accessories.
- Disinfect the buttons on hall calls, car operating panels, handrails, and gate handles often.
- Clean mirrored surfaces and glass panels with standard glass cleaners.
- Vacuum and shampoo carpeting and rugs as you would any high-traffic area.
How Do You Clean Metal Finishes on Residential Lifts and Elevators?
Be especially careful when choosing cleaning agents for metal finishes on your home elevator. Chemical cleaning agents can damage the clear coatings protecting these metals. Some metal finishes are susceptible to oxidation and damage in overly humid environments. Again, consult your operator’s manual for specifics.
If you have brass fixtures, be aware of the difference between brushed and polished brass. While polished brass has a clear protective coat, brushed brass does not, and will tarnish if not maintained.
How to Clean Stainless Steel Elevators
Stainless steel is a popular material choice for personal home elevators, as it’s lightweight, strong, and durable. Stainless steel does, however, come with some specific cleaning demands:
- Avoid oily buildup from commercial stainless steel polish by using a non-aerosol degreasing stainless steel cleaner with neutral pH and no bleach or ammonia.
- Avoid scouring stainless steel, as this causes scratches. Instead of scouring pads, use cotton rags, microfiber towels, soft sponges, or paper towels in combination with appropriate cleaning agents.
How to Clean Elevator Doors
Knowing how to clean elevator doors is important, as debris and obstructions in the door can cause performance issues. Clean up any spills or mess around elevator doors promptly, and routinely check that door pathways are clear of debris.
Cleaning and the Life Cycle of Personal Home Elevators
Cleaning elevators regularly keeps car operating panels and elevator decor in good repair, extending the life cycle of your elevator and reducing how frequently you need to replace parts. In this regard elevator cleaning is like any other maintenance: you’re preventing small issues from developing into larger, more expensive problems.
Still need more information on how to clean residential lifts and elevators? The trained professionals at your local home elevator company will be able to provide clarification on what cleaning agents you should and should not use to keep your home elevator looking great for years to come.