How to Clean & Maintain Food Cart Caster Wheels
Whether they’re on meal delivery carts, transport carts, refrigerated or heated equipment, caster wheels are an important part of your particular unit. They allow you to move them around with ease and convenience, and they come in all kinds of styles, sizes and materials. But did you know you have to maintain your caster wheels just like you do with your equipment? Here’s how you can efficiently clean and maintain both rubber and metal caster wheels on your food carts and other units.
Cleaning Your Caster Wheels
Check the cleanliness of your casters during your daily maintenance checks of the cart or equipment.
- Step 1—Start by flipping over the cart or unit per your OEM’s recommendations.
- Step 2—Remove any and all debris from the caster wheels. This step is important for overall cleaning and performance.
- Step 3—Using a soft cleaning cloth, wipe away any additional debris, dirt or grime that may have accumulated on the caster’s surface and in the nooks and crannies.
- Step 4—Lubricate if needed.
How to Sanitize Caster Wheels
In the event that you use your equipment with casters in a healthcare or laboratory facility that requires a particular level of cleanliness, sanitizing your caster wheels may be a necessary cleaning step. Should you need to do this, there are many different ways to properly sanitize them. Depending on your setting, you may need to do one over the other, but here are some common sanitizing steps for your caster wheels.
- Using disinfecting wipes or isopropyl alcohol—Using either rubbing alcohol or disinfecting wipes can be a convenient way to sanitize caster wheels. Simply grab a disposable wipe or a clean microfiber cloth with alcohol and wipe down the entire caster wheel surface. Allow to thoroughly dry before using.
- High temperature steam cleaning—Steam is a great disinfectant, and can often be used on a whole cart or unit (depending on OEM recommendations). Use an appropriate steamer to kill any harmful germs.
- Food-safe disinfectants—If your casters are attached to food delivery carts, you’ll more than likely have a food-safe disinfectant on hand. While doing your daily cleaning, give the casters a thorough wipe down with the food-grade cleaner to remove any bacteria.
Caster Wheel Maintenance Tips
One of the most important preventative maintenance tasks is to inspect and take care of caster wheels. Doing so will help make sure that your wheels roll smoothly, safely and quietly. Doing these maintenance tasks on a regular or semi-regular basis will keep your equipment moving with ease.
Lubricating Caster Wheels
Keeping those caster wheels lubricated will help resist the formation of rust, make them easy to use and keep them working quietly. Here’s how you can lubricate your caster wheels:
- Step 1—Clean caster wheels and remove any debris
- Step 2—Taking an appropriate lubricant like WD40 or an OEM-recommended one, apply it to all moving parts of the caster wheel
- Step 3—After applying the lubricant, work it into all moving parts by spinning the wheels and swivel to ensure even distribution.
- Step 4—Once you’re confident that the wheels are sufficiently lubricated, wipe off any excess with a clean, soft cloth.
- Step 5—Thoroughly lubricate caster wheels every 6 months or as needed. If you’re noticing you’re having to frequently lubricate the wheels, it’s time to replace them.
Adjusting Castor Tension
If you feel like you’re having to really push that cart to get it anywhere, or you barely have to touch it to get the unit rolling, it’s time to adjust the tension.
The tension is held in the screw that connects the wheel to the swivel of the caster. Take an appropriate-sized screwdriver or tool and loosen or tighten the screw until you can roll the unit with ease and safety.
Inspection
Regular checks of the caster wheels will ensure that you catch any small issues before they turn into big problems. Inspect the caster bearings, caster movement, the wheel itself and any screws or hardware that attaches it to the unit. If any of these areas seem like they’re experiencing excessive damage or wear, it’s time to replace them.
How to Remove Caster Wheels
Sometimes removing the caster wheel may be required for cleaning and maintenance. Thankfully, no matter the type of caster you’re dealing with, they’re very simple to remove.
How to Remove Caster Wheels with Swivel Plate
- Step 1—Prop up or flip the unit with the caster wheels to access them.
- Step 2—Grab a screwdriver, wrench or socket wrench that will fit the bolts that attach the plate to the unit.
- Step 3—Unscrew the bolts. When unscrewing the last one, make sure you hold onto the caster wheel so the whole piece doesn’t fall off.
How to Remove Caster Wheels with Swivel Stems
- Step 1—Prop up or flip the unit with the caster wheels to access them.
- Step 2—Gather any necessary tools to remove the caster wheels as specified by type:
- If the stem screws into the unit, unscrew it either by hand or with an appropriate wrench.
- If the stem is accompanied by a nut, use a wrench to unscrew the nut from the base of the stem to loosen it and remove.
- If the stem can be pulled out, firmly hold the wheel and firmly pull/wiggle it out of place. If necessary, use a rubber mallet and tap the top and underside of the caster to loosen it.