Pedicure thrones are one of the biggest investments a salon can make, yet some owners tend to neglect them once they have been installed, and soon find themselves with a chair in need of repair.

I recently talked to Robin Langlois, president of One Source Service, a salon repair company, and he said the number-one problem causing pedicure chair malfunction is lack of maintenance.

“People will spend $5,000 on a chair, and then not do anything to maintain it. They’ll use it for three years, and then start to have problems with it. The first signs are the motor on the chair starting to make noise, the drain pump on your drain is going to slow down, or a discoloration of the bowl from not cleaning it properly.”

Robin says that without any maintenance, a chair can break down after only three years of service, but if it is properly cared for, it can last up to 10 years.

So what kind of maintenance should be done?

Robin recommends the following:

• Schedule regular maintenance calls. Pedicure thrones should be serviced by a professional every six months. They should check all the vitals to spot any problems early and do a thorough cleaning. As Robin says, “It’s like having your car serviced. Just a routine checkup.”

• Condition the leather. Take time to treat the upholstery to prolong the visible wear.

• Don’t free-pour bleach into the basin. If you’re going to use bleach to disinfect, only use one tablespoon for every five gallons. Pouring lots of bleach will corrode the rubber gaskets and plastic in the drains, filters, and jets.

• Pay attention to your warranty. Different companies have different warranties. Some are longer than others, and some only cover part replacement and not installation. Make sure to know exactly what your warranty entails so you can make well informed decisions on maintenance and repair.

Remember, that taking care of your investments will make sure that your investments take care of you. The cost of maintenance and service will inevitably outweigh the expense replacing broken equipment. If you’ve had any problems with faulty pedicure thrones, we’d like to hear about it. Write in on the Feedback section, and feel free to comment on a previous post as well.

— Tim