Do families visit malls just to shop or because their kids love the play areas? With lifestyle changes happening, families are moving to indoor entertainment. Children are more active in indoor play areas, like in malls, arcades, and entertainment centers. So, it is necessary to have proper maintenance to the playground and the equipment that it carries, even if it is an indoor amusement area. By following proper indoor amusement equipment maintenance, you can ensure the safety of your customers and the longevity of your equipment. Hygiene and maintenance of your equipment will build trust among your customers, especially parents, which in turn contributes to your long-term profitability.
Simple neglect in the maintenance of this equipment can lead to increased downtime, expensive repairs, and even dangerous accidents. With a little care and the right maintenance tips for the amusement rides, you can avoid major issues like equipment failures. This blog will give you clear guidance and tips on how to maintain your indoor amusement equipment.
Top Tips for Indoor Playground Equipment Maintenance
By maintaining your indoor playground, you are not only ensuring safety but also giving a hygienic, professional, and appealing environment to the customers. Let’s see how to make your indoor playground better by using some very useful tips.
- Refer to Manufacturer Guidelines
The right way to start your maintenance routine is by reviewing the manufacturer’s manual. These will provide you with essential details on cleaning methods, servicing schedules, and safety protocols specific to each equipment.
- Start with a Plan
Planning is a solid start to anything. You can come up with a detailed organised plan with the different steps of maintenance and when you are doing it. You can list the equipment and the important parts that are needed to be checked and things to do. Create a checklist to ensure nothing is missed. The planning will give you an idea regarding the time it will take for the maintenance, which could be carried out by you, and whether you need professional help for the maintenance.
- Prioritise Hygiene Daily Inspection
Cleanliness is one of the critical aspects of maintaining an indoor playground. Daily cleaning has to be a compulsory part of your daily maintenance routine. Especially with a pandemic like Covid-19, it is inevitable that you are concerned about cleanliness. The frequent touch spots should be cleaned with kid-friendly agents to ensure that they will not give harsh reactions to the kids using them.
Along with the cleaning, a routine check on the equipment to spot visible wear and tears, loose chains or bolts, and even the conditions of the wires. Prepare a checklist for staff to complete before opening each day.
- Functional Tests on Every Week
Every week you need to check the functionality of the equipment, like the lights, sound, motor, and sensor system. Test run all the equipment and simulate user interactions to detect malfunctions in the early stage itself. Notice and record the movements and anything out of the ordinary. As you have already read the manufacturing guidelines in the beginning, you can oil or lubricate the machines as prescribed to ensure there are no unwanted noises from the equipment. Keep the records of the complete inspection for future reference.
- Monthly Preventive Maintenance
Yes, after the daily and weekly maintenance, there has to be monthly maintenance too. You need to check those simple concerns you had in the weekly tests and get them sorted in the monthly maintenance. This is the time to check the hardware, the electrical issues, and the safety barriers. If there are any complex systems like VR rides and motion simulation, you can arrange an expert visit for maintenance. You can also replace the parts like safety belts, seats, and padding, which are old and might cause damage.
- Invest in Training
We are not experts in indoor playground maintenance. So, let’s call the experts and take mandatory training for all the staff on how to give the necessary attention to the equipment and how to take care of an emergency situation. Your team should be ready for an unexpected situation and should be able to handle it. They need to know how to mend the nets where the kids are jumping if knots are undone.
Also, the staff should be trained on how to maintain the hygiene in the play areas. They should know where to apply a cleaning agent and which materials only need a damp cloth for cleaning. Equipment like slides and crawlers should not be cleaned with soap and water, and you should use silicon sprays depending on the humidity to maintain such rides.
- Safety Precautions
Along with training, the indoor playground should be ready for the unexpected. There have to be mandatory safety precautions like fire extinguishers and the availability of first aid. You need to ensure that all the emergency exits and alarms are in proper working condition and verify that all your equipment is meeting the UAE safety standards.
- Annual Playground Inspections
Apart from the daily and monthly checkups, there has to be a mandatory inspection conducted by an experienced professional in the playground once a year to have all-around maintenance. An expert will be able to judge the situation better than the staff and you. If you are doing proper maintenance, you will be given the green flag by the expert too. This will give you and your customer an assurance that everything is safe and secure in the playground. And, they will also be able to tell you if any equipment needs to be replaced.
- Reaching out to Experts
If there is any broken or non-functioning equipment, instead of doing it yourself, you need to seek professional help. A technical expert would be able to solve your problem much faster and easier than anyone. It might cost you some bucks, but it will be safe and effective.
- Documenting Your Maintenance
Recording is a must for any kind of maintenance. These records and documentation will help you judge the conditions of your equipment. This will help you prove that you have done your part in case of any unexpected accidents. And, according to the indoor playground safety standards in UAE, it is mandatory to have all records and documents that you are doing the maintenance properly.
Texel: Your Right Maintenance Partner
Choosing the right service provider for indoor amusement equipment maintenance is an important task. At Texel, we have specialised supply, installation, and maintenance of all kinds of indoor and outdoor amusement equipment. From kiddie trains to Virtual Reality integrated rides, all are available under the roof of Texel. With our experts and quality products, your rides and equipment are guaranteed to have a durable lifespan and a safe environment for your customers. Whether you run a fairground or a large-scale amusement park, Texel is the right partner for you, even if you want indoor playground equipment maintenance.
FAQ
- How frequently indoor playground equipment is serviced?
There is not a definite time period for equipment servicing. It depends on the equipment and its usage. Most indoor amusement equipment should be checked daily and maintained by a professional at least once a month. - Which indoor amusement equipment requires maintenance?
All indoor amusement equipment requires routine inspection and servicing to ensure safe and smooth operation. This includes soft play structures, arcade machines, VR games, mechanical rides, and inflatables.
- Why is regular maintenance important for indoor amusement equipment?
Because it ensures the safety and comfort of the customers. It will also help your equipment to have a longer lifespan, reduce the expensive replacement of equipment, and prevent unexpected breakdowns.