Home Tanning Beds - How Much Maintenance do They Require?


by Leanne Williams - Date: 2006-12-05 - Word Count: 427 Share This!

If you are a tanning enthusiast and make frequent trips to the salon, purchasing your own tanning bed can be a good investment. A home tanning bed can be both cost effective and more convenient. Other than the purchase price, one concern for people contemplating buying their own is that they are unsure how much care a home tanning bed requires. Overall, tanning beds are designed to be very low maintenance but there are some very basic checks you should perform to ensure you are protecting the effectiveness and longevity of the tanning bed.

Change the tanning bulbs regularly to ensure you are achieving an even tan. For a uniform tan, it is best to change all the bulbs at the same time so that you are receiving an even level of UV exposure. How often you need to change these bulbs really depends on how often you use the tanning bed, but on average it is necessary to change them every 3 to 5 years.

You will need to familiarise yourself with which bulbs are suitable for your make and model of tanning bed, as not all bulbs will work with all beds. Replacing bulbs can be expensive, so cut your costs by finding a reputable wholesaler who will able to give you a good deal. Tanning bed wholesalers are easy to find on the internet.

Keep your tanning bed clean by wiping it down after every tanning session. Not only does this have obvious sanitary benefits, it will ensure that you are optimising your tanning experience and achieving an even colour - as much as 20% of the tanning bed's effectiveness can be reduced by a build up of dust over the bulbs. Your tanning bed will also need a thorough going over once a year. This includes the bulbs, the reflectors and the acrylic. Use an acrylic cleaner especially designed for tanning beds to guarantee effective cleaning. Using an incorrect disinfectant or cleaner can be damaging.

While indoor tanning it is important to use a tanning lotion especially formulated for use on beds. Outdoor lotions tend to be greasier and can both damage the bed in the long term (perhaps even necessitating the replacement of the acrylic shield) and reduce the effectiveness of the tanning bed through build up.

If the tanning bed is in frequent use it is prudent to do monthly maintenance checks. Your tanning bed should come with an instruction booklet you can use as a guideline for performing maintenance checks, or you can consult the manufacturer or the store where you purchased the bed for advice.


Related Tags: tanning, tanning beds, indoor tanning, self tan

Leanne has had several articles published on the subject of cosmetic surgery, including what to expect at a rhinoplasty consultation.

http://www.rhinoplasty.about-beauty.net Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

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