anything that can handle some water, no matter how small, should be wiped down. when it comes to the actual results, on closer distances they are pretty spot-on, about the same as a physical ruler. one friend, a retired flight surgeon who had an artificial knee, came once a week to take the wonder husky for a long walk, one less thing for me to worry about. make sure that your footwear has wide toe boxes and your toes can wiggle freely. don't know my price range yet, but definitely on the lower end as this is my first trench coat. 