You probably spend at least a quarter of any business day sitting at your desk. Your office chair, executive chair or saddle stool is perhaps comfortable and ergonomic. It may also blend with your office’s interior design. However, your office chair won’t be handy if it is not clean.
Many things in the office can lead to a dirty computer chair. For example, you may make a mistake and spill some coffee droplets on the chair. Other items such as ink may also end up on the chair. The accumulated stains can be smelly and may not be a pleasant sight.
Consequently, it would help if you cleaned your cheap office chair. Here is a complete step-by-step guide on how to clean office chair fabric.
1. Identify and Remove Debris
There will be a lot of debris scattered on your office chair. You can grab all of these particles and put them in the rubbish bin. This is a process that may have to happen several times before you can remove all the debris.
However, you must be careful with fabric upholstery because too much force can push the solid particles deeper into the chair. Therefore, gentle rubbing is needed to remove loose debris from fabric upholstery. If you accidentally push the solid particles into the fabric, you must immediately clean the chair to prevent the particles from settling in.
2. Use a Wet Cloth to Remove Liquids
Stains take some time to settle in. As soon as you spill any liquid on your chair, you must act fast to remove it immediately. A wet rag or cloth can absorb the liquid. Rolling a sponge on the stained area will absorb most of the liquid. Once the rag becomes thoroughly soaked, you can squeeze it into the sink to remove the fluid. This process should be repeated four or five times.
3. Examine Your Chair’s Instruction Manual
Most fabric chairs come with a maintenance manual. This manual explains the cleaning process and lists the cleaning solutions that work best on the chair. The manual will also explain things that you shouldn’t do when cleaning the fabric chair.
Similarly, you must confirm the ingredients of any cleaning solvent because some chemicals can destroy the fabric. You should check if the fabric works better with liquid or powder solvents.
Use Alcohol to Clean Stains
Alcohol is an effective office chair cleaning agent that does not leave behind any stains. You can get a cotton ball and dampen it with alcohol droplets. Before you start cleaning the stain, you should perform a test to ensure that the alcohol won’t ruin the fabric. Use the dampened cotton ball on the underside of the chair and observe the results. If there is no fabric damage, you can use the cleansing agent.
Rapid and hard rubbing is not encouraged. Instead, you should do it gently and at a slow pace. This will remove the stains while retaining the quality of the fabric. Note that alcohol may destroy acrylic fabric chairs.
4. Freshen the Upholstery
You will need a vacuum cleaner to freshen the upholstery and remove dust and dirt. The upholstery attachment should be the starting point because it has a larger surface area. Before you start the cleaning, you need to examine the vacuum cleaner’s brush. Typically, a soft brush is ideal since it won’t destroy the office chair’s leather or vinyl section. The vacuum cleaner should also clean the arms and back of the chair.
If your office chair has some sections that you can’t reach easily, you should use a crevice tool. Such a tool will remove dust and dirt from hard-to-reach areas. Your crevice tool’s suction capacity should be moderate to prevent upholstery damage.
5. Use Water and Soap
After you have removed the stains, dust and dirt, it is time to use water and soap to clean your adjustable office chair. You will need a regular dish detergent and three or four litres of water. Again, testing the washing solution on the underside of the chair is highly recommended. This is the best way to ensure that your cleaning efforts won’t harm the chair’s fabric.
There are many types of detergents that you can use, and your ultimate choice will depend on the chair’s material. Leather, vinyl, and fabric are receptive to any soap provided that you mix the soap with about 240 ml of water.
It would be best if you started wiping the chair soon after dipping the rag in the detergent solution. The rag can be any lint-free cloth, but you should first dampen it. If you soak the rag, it will absorb too much water, and most of this water will end up on the upholstery. Similarly, you should avoid scraping or rubbing the leather since this may lead to scratching.
Once you have wiped the chair with the dampened cotton ball, switch to a dry cloth. This will remove any solution residue on the chair and accelerate the drying process. Next, you should put the chair in a well-ventilated section to dry it quickly.
6. Clean the Legs, Arms, and Wheels
The final cleaning stage involves the legs, wheels, and arms. This section will take place when the chair is facing upside down and without its wheels. Some people prefer to do this job while they are assisted on another chair. This ensures that you don’t bend too much and hurt your back. In some cases, you may need a screwdriver to remove the wheels.
A large knife will remove any debris that may be hindering the cleaning process. After you have removed the trash, food, and any other junk on crevices, you can now proceed to the actual cleaning process. Once again, it would help if you used the dampened cloth to wipe the chair. You can then leave it in that position for a few minutes to let it dry.
Bottom Line
A clean chair improves your working environment and enhances general office hygiene. Nevertheless, the office chair cleaning process should be done with care to prevent further damage. These tips will help you get started. You can also check out the Regal Executive High Back Office Chair and Mustang High Back Executive Chair, which are easy to clean.