Upholstered chairs are probably the most used seating furniture, so they often need to be cleaned. When actively used, the surface may become oily, worn out, have greasy and colored stains.
According to ReclinerFAQ.com, the upholstery of the chair seats can only be effectively cleaned if you know exactly which material is used. You can also use a soap solution, though it isn’t always effective, especially in the case of an old stain.
“Washing” the chair under the shower isn’t a great idea. Such cleaning can be very damaging to the filler. Also, you’ll have to dry the furniture for a long time to prevent mould from appearing inside.
There are general recommendations to help clean chairs quickly and efficiently. Be sure to test the selected cleanser, even if it’s liquid soap. Don’t forget that you shouldn’t rub dry powders into the fabric. You can either sprinkle it on a wet or fat stain and then vacuum it, or add some water to the powder.
It’s better to clean the chair all at once than to apply the solution only to a certain area and get streaks in the end. Dry the upholstery after cleaning with an iron or a hairdryer. But if you know that the upholstery can’t stand high temperatures, then use a hair dryer set to “cold air”. Drying on the sun is not recommended, as the colors of the chair can fade.
To clean the cloth chairs and not damage the upholstery, follow these recommendations:
- Teflon-impregnated fabrics can be washed with clean water or soap, but cannot be steamed off. Solvents and alcohol would also be a bad option.
- Vinyl and pleather can be cleaned with soapy water or special conditioners for washing wool and silk. But organic solvents, stain removers, and oils are not suitable.
- The flock can be cleaned with a detergent on a water basis or with soap dissolved in warm water. Alcohol solution with water (as 1:10) is also suitable. But you shouldn’t use organic solvents.
- Seats made of shinilla can be vacuumed or wiped with a microfiber cloth. You shouldn’t use water. If it doesn’t help, clean the surface with a foam but not a damp sponge.
- Jacquard can be cleaned with soap, alcohol, water, or hydrocarbon solvents.
- Microfibre should be washed well with a mild detergent or vinegar solution, but not with solvents for cleaning.
- The tapestry needs gentle dry cleaning. The contact with water would be harmful.
- Silk can be cleaned with a light solution of vinegar, not soap.
General tips
The following tips will help you clean your chair upholstery at home:
- Any stains on furniture should be cleaned immediately. You shouldn’t let it dry or soak up any dirt.
- If you use stain removers, don’t rub them heavily into the fabric.
- It’s best to use a wet sponge for cleaning. You should avoid getting large amounts of water on the surface.
- The best way to rub a stain is to start from the edge of the stain and move to the center.
- If your upholstery has a pattern, it’s best to clean it in the direction of this pattern.
- If possible, try to avoid any chemicals. Soapy solution and sponge is often enough to remove the stain.
- To clean some chairs, you can use car interior cleaners.
- Before you clean the material with a new cleaner, test it on the hidden areas of the chair.
- To remove dirt from the upholstery, sometimes, you don’t need to wet it. It can be easily removed with a soft-pile brush.
Cleaning the computer chair
Every owner should know how to clean the computer chair, because it is, in fact, their workplace. Timely care will help you use it for a long time.
Which care is required for the specific piece of furniture depends largely on the upholstery material.
It’s important to vacuum it first using a soft furniture brush, or, if you don’t have it, wrap a regular nozzle with a soft cloth soaked in a light salt solution. A full wet cleaning is better start after that procedure.
Now let’s talk about the material:
-
For leather and pleather, use a normal soapy solution. It’s
perfect for this type of upholstery. The dirtier it is, the longer
you should keep it on the surface before you rinse it off. In order
to get rid of the old stains, use gentle washing-up detergents
intended for leather.
- A specially designed rubber brush will help you to clean your suede and other fluffy leather.
Note: This material is afraid of moisture and any detergents.
- Acrylic mesh can be cleaned with a soap solution and powder. After this, wipe it off to avoid stains and dry the material.
Important: Computer chairs made of fabric are treated like any other chair with the same type of upholstery.
Cleaning of solid impurities
Solid impurities have to be removed with your own hands. If it doesn’t work, you should use:
- the blunt side of the knife;
- spatula;
- another similar object with a blunt edge.
But with fluffy upholstery (i.e. velvet, velour, flock, shenyl), you shouldn’t use this technique. Instead, soak the stain in a soapy water and wipe it off.
Typical stain removers
Now, let’s move on to local stains. Let’s see what we should use to deal well with stains from chocolate, white wine, coffee, soda, beer, jam, etc.:
- Soapy, foamy solutions. This may be a water-diluted chip of laundry soap. Foam is applied to the dirty area. Leave it for 10-15 minutes. After that, wipe it off with the sponge and rinse the area with a cloth moistened in clean water.
- Vinegar solution. Take 9% vinegar. Dilute 2 tablespoons of the substance in 1 liter of water. Spray the stain with the solution and rinse thoroughly with a sponge and water.
- Shampoo and ammonia alcohol. Dilute a small amount of shampoo and 10 drops of ammonia solution in warm water. Apply and wipe the solution off as described above.
Basic cleaning rules
For effective cleaning, it’s recommended to follow some rules:
- You shouldn’t wash the cases in the washing machine or dry it with a hairdryer.
- There is no need to vacuum sofas and armchairs too often, you can ruin the pile.
- Don’t apply chemicals directly to the upholstery.
- The use of several products will spoil the pile.
- After cleaning, let the material dry.
Deep cleaning
It’s called deep cleaning because not only the upholstery is cleaned, but also the filler. You should do it once every few months to prevent dust from accumulating inside the filler and to prevent insects from appearing. Old stains can also be removed with this treatment.
You will need some special chemicals, they remove old stains. Be sure to knock out or vacuum the filler before cleaning like this. When the furniture dries, treat it with a steam cleaner, so there won’t be any insects in the filler. Also, after the steam cleaner, the upholstery will be smoothed out and will become soft.
Each method is designed to solve specific problems, but you don’t have to choose one, combine them if necessary.
