Master the Art of Office Chair Cleaning: A Professional's Guide

Your chairs are making you unhealthy! Yes, you have heard that right! We spend almost a quarter sitting on our office chairs but we hardly pay any heed to its cleaning requirements. While office chairs give you a comfortable and ergonomic seating space, they at least deserve cleaning in return which we often tend to neglect which not only makes your office look untidy and smelly but can also affect your health adversely. All thanks to the germs and bacteria that chairs harbor over time. So, how do you clean a leather chair or any other office chair to foster a pleasant and clean environment in the office? Well, you have reached the right place where you will get to learn a few tips and tricks on how to clean office chairs. Read on to ace office chair cleaning: 

Knowing Your Chair Type 

Every chair is unique in the way it is built, the material used, its quality, its purpose, and various other factors. While chairs may look similar, their function and features may be poles apart. Thus, it is crucial that you understand the chair type first before you learn about how to clean desk chairs: 

• Mesh Chairs
  Mesh chairs are airy and are made of breathable material. But, the net-like structure easily attracts dust and keeps it trapped in between. 
  
• Leather Chairs
  Leather chairs are a luxurious alternative and look highly attractive in offices and homes. While it is easy to clean such chairs with wipes, you have to be very gentle while performing cleaning chores or it can result in cracks on the surface. 
  
• Plastic Chairs
  Plastic chairs are an affordable solution for offices but do not offer that level of comfort that an ergonomic chair offers. However, these chairs are easy to clean and can be used in any type of office setting.
  
• Fabric Chairs
  Fabric chairs offer a comfy and cosy setting with soft and looks highly attractive. But, fabric chairs can easily accumulate dust and odors and thus require a deep cleanse.  

Gather Your Cleaning Staples 

To get started with cleaning your office chairs, you need to be in possession of a few cleaning tools and agents. So, get soft-bristled brushes, an old toothbrush, a vacuum cleaner, spray bottles, cotton swabs, and microfiber cloth handy to treat your office chairs to a deep cleaning session. Also, get some rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, warm water, leather condition, upholstery cleaner, and mild soap to use on the office chairs as per the instruction manual. 

Start with Dusting 

The very basic step to get started with cleaning office chairs is dusting. Dust off any dirt and debris from the office chairs before you use any cleaning liquids. You can either dust the chairs manually using a microfiber cloth or use a vacuum cleaner for the same as it helps get rid of hidden crumbs, hair, dust, and debris easily. Furthermore, using the vacuum cleaner attachments, you can also reach out to the crevices between the backrest and seat. Also, make sure that you dust the chairs from all angles, even the underside of the base and casters. 

Spot Clean Stained Areas 

Now since dust and loose dirt have been dusted off your chairs, next you have to focus on stains and spots. Inspect stained areas on the chairs and spot-clean them abiding by the guidelines given below for different types of office chairs: 

• Fabric Chairs
  With a little care and the right cleaning methods, you can make your fabric chairs look new forever. So if you are looking for ways how to clean fabric chairs, here is a quick guideline
  
  1. Make a solvent using mild dish soap and warm water
  2. Soak a clean cloth in the solution and lightly blot the stains without rubbing the area.
  3. Next, making circular motions, try to get rid of the stains but never rub the surface harshly.  
     
• Leather Chairs 
  1. Leather chairs require extra cleaning efforts. So, if you are looking for a way on how do you clean a leather chair, here is how you can proceed ahead: 
  2. Mix equal units of vinegar and water to prepare the cleaning solution 
  3. Dip a microfiber cloth in the solution and spot-clean the stained leather surface gently 
  4. Make sure that you do not oversoak the cloth because excessive water can damage leather surfaces. 
     
• Mesh Chairs 
  1. Mesh chairs are easy to clean and can be done with a few quick steps as follows: 
  2. Dip a toothbrush in mild soapy water  
  3. Next, use the toothbrush in circular motions to scrub off any dirt and stains from the surface. 
     
• Plastic Chairs 

  Cleaning plastic chairs do not require any high-end cleaning efforts. ALl you need is a mild cleaner and a damp cloth which can be further used on the surface to remove any stains and dirt. But make sure that you use soft cloth because using harsh cloth and scrubbers can cause scratches to show up on the plastic chair surface.  

Safety Tip: Before you apply the above cleaning methods for the different types of chairs, make sure that you perform a patch test. This will help you ensure that the cleaning solution does not prove harmful for the surfaces.  

Deep Cleaning of the Upholstery 

If you are wondering how often and how do you clean upholstered chairs, you need to know that giving upholstered chairs a deep clean once every month is enough to make them breathe fresh. Here is how you can clean upholstered chairs: 

• Steam Cleaning
  If you have mesh and fabric chairs in your offices, you can use a steam cleaner to disinfect the surfaces and get the fabric odor-free. Make sure that you leave the chairs to dry completely before you start using it again. 
  
  
• Baking Soda
  Baking soda is a great deodorizer and you can consider sprinkling baking soda over the backrest and the seat to get your chairs odor-free. Sprinkle baking soda and allow it to stay on the surface for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Vacuum the surface and your chairs are ready to be used again.

Clean the Frame, Armrest, and Casters

The armrest, height adjustment levers, and frame are the most touched components of a chair. Thus, these parts are prone to get dirty soon and harbor germs and bacteria. Here is how you can pay heed to the cleaning of the key parts of your chair:

• Use rubbing alcohol or dip a cloth in warm soapy water to clean the armrests, frame, and casters of the chair. 
• Ensure that you are gentle during the disinfection process, especially when you are disinfecting chairs with plastic surfaces.  
• Wheels can easily trap dirt, hairs and dust. So, turn the chair upside down for deep cleaning of the wheels and remove any trapped dirt and debris.
• You can also use a vacuum cleaner or tweezer to remove any such dirt particles. Further, use rubbing alcohol or wet cloth to wipe the casters.
• Once the cleaning is done, you should also lubricate the casters for swift movement. 

Practice a Regular Cleaning Regime 

Cleaning your chairs once and leaving them unattended for ages won't help. There should be a regular cleaning schedule to keep your office chairs in top shape. So, make sure that you do not clean once and forget about the chairs but chalk out a proper cleaning schedule to give your chairs the care they deserve regularly.  

Conclusion 

Office chairs are your thrones where you rule your workday sitting on it for hours. Thus, it is important that you have a clean sitting area to feel more productive, professional and to enjoy a pleasant environment. We hope that this guide gives you a clear idea of how you should treat your chairs to a deep cleaning session in a regular regime to prevent damage to the chair and to work in an environment that is both clean and healthy. Further, you can check out the wide range of office chairs available at Easymart stores because here the chairs are not only stylish and durable but also easy to clean. Hit the online store now and get your favorite office chairs adorning your office cubicles only from Easymart!