Chair upholstery comes in an exclusive range of styles and colors. No matter what type of chair is, whether it’s a formal dining room chair or a plush recliner, it will eventually need to be cleaned and maintained. Sometimes, regular vacuuming is required to clean your chair upholstery. But you should know the safest and best way to clean it.
Before beginning cleaning, have a look at the tag underneath the chair. This is where several codes are mentioned along with their cleaning guidelines.
- Code W: Only the use of water-based cleaning solvents is allowed.
- Code S: This means you can use only a water-free solvent or a dry cleaning solvent to remove soils and stains from the chair upholstery.
- Code W-S: The chair upholstery can be cleaned with both solvent-based and water-based products.
- Code X: If the X code is mentioned on the tag of your chair upholstery, it means it can only be cleaned by vacuuming or by a professional.
If there is no tag underneath the chair, you may have to use different cleaning techniques.
How Often To Clean Chair Upholstery?
You should clean the stains and spills as soon as possible. If there are any solids, lift them away using a blunt knife or with the edge of a credit card. Rubbing can push the stains deeper into the chair upholstery and is therefore strictly not allowed.
What You’ll Need To Clean Chair Upholstery
Equipment / Tools
- Sponge
- Medium bowls
- Microfiber cloths
- Vacuum with hose and upholstery brush attachment
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Soft-bristled brush
- Plastic buckets
Materials
- Commercial upholstery cleaner
- Baking soda
- Mild dishwashing liquid
- Dry cleaning solvent
- Vacuum The Chair Upholstery
Start cleaning by vacuuming the chair upholstery. You can do so by using a vacuum with a hose and upholstery brush attachment. Begin vacuuming at the top of the chair and don’t forget to vacuum the back, lower sides, bottom, and legs of the chair.
- Treat Stains and Heavily Soiled Areas
You can treat the stains using a commercial upholstery cleaner or create a homemade solution. It is advisable to pay extra attention to headrests and arms that are heavily soiled from grime and oils.
- Create a Stain-Removing Solution To Tackle The Stains
Prepare a water-based cleaner by mixing a cup of warm water and one-fourth cup of dishwashing liquid. Whisk well and gently scrub the stained areas with the mixture using a sponge. Rinse the sponge in clean water and twist it as much as possible to remove the excess liquid. For heavily-soiled areas, you can use a soft-bristled nylon scrubbing brush.
Finish by blotting away the remaining cleaning solution using a clean microfiber cloth or a sponge. Once done, let the area to air dry completely.
- Prepare an Overall Cleaning Solution
If the tag on your chair upholstery shows W or W-S code, prepare a less-concentrated solution by mixing a gallon of warm water and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid.
For S-coded chair upholstery, apply a commercial dry cleaning solvent.
- Clean, Rinse and Dry the Chair Upholstery
Dip a clean sponge in a prepared mixture and wring until just damp. Start wiping from top to bottom, working in small sections at a time. Avoid over-saturating your chair upholstery.
Dip the sponge in clean, warm water and rub it onto the upholstery to remove the leftover solution. Finish the cleaning by blotting with a dry sponge or cloth.
