You’ll need the right supplies and cleaning techniques to deep clean office chairs. Deep cleaning your office chairs is a great idea to keep germs at bay and have everyone feeling comfortable in their work environment. After all, office chairs are heavily used, so they’re a germ factory.
The good news is that it’s not super hard to deep clean office chairs, even the ones with adjustable heights that have lots of nooks and crannies. So, once you have everything you need on hand, you can get started. Keep reading to learn how to deep clean your office chairs.
Cleaning Instructions
Before we dive into a step-by-step guide, we want to recommend looking at the maintenance guide for your chairs. Most manufacturers provide information on how to clean your chairs. They might have specific precautions regarding the materials used to make the chairs. You should follow all provided instructions.
Many manufacturers provide online instruction manuals that you can access by typing a URL into your browser or scanning a QR code. If not, a quick Google search could pull up exactly what you need.
Chair Labels
You’ll want to look at the label on the underside of the chair. It should read “W,” “S,” “S/W,” or “X.” Let’s look at what each of these letters means.
“W”
W stands for water. It means that it’s safe to clean your office chair with water and upholstery/carpet cleaner. Fabric that can withstand water is very durable and is great for high-volume areas where lots of people sit (and make messes as they go).
“S”
S stands for quite the opposite. You should not apply water or upholstery/carpet cleaner to the office chair. You shouldn’t even dab at the chair with a wet cloth or paper towel if you get something on it.
Instead, you should use cleaning solvents that are dry clean only. You can typically find cleaning solvents at your local grocery store.
As with any type of dry cleaning, you should clean up spills or stains as soon as they happen. The longer you wait, the harder they’ll be to get out. And after cleaning your office chair, dry the area so it doesn’t leave a ring.
“S/W”
S/W is a combination of the two. It means that both types of cleaning options are safe. This label isn’t as popular. You’ll only see it on a select few fabric types. Even though water is safe to use, we recommend sticking with cleaning solvents. They’re a safer choice if you want to keep your chairs clean and lasting for years to come.
“X”
The letter X indicates that no cleaner – water or solvent – should be used to clean the fabric on the chair. A vacuum cleaner is the only safe way to clean this kind of office chair. If you need deeper cleaning, contact a professional.
Cleaning Supplies
Based on your chair’s label, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Vacuum cleaner – handheld or cordless
- Dishwashing soap – any clear dish soap or mild soap
- Spray bottle/small bowl
- Some clean, soft cloths – cloth that won’t leave lint
- A duster/can of compressed air
- Rubbing alcohol, vinegar, or laundry detergent
- Upholstery cleaner
It shouldn’t take you longer than 15 minutes to thoroughly clean your chair unless you have deep, set-in stains that weren’t taken care of when they happened. In that case, it could take a solid 30 minutes to clean the chair.
Here is your step-by-step guide:
- Vacuum and dust off the chair.
You’ll first want to remove any dust sticking to the chair. The hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner or a duster will do the job. We recommend starting at the top of the chair and working your way down. - Wipe down the chair.
You’ll want to use a soapy water mixture to wipe down the chair (avoiding the fabric if the label has an “S”). We recommend filling a bowl or spray bottle with water and adding a few drops of dish soap.
Use your cloth to gently wipe down all non-fabric parts of the chair. Wipe generously, but don’t allow it to drip on or get close to the fabric.
If the fabric has a “W” or “S/W” label, you can gently clean the material with it, but take care not to scrub too hard. - Rinse and dry.
To remove the soapy mixture, you’ll want to use a new, damp cloth to wipe off the soapy mixture residue from the armrests and chair legs. If your fabric allows for water, you’ll want to let that air dry. - Spot-treat stains.
You may have some stains that soapy water won’t remove. That’s where spot-treating comes in. You’ll want to use an alcohol-based cleaner like rubbing alcohol to spot-treat a stain.
You won’t need to apply the cleaner to the whole chair. Instead, you’ll apply it directly to the stain and gently scrub at it to remove the stain. But before you apply it to that spot, test the cleaner on the underside of the chair to ensure it’s safe for the fabric. If it stains or destroys the fabric, it won’t be noticeable.
You’ll want to set aside 30 minutes per chair to deep clean office chairs correctly and ensure you don’t damage them. And that works if it’s just a few chairs. But, if you have an entire office full of chairs, that could take days. So, your best bet is to hire a cleaning service.
Town & Country Office Cleaning
Town & Country Office Cleaning has been cleaning office chairs – and entire office buildings – for over 40 years. We provide commercial and janitorial cleaning services, state-of-the-art commercial cleaning services, and property maintenance services.
Want more information? Ready to schedule an appointment to deep clean your office chairs? Contact us today. You can call us at 801.486.3441 or contact us through the form on our website.
We look forward to the opportunity to serve you!
