Investing in an ergonomic office chair does not end once you’ve paid the bill and the chair gets delivered to your home. It entails the responsibility of taking off your chair, giving it its much-deserved cleaning and proper maintenance. This, of course, adds up to the years of the office chair and gives you a longer return on investment.

It’s not a surprise that you’ll be subjected to prolonged sitting if you have a desk job. This also means that your office chairs will be prone to stains and spills, especially if you’re the type to eat where you work. In these kinds of situations, you should know how to clean an office chair.

What matters is that your ergonomic chair is in good shape, even though it has suffered some damage. It’s simple to clean materials that makeup office chairs such as leather and plastic.

We will guide you in this article to understand the right and effective way of maintaining your office chair appropriately.

Different Office Chair Makes and Models

There are ways to determine what materials make up your office chair. Sometimes, it depends on the time of construction; sometimes it depends on the cost. Each office chair, like any other product or furniture in your home, has benefits and drawbacks.

If you want a low-maintenance chair, then you should opt for clean mesh chairs or a clean computer chair that are easy to keep. But if you want to be successful at work, ergonomic designs, becoming increasingly common in chairs, will help you achieve that goal.

Time to Do Some Cleaning!

It’s simple to clean any office chair following standard procedures and processes. The cleaning materials that you need include those that are already at your home, typical household appliances, and materials. The general rule in case of spillage is to clean it right away so as not to stain the chair.

Cleaning up and maintenance go hand in hand, in the sense that the former comes last and should be done as soon as the latter is finished. It’ll be as quick as 15 minutes. But if your chair displays resistant stains, gear up for more than an hour of cleaning.

The Five-Step Process

First Step: Using a Dust and Vacuum

You need a tool to penetrate through the chair’s fabric and remove all the dust and grime that you could see. The vacuum is your lifesaver. You would want to set it to 'low suction' and thoroughly sweep the attachment over the armrests, backrest, and seat.

Remove any dust and lint that the chair’s surface has accumulated using a vacuum or a duster (if you don’t have the former). Don’t miss out on any spots and make sure you’ve cleaned the entire chair. Depending on the gap or the area that you are cleaning, you should change the vacuum head with another attachment that is suited for that area.

Second Step: Clean the Chair Using a Soap and Water Solution

When you’ve gotten rid of the dust, it’s time that wipes your chair clean. It is usually already enough when workers have mesh and plastic chairs to clean. It’s a different story if you’re working with leather or fabric as this might require the use of other stain removers. Don’t be tempted to use your first choice, because they might potentially harm the leather of your chair permanently.

Use a soft cloth to wipe the chair's entire surface. The fabric shouldn’t be too damp because it becomes more prone to damage.

Third Step: Make Sure to Dry the Chair

So your office chair is washed now. It’s time to dry it out to get rid of any excess moisture. Pick up a clean cloth to wipe away any dampness you may find on the chair's complex surfaces. The rest of the chair must be left alone to air dry. If the chair texture is softer, try a hair dryer or a vacuum for quick drying.

Fourth Step: Treat Stains As You See Fit

Treat stains with a stain-resistant solution including rubbing alcohol. Before you go all out with a cleaning product, do a spot test first. Try it out on the part of your chair that people don’t normally see.

The good news is that most stains can be removed with rubbing alcohol. All you have to do is put a few drops on the color and allow it to sit for a few minutes before wiping the alcohol away. You might want to try something that is more tailored to your chair needs.

Fifth Step: Upholstery Cleaning or Hiring Professionals

You may use an upholstery cleaner after cleaning the chair. This assures better results, thorough and long-lasting. If for instance, you don't have one, you could always contact a professional upholstery cleaning service.

Getting Rid of Foul Odors

Whether you have been using it for months, your chair will still develop odd scents at different time points. A quick fix is sprinkling baking soda over the area and leaving it for at least 15 minutes.

Check the material of your chair first and see if it can handle the chemicals of liquid soap or detergent. Dip a sponge or a clean cloth into your mixture and using it, scrub the surface of your chair. If there’s extra water, wipe it away with a clean cloth and let it dry overnight.

Disinfection Process

When your chair is dirty, you can expect the background to be as well. These areas quickly become breeding grounds for vermin, bacteria, and, of course, germs. Opt to use disinfectants over soap and water solutions because they remove dirt and bacteria much better. Acknowledge that office chairs could really get exposed to a variety of filthy organisms and germs.

You should not think that it’s a waste of time if you devote minutes or an hour to cleaning your chair. You use it regularly so you’d want it to be free of any dirt, spills, stains, or other hidden annoyances. You can use disinfectant wipes and sprays on top of your usual cleaning materials.

When is the Time to Stop Cleaning and Start Shopping for a New Chair?

Your chair may still have stains after trying out all the steps here. Note that mesh chairs are straightforward to keep clean, while other materials may contain too deep or old colors to remove.

Your office chair may still be working but you decide to buy a new chair. The choice entirely depends on you. But do note that permanent stains in your chair might already be suggesting that you buy a new chair.

You might consider purchasing an ergonomic or functional chair, given that you’re buying a new one.

Are you Considering Purchasing a New Chair?

There are many companies that focus on producing good, ergonomic furniture. It’s a fantastic idea to invest in such a kind of furniture to prioritize your health. Check out FlexiSpot's wide variety of ergonomic chairs before buying a new one.

Final Thoughts

The instructions are simple. Follow these cleaning steps so that you can remove the dirt in your office chair right away. There is no need to rent a professional expert cleaning service if you can do it by yourself using essential cleaning tools. Get a head start and clean your office chair regularly to avoid buying a new one after only a few months of use.