How to Clean Your Office Chair

Lawrence Bonk Profile image

Written by:

Updated November 29, 2022

Key Takeaways:

  • Consult the chair’s instruction manual for a guide on how to clean and maintain the unit.
  • Solid pieces of debris can be picked up with a paper towel, but you should avoid rubbing the fabric.
  • Stains should be cleaned immediately, so as to not allow these stains to set.

Office chairs can become dirty and worn out over time, particularly if you are sitting on one for eight hours each and every day.

Clean Your Office Chair

One way to make sure you get the most out of your favorite office chair is to clean and maintain it regularly. Office chairs can become dirty and stained in a number of ways, each of which requires a cleaning procedure. For instance, the steps to clean one of the best wooden office chairs are going to be very different than the steps to clean a mesh office chair. Additionally, if you are interested in a mesh chair, check out the Yaheetech ergonomic mesh office chair. Or if you don’t want mesh you can check out Yaheetech white desk chair. And with it being a white chair, the tips in this article may become very useful to preserve the look of your chair.

Useful Tips for Cleaning

Office chairs can get stained easily with coffee, pet urine, and other liquids. Additionally, modern chairs have plenty of nooks and crannies for debris to hide in. Here are some general guidelines to help you get your chair efficiently cleaned.

Check the Manual

If you bought your office chair new, it likely arrived with a detailed instructions manual. This piece of documentation not only features installation instructions, but also a general overview of how to clean your particular make and model. This care and maintenance guide could offer suggestions on what cleaning products to use and which to avoid, as some materials react badly to certain cleaning mixtures. Your manual may not include ways to fix everything that could happen to your chair like a butt dent from prolonged use. Thankfully we have a great article that covers how to fix a butt dent in your chair so that once you are done cleaning and maintaining your chair it can look as good as new.

Pick up Solid Debris

Use a paper towel or a microfiber cloth to pick up and dispose of any large pieces of solid loose debris. You may have to repeat this step numerous times before the office chair is completely free of visible debris, such as crumbs and paper fragments. If there aren’t any more large pieces, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to get the debris. If your chair features fabric upholstery, do not rub the surface of the chair as you remove the debris, as this could damage the fabric. Thankfully, leather chairs like you will find with our AmazonBasics leather mid-back office chairs review are rather easy to clean and can usually just be wiped down quickly with a damp cloth and a little mild soap if needed.

Tip: Use a paper towel or a microfiber cloth to pick up and dispose of any large pieces of solid debris

Warning: If your chair features fabric upholstery, do not rub the surface of the chair as you remove the debris, as this could damage the fabric

Quickly Remove Stains

If your chair has become stained with coffee, pet urine, or even blood, it is extremely important to act quickly. Once stains set they become more difficult to remove, which could force you to hire a professional cleaning service. Generally speaking, one should blot pooled liquids with a wet microfiber cloth as a beginning point. You will want to locate the cleaning tag of your chair, which will denote which types of cleaning liquids should be used with the materials of the chair. Additionally, accidents happen, and if you have had an accident where you or someone else bled on your chair, we have a great article on how to get a blood stain out of your office chair. Tougher stains may require a deep cleaning method for stain removal that you may not feel comfortable doing yourself. Also, if you use any kind of chemicals for stubborn stains, like concentrated cleaners or a mixture of bleach, they should be used in a well-ventilated area.

Tip: If your chair has become stained with coffee, pet urine, or even blood, it is extremely important to act quickly

Warning: Once stains set they become more difficult to remove, which could force you to hire a professional cleaning service

Remove Debris From Wheels

Caster wheels should be able to be easily removed. If not, flip the chair over and perform the wheel-cleaning in the upside-down position. You can remove hair and related debris from a wheel by using duct tape, tin snips, crafting scissors, a utility knife, or a high-powered vacuum.

STAT:

The average life expectancy of an office chair is between seven to ten years, with some chairs lasting as long as 15 years. (source)

If the humidity is lower than 40%, your leather office chair may dry out. (source)

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_chair
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleaning_agent
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caster
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/4183

*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI09x5dzexU

Clean Your Office Chair FAQ

Standard upholstery: What cleaning method do I use?

Not all upholsteries are created equal. Be sure to check the chair’s cleaning tag for detailed instructions.

Should you use disinfectant wipes or soap?

This depends on the materials used in the construction of your chair. Some chairs can handle a little bit of soap or a disinfectant wipe, while others cannot.

How much does it cost to clean office chairs?

Professional furniture cleaners can be expensive, costing an average of $164. Though prices will vary.