How to Clean Office Chairs: Fabric, Mesh and Leather

Knowing how to clean office chairs properly starts with vacuuming the seat, back and base, and then cleaning the surface with a method that suits the material. Fabric chairs should be cleaned according to the care code on their label, mesh chairs need a soft brush and very little water, and leather or vinyl chairs only need a damp cloth with a mild cleaner.

Office chairs accumulate dust, skin oils, food crumbs and spills every day, and the armrests and seat edges are touched more frequently than almost anything else in the office. If you have a large number of chairs to clean, or the stains won't shift, our upholstery cleaning covers office seating and can be scheduled outside business hours, and office chair cleaning can also be added to your regular commercial cleaning.

Most fabric office chairs have a small care label, usually located under the seat or on the frame, with a letter code that identifies which cleaning products are safe to use. This is the most important step of all, because using the wrong product can leave water rings, fade the colour or even shrink the fabric, and that kind of damage usually can't be repaired. The table below explains what each of the four codes means, and the appropriate way to clean a chair that carries it.

If you can't find a label, test your cleaner on a hidden area under the seat first, and wait for it to dry completely before you clean the rest of the chair.

You don't need specialised equipment for most office chairs, and you probably have most of these items already, somewhere in the office or the cleaning cupboard.

Fabric chairs usually accumulate the most dirt, because dust and spills soak into the weave and the padding underneath it, so for a chair with a W or WS label, follow these steps:

1. Vacuum the seat, back and armrests slowly, and use the crevice tool along the seams and edges, where crumbs and dust tend to collect.
2. Blot any fresh spills with a dry cloth, pressing gently rather than rubbing, so the stain doesn't spread.
3. Dip a clean cloth in your warm, soapy water and wring it out thoroughly, so that the cloth is damp rather than wet.
4. Wipe the fabric in small sections, working from the outside of any stain towards the centre so that it doesn't spread.
5. Wipe again with a cloth dampened in clean water to remove any remaining soap, because leftover soap attracts dirt back into the fabric.
6. Leave the chair to dry completely in a room with good airflow, and don't allow anyone to use it again until it feels completely dry.

For a chair with an S label, use a solvent-based upholstery cleaner instead of water, and follow the product instructions carefully, while chairs with an X label should only ever be vacuumed or brushed, with no liquid at all.

Mesh chairs are popular because they're comfortable and cool to sit on, but dust settles into the tiny holes and can be difficult to notice until it gradually builds up, so vacuum both sides of the mesh with the brush tool, and then go over it with a soft brush to lift the dust that's trapped in the weave.

For any marks, use a cloth that's only slightly damp with mild soapy water, and wipe gently in the same direction as the weave. Don't soak the mesh, and don't scrub hard, because the mesh can gradually stretch or sag if it's treated roughly.

Leather and vinyl chairs are the easiest variety to maintain, because spills sit on the surface instead of soaking in, so you can simply wipe the chair with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, and then dry it immediately with a clean cloth.

Avoid harsh products, such as bleach, ammonia or strong solvents, because they can dry out and crack leather, and remember that genuine leather also benefits from a leather conditioner every few months, so check the manufacturer's care instructions to see what they recommend.

The parts of a chair that people usually overlook are often the dirtiest, so wipe the armrests and the height lever with a damp cloth, because these are touched every time someone sits down or adjusts the chair. The Australian Centre for Disease Control explains that germs can spread through shared objects and surfaces, so this is particularly important for chairs in meeting rooms, reception areas and hot desks.

Turn the chair over and remove any hair and threads from the wheels, because a clogged castor stops rolling smoothly and can scratch hard floors, and then wipe the base and legs, where dust and dirt from shoes tend to collect.

Before you use any cleaning product on a chair, the WA Department of Health advises that you read the label carefully, and Fire and Rescue NSW recommends adequate ventilation, so keep the room well aired while you work. Safe Work Australia explains that a safety data sheet tells you how to use, store and handle a chemical safely, and what to do if something goes wrong, so keep the sheets for any products you store at work where staff can find them.

Never mix different cleaning products together, which is also Fire and Rescue NSW's advice, and always store them in their original containers, because Comcare warns that chemicals not kept in their original, labelled container can be misused. Keep them well away from the office kitchen and any food.

Vacuum fabric chairs and wipe the armrests about once a week, especially on shared chairs and hot desks, while we recommend a professional clean every three months to keep the fabric looking fresh and presentable, and spills should always be blotted immediately, before they have time to set.

Clean chairs are part of a clean workplace, and the ACT's approved code of practice for managing the work environment and facilities says workplace facilities must be kept clean, safe and in good working order. You can see where chair cleaning fits in with your other daily, weekly and monthly tasks in our office cleaning checklist.

It's worth calling a professional if you have a large number of chairs to clean, if the fabric looks dull and grubby all over, or if a stain won't come out with a gentle clean, because scrubbing harder usually spreads a stain or damages the fabric, so it's better to stop and seek professional assistance.

Aussie Duo is a family-owned Canberra business that has been cleaning since 2013, and our upholstery cleaning covers office and waiting room seating outside business hours, and we check the care code on every piece before anything gets wet. Send us a photo of your chairs, with any marks clearly visible, and we'll reply with a price before any work is booked, so you know the cost upfront. Before we leave, we inspect every chair with you, and if anything isn't right, we re-clean it on the same day. If we already clean your office, chair cleaning can be added to your commercial cleaning as an additional service, and we recommend booking it every three months. To discuss your workplace, contact us on 02 5501 3316.