How to clean leather office chair

When it comes to cleaning leather there is definitely a right and wrong way to do things. Unfortunately, if you use the wrong cleaning method on leather you can ruin it permanently. So, you will need to ensure that you use the right materials and the right method for cleaning a leather office chair.

With the amount of use that they get, office chairs can very quickly become dirty. If you do not clean them often enough then this can cause additional wear and tear which can shorten the lifespan of your office chair.

Leather is a tricky fabric to clean, so how do you clean?

1. One of the most important things to know about your leather office chair is the exact type of leather that it is made of. Not only will this inform you of how best to care for it, but also which materials are suitable to clean it. Using the wrong type of product on a certain type of leather can actually cause damage to the leather rather than clean it.
2. You should check the tags on your chair to learn which leather it is made from. You may also have received care instructions for your leather office chair when you purchased it. So, if you still have the paperwork that you received with the chair, check this and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. If you are not sure exactly which type of leather your office chair is made from there are a few universal cleaning tricks that you can use to ensure that your chair looks pristine. You should lightly vacuum your leather office chair to ensure that no dirt becomes trapped in the chair.
4. Ensure that you use the soft brush head attachment as this will prevent the vacuum from leaving any scratch marks on the leather. Use a low setting so that the leather is not sucked up into the head of the vacuum. This will cause the leather to stretch and may leave marks.
5. Another method is to take a dry cloth and lightly wipe it over the surface of the leather. Ensure that the cloth is not wet as water can cause damage to unprotected leather and this may result in dark spots over the leather. Make sure that you are lightly rubbing the leather and now scrubbing it as friction can also damage the leather.
6. You can also use a leather cleaner but should ensure that this is the appropriate type.

When you are rolling over the floor chair’s wheels are picking up every little piece of dirt, litter, and hair that they come across. Over time this can stop your office chair wheels from working properly. So, how to clean it? Check this link: clean office chair wheels.

Exactly how you are able to clean the wheels of your office chair will depend on how it was built.

Method 1: Using a vacuum cleaner

If you are unsure about exactly how to clean your leather office chair and you fear ruining it one of the best methods to use is a vacuum. This is because water can cause serious damage to the leather. So, by using a vacuum to remove any dirt, rather than water or another liquid, you can eliminate this problem. 

In order to use a vacuum to clean a leather office chair, you will still need to be careful as leather is a very fragile material to clean. To properly clean it, follow these steps:

• Make sure that your vacuum is not too powerful. If you have several settings, choose the lowest one with the least amount of suction. If you do not have multiple settings on your vacuum test the suction strength against your hand to see if it is appropriate.
• Attach the soft brush attachment to the top of the vacuum. This will ensure that the plastic head does not scratch the leather or pull at any one piece in particular, giving you a more even suction.
• Lightly run the vacuum all over the leather office chair, making sure that you pay special attention to the joint where the back of the chair meets the seat as this is the most likely spot for dust and dirt to accumulate.
• Run the vacuum also over any other leather parts such as arms and even underneath the chair if necessary. This will help to protect all of the leather.

Method 2: Using a cloth

If you do not have a vacuum to hand then another way to clean a leather office chair is to run a dry cloth over it. Again, the aim is to clean the chair without using any water and as gently as possible as any friction or strain can cause the leather to stretch.

To clean a leather office chair with a dry cloth simply rub the cloth gently over the surface of the leather, making sure to get into any grooves. This will wipe away the vast majority of any dust and debris on the chair. Remember to ensure that the cloth is dry and not damp.

Method 3: Using leather cleaner

If you know which type of leather you have you can buy an appropriate leather cleaning solution. Otherwise, if you do not know which type of leather your chair is made from but it needs a deeper clean than simply using a vacuum or cloth do the following:

• Mix a quart of water (distilled) with a few drops of soap.
• Dampen a cloth with this mixture and rinse it out 
• Lightly rub this cloth over the surface of the leather. Do not scrub the leather
• Use another damp cloth to remove any residue left on the chair
• Apply a leather protector to the chair to help protect it from future wear

Conclusion

Although leather office chairs appear very classy and can be very comfortable they are also very expensive. For this reason alone you will want to make sure that you take very good care of them.

Leather is, unfortunately, a very difficult material to clean and can quickly be ruined by using the wrong method. If your leather chair comes with cleaning instructions then make sure to follow these exactly as written by the manufacturer.

If you are unsure of how to clean your leather chair, check how dirty it is before deciding between the cleaning methods above. For a light clean use the cloth or vacuum method, or a heavier clean use the leather cleaner method.