As an office worker, you probably know the importance of using a comfortable and
ergonomic office chair. It will allow you to work at your desk or cubicle for long periods
of time without stressing your spine. Statistics show that up to 38% of office workers will
experience back pain in any given year. Using a high-quality office chair, however, you’ll
minimize stress on your spine and, therefore, protect yourself from back pain. But if
you’re going to invest in a high-quality office chair, you’ll need to clean and maintain it. .
What you need
How to clean a mesh office chair
Mesh office chairs are renowned for their high durability, but that doesn’t negate the
fact that without regular cleaning, a mesh office chair can become unsightly. An unclean
chair can become more prone to faults which will ultimately lead to a shorter life-span of
the chair itself.
An office chair should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a month to keep its look and
functionality at an all-time high.
●Your first step is to use a vacuum cleaner on the mesh office chair. Be sure touse a
‘low suction’ mode if your vacuum cleaner has this functionality. Use the vacuum
cleaner wand or hose attachment to help you clean along crevices and hard to
reach places
●Secondly, moisten a cloth and proceed to dab the mesh and any area that has
lingering dirt or stains. Be careful not to drag the cloth over the mesh as this could
fray the material. Dish soap is a useful product to help clean stubborn stains
●Thirdly, run a cotton swab under warm water and use this to clean any areas you
found difficult with the vacuum cleaner and/or damp cloth
●Use a clean dry cloth to finish off your cleaning session, or leave your office chair to
dry out naturally
How to clean a fabric office chair
Fabric office chairs are the most common type of office chairs as they provide a versatile
solution to almost any office setting.
Of course, they are susceptible to stains and dirt which can accumulate quite rapidly if
you do not look after your chair.
●Use a vacuum cleaner’s hose attachment (preferably with a ‘low suction’ mode
enabled) to suck up any easy to remove debris
●Consult the manufacturers instructions regarding what cleaners can be used
●When using water, be careful not to over-wet your cleaning cloth as this could wet
your office chair more than necessary
●Remember to dab and not rub with your cleaning cloth, to help protect the fabric
material
●Use a much more aggressive action towards any plastic or metal parts of the chair
to ensure all dirt and stains are removed
●Use a damp cotton swab in those hard to reach players to uplift any remaining dirt
●Finish off with the vacuum cleaner hose attachment once again after being left to
dry for the perfect finish
How to clean a leather office chair
Leather is arguably the most important office chair material to keep clean to help
prolong the lifespan of your chair.
It needs a little more care due and attention, but if you get into the habit of cleaning
your leather office chair regularly the cleaning process is easy.
●Never use any harsh cleaners on the leather material, especially those that are
alcohol-based
●Never use a coloured cloth to clean the leather as this could transfer over the dye
of the cloth onto your chair
●Dampen a soft cloth and wipe over the leather to remove all dust, dirt and grime
buildup. Ensure the cloth is not dripping wet
●Dry the leather thoroughly with a new dry soft cloth
●Apply a leather conditioner product to a 3rd soft cloth and rub and massage in
generously
●Ensure any excess leather conditioner is wiped away and leave your office chair to
dry out naturally before being used again
Frequent cleaning using the techniques above will ensure your leather office chair is
looking its best, for longer.
Here are some other tips on how to maintain a leather office chair:
●Use caution to ensure that you don’t spill any beverages or other liquids on your
leather office chair.
●Maintain a relative humidity of 40% to 55% in your office. If the humidity is lower
than 40%, your leather office chair may dry out. If it’s higher than 55%, on the other
hand, it may become saturated with an excess amount of moisture.
●Don’t condition your leather office chair more than once every few months. Over-
conditioning leather will saturate it with too much moisture.
●Consider using a leather protectant product. Not to be confused with conditioners,
protectants are designed to add a protective layer over the surface of leather.
●Don’t place your leather office chair directly in front of a heater or air vent.
Clean and Lubricate Casters
lubricate them to keep the chair rolling smoothly.
Casters are the housing units in which an office chair’s
wheels are mounted. The wheels themselves are made
of a variety of materials, some of which include plastic,
rubber, steel, aluminum, cast iron and polyurethane. In
comparison, the housing units are almost always made
of some type of metal.
New office chairs typically roll smoothly and with little or no resistance. But if you’ve
been using the same office chair for a year or longer, you may struggle to roll it across
the floor because of debris buildup inside the casters.
To clean the casters, flip your office chair upside down and pull out any lint, hair or
debris from inside the wheel housing units. You can also use a vacuum cleaner to
suction excess debris out of the casters, or you can use canned air to blast debris out of
the casters.
After thoroughly cleaning the casters on your office chair, apply a lubricant like WD-40.
Just spray a small amount of lubricant into each housing unit, at which point your office
chair should roll more smoothly. Try to get into the habit of cleaning and lubricate the
casters on your office chair at least once every six months.
Tighten Fasteners
Of course, you should also inspect and tighten the fasteners on your office chair as well.
Whether your office chair features screws or bolts (or both), they may come loose if you
don’t tighten them on a regular basis. And if a fastener is loose, your office chair won’t
be stable.
Refer to the owner’s manual to identify the location of all fasteners. Some office chairs
only have a few fasteners, whereas others have dozens of fasteners. After identifying the
location of your office chair’s fasteners, use a screwdriver to tighten them.
To tighten a fastener, turn the screwdriver to the right. You can loosen a fastener, on the
other hand, by turning it to the left. An easy way to remember which direction to turn a
fastener is “righty-tighty, lefty-loosey.”
Replace Gas Cylinder
Does your office chair sink back down to the floor immediately after you raise it? If SO, you may need to replace the gas
cylinder. Adjustable-height office chairs typically feature a gas ; cylinder that’s responsible for creating pneumatic lift. Inside
this cylinder is pressurized nitrogen gas that’s able to lift and hold the office chair at an elevated height.
If the gas cylinder on your office chair is leaking or otherwise faulty, you won’t be able to
raise it. The good news is that you can easily replace most gas cylinders. Just flip your
office chair upside down, use a screwdriver to remove the current gas cylinder and
replace it with a new gas cylinder of the same size and type. Once installed, try raising
your office chair to see if the new gas cylinder works.
Keep Away From Direct Sunlight
It’s a good idea to keep your office chair away from direct sunlight. Ultraviolet (UV) sunlight can degrade most fabrics and materials, including those used in the construction of office chairs. It doesn’t happen overnight. But if an office chair is exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period, it may fade and dry out.
You don’t have to work in a pitch-black office to protect your office chair from sun-related damage. Instead, consider placing your office chair in an area that’ mostly shaded during the day. You can also adjust the blinds or curtains so that they are only
partially closed, thereby restricting the amount of sunlight to which your office chair is exposed. By taking these simple precautions, you can rest assured knowing that your office chair won’t fade or dry out due to sun exposure.
Replace When Necessary
Even with regular cleaning and maintenance, you may still need to replace your office
chair. According to one report, the average life expectancy of an office chair is between
seven to 15 years. If your office chair is damaged or degraded beyond the point of
repair, you should go ahead and replace it.
A high-quality office chair made by a reputable brand should come with a warranty. If
any of the components break during the warranty period, the manufacturer will pay to
repair or replace it. Always look for a warranty when purchasing an office chair, as this
indicates the manufacturer is confident in its product.
After investing in a new office chair, though, remember to follow these cleaning and
maintenance tips. Doing so will help protect it from premature failure. At the same time,
a well-maintained office chair will provide you with a superior level of comfort when
working.
