White furniture looks pristine and gives a touch of class to an office. But what about when it becomes dirty from use; or when something has been spilled on it? Then pristine it isn’t anymore. In fact, it looks worse than a tan fabric chair that at least will hide a stain or that you can pass off as having character. So how do you keep white fabric and white leather chairs clean?
White Leather Chairs
Leather is a great durable material for chairs because of its sturdiness. But the downside is that it’s also very porous so that it will absorb oils from your skin and hands which causes stains. White leather is even worse because it’s more susceptible to noticeable stains. So how do you remove the stains so that your white leather chair is white again?
To begin with, wipe the leather often with a dry microfiber cloth. This will get rid of light soiling and smudges. If you need to clean deeper, you can use a commercial cleaner for leather. You can also make a solution of your own. All you need to do is get some warm water in a small bowl and add dish soap; or some Castile soap. Then add a few drops white vinegar. Next, take a cloth and dampen it with the solution and wipe off the soiled surfaces. You shouldn’t saturate the leather though because if too much water is used, the chair will be ruined. The next step is use a second cloth dampened with water to remove the soap residue.
For stains on white leather
As soon as there’s a spill, it needs to be wiped up so that it doesn’t set in. If the stain is ink, take nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol and wet a cotton ball with this. Then blot the stain gently, but don’t rub it. When the stain is gone, when use a solution of mild dish soap and water to clean the area. Wipe off residue with a clean damp cloth.
If there’s grease or oil on the chair from a person’s hands or hair, sprinkle some cornstarch or baking soda on the offensive spot. Gently rub it in and let sit for a couple of hours or even overnight depending how bad the stain is. The cornstarch or baking soda will absorb the oil and grease. Take a soft cloth and wipe off the powder.
Another option for stains is to combine lemon juice and Cream of Tartar together into a paste. Put it on the stain and let in sit there for about 30 minutes. Dampen a clean sponge and use it to remove the paste. A combination of lemon jouce and Cream of Tartar will work almost like a bleach, and this will help to remove the stain.
How to Keep white fabric chairs clean
- W=this means that the chair can be cleaned with a water based cleaning solution. This also means the chair is made with the most durable of the fabrics.
- S=this means that the chair can only be cleaned with a cleaning solvent (it means dry clean only) or a product which is water free. It will not clean well if water is used and may be damaged.
- SW or WS=this means a water based product or a dry-cleaning product can be used without damaging the furniture. This type of coded furniture should only be used in areas where there is low traffic though.
- X=this means the chair had to be professionally cleaned; don’t touch it!
Keeping your white furniture clean isn’t difficult if you keep up with the spots and use the products that are best for cleaning the furniture that you have in the office.
References:
http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/maintenance-and-repair/cleaning/how-to-clean-white-leather
https://geyengroupsouth.com/best-way-clean-fabric-office-chair/
