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When will we learn that it is probably not the best idea to upholster dining room chairs? We use them at least once a day, probably more; we spill food on them; we hang jackets and purses off the back of them; we let our cats sleep on them – in short, we abuse them. Why then, do we think dining room chairs should be upholstered in white linen or red velvet or some other difficult to clean fabric? We may never know the answer to that question, so the least we can do is learn how to properly clean them up.
Certainly you’ve heard the phrase an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? The same is true for dining room chairs. The best way to keep them clean is to not get them dirty in the first place. Accordingly you should probably use dining chair covers as often as possible. If you don’t want to shell out for dining chair covers, a great alternative is to drape dining room chairs with plastic table cloths. Place the table cloths over the chairs fuzzy side up, so that the nap of the backing catches spills and prevents them from spreading. The plastic serves as a barrier to prevent any spill that soaks through from reaching the chair. If you choose not to cover your dining room chairs, they’ll need regular cleaning and maintenance – about once a month or every other month. What type of cleaning and maintenance depends on the fabric, but one thing that applies to all types of upholstered dining room chairs is that any spills should be wiped up immediately. Doing so helps keep stains from forming or setting. Dining room chairs should come with a tag indicating the cleaning code for the particular type of upholstery. If the tag has a W on it, that means that the chairs should be vacuumed and lightly dusted; spot cleaning should only be done with the foam from a water-based foam cleaner. The letter S indicates that vacuuming and light dusting are recommended, but that spot cleaning must be done with a water-free solvent or dry cleaning solution. Spot cleaning must be done in a well-ventilated room and any cleaner containing carbon tetrachloride must be avoided. Ideally, the dining room chairs should be cleaned by a professional furniture cleaning service. A tag with the W-S code means either of the above cleaning methods will work, and the letter X means that the chairs should be vacuumed or dusted only as cleaners may damage the upholstery. Finally, here a few tips to help your dining room chairs last as long as your dining room table. If the spill is contains red dye, lightly spritz hydrogen peroxide on the stain, wait 15-20 minutes and then rinse with a vinegar and water solution. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent and vinegar and water may cause upholstery shrinkage, so be sure your chairs can handle the process. For dining room chairs that can be cleaned with foam, remove any excess foam during the cleaning process that way the material is kept as dry as possible and the chance of shrinkage is reduced. If you have arm rest or headrest covers, use them. They prevent body oils from staining the upholstery. Wash the covers every couple of months. If your dining room chairs have removable cushions, be sure to flip them and rearrange them periodically to even out wear. Following these steps will keep your dining room chairs clean and beautiful so that they can be used for generation after generation along with the rest of the dining set.
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Chairs