It happens in no time: the coffee mug sloshes, leaving an ugly brown trail of drops across the snow-white seat cushion. Or the leather sofa, perfectly positioned between two windows, catches a few splashes while you're watering the plants and rewards you with scribbly white limescale marks. Or a customer walks into the office with snow- or rain-soaked shoes and leaves behind not only business, but muddy brown footprints on the light-coloured carpet too. Cleaning textiles without leaving residue can be a tricky business. But if you remember a few care basics, you can not only act quickly when a small mishap happens, but also know how to keep fabrics, covers & co looking good for a long time.
When it comes to cleaning soiled fabrics, quick action is above all the be-all and end-all. The longer dirt has to work its way into the fibres and permanently stain or even damage them, the harder it becomes to remove it without a trace. Regular care of office textiles is always worthwhile, because a fabric that is cleaned regularly keeps its colour longer and feels better too.
A brief guide to textile materials
- Cotton, wool and linen
- Synthetic fabrics
- Leather
- Mesh
Office chair covers are just as varied as the wishes and preferences of the people sitting on them: from leather-upholstered executive chairs to sports seats with airy mesh fabric, which you may also know from backpacks and trainers, everything is available. Of course, there are also covers made of cotton, polyester, faux leather or mesh fabric. These materials are also used for lounge furniture, bar stools, visitor chairs and sofa suites – as well as for functional furniture for your home, such as gaming office chairs or the versatile "living office chair" category, which combines the benefits and styling of a comfortable armchair for the living room with the requirements of a work chair. Just like curtains and carpets, upholstery and fabrics need to be cleaned regularly.
Every fabric needs to be cleaned according to its material – and if it gets more heavily soiled, it will need the appropriate stain treatment. For organic stains such as blood or egg, a mixture of cold water and a little washing-up liquid or shampoo is recommended. For lipstick, ballpoint pen, ink or coffee, the shampoo and cold water mixture can be helped along after drying with a drop of cleaning solvent or stain remover. For non-water-soluble stains such as butter, paint, grease, oil or shoe polish, cleaning solvent or methylated spirits are used – though the rule for quantity is always: less is more, and gentle repetition is better than the more-is-better approach.
The right care for every fabric
Cotton, wool and linen
Seat cushions, curtains, carpets or covers made from a natural product such as cotton, wool or linen are a little more difficult to clean than synthetic fibres. For surface cleaning, the vacuum cleaner is the best way to thoroughly remove crumbs, hair, dust or fluff. Using the nozzle, even a vacuum cleaner set to a low setting will pull all particles hidden in crevices or folds into the dust bag. Alternatively, upholstered furniture can also be brushed off with a soft brush. Perfectionists should know that professionals always move both the vacuum cleaner and the brush over upholstery in the direction of the nap to avoid streaks.
If the upholstery gets stained, the following rule of thumb applies: if grease is involved, a dash of washing-up liquid or mild shampoo may be applied to a damp cloth; otherwise not. In all other cases, a leather cloth or lint-free fabric cloth dampened with cold water is sufficient, using it to wipe the stain from the edges inwards and gradually remove it. Distilled water works even better. This prevents limescale marks that can form after drying. Wet furniture upholstery made from natural fabrics can also be dried carefully with a hairdryer – and should never be used while still damp. With synthetic fabrics, the hairdryer should remain switched off to avoid melting or burning the plastic fibres.
Synthetic Fabrics
Polyester and microfibres can withstand a lot when it comes to cleaning. They can be vacuumed daily without concern and, because their fibres have a smoother structure than natural products, stains are generally easier to remove as well. However, the same applies here when removing stains: the type of stain determines the cleaning method.
Leather
Whether it's an executive chair, a representative visitor sofa or lounge furniture: leather is a particularly sensitive material that needs a great deal of care. Careful handling starts with where the furniture is placed. Because leather is sensitive to light, furniture upholstered in it should not be placed near windows. If light falls on it from one side only, leather furniture can become patchy or darken unevenly. In addition, these quality pieces should be kept in a room with sufficient humidity. Leather needs moisture so that it does not dry out and become brittle or cracked.
There are a few taboos when cleaning leather upholstery: stain removers, turpentine, petrol or solvents must never be used. It is perfectly sufficient to remove dust from the surface once a week with a damp cloth. As long as care is taken, the vacuum cleaner may also be used.
Sweat and skin oils leave marks on leather over time, which is why it should be cleaned regularly with a damp cloth. More stubborn stains are also removed with a damp cloth, after which the leather should be treated with a care product. Uncoated leather does not require any special care, while suede can be treated at regular intervals with a special rubber brush to preserve its texture.
Grease stains on smooth leather can be dealt with calmly: the grease gradually soaks into the leather and becomes invisible. Liquids, however, should be carefully blotted up immediately with a cloth or kitchen paper towel – and never rubbed in. After a stain, suede should be treated with a suitable waterproofing spray or leather cleaner. It goes without saying that, especially with leather furniture, the manufacturer's care instructions must be followed.
And what if the watering-can mishap described at the start happens? Stay calm, soak up the water and tackle any limescale marks with the following remedy: mix equal parts milk and water, dip in a clean cloth and gently polish the affected area with it.
Mesh
"Mesh" refers to breathable fabrics, usually nylon-based. As a preventive measure, these fabrics can be treated with silicone spray to protect them from dirt. In themselves, however, they are quite hard-wearing and can be cleaned either with a damp cloth or, for heavier soiling, with a drop of washing-up liquid on a moistened sponge. Here too, it is important that the material is given enough time to dry out completely. Because, as mentioned: using hairdryers, radiant heaters or other heat sources on plastics is not a good idea.
The first part of a series on material care deals with “hardware” such as chrome, wood and rigid plastic.