How quickly it happened: the coffee cup spills and an ugly brown drip trail runs across the snow-white seat cushion. Or the leather couch, placed in the middle under two windows, gets a few sips of water when watering the flowers and thanks it with crackly white limescale edges. Or the customer enters the office with shoes wet from snow or rain and leaves not only orders but also muddy brown footprints on the light carpet. Cleaning textiles without leaving any residue can be a tricky game. But if you remember a few care tips, you can not only act quickly in the event of a small mishap, but also know how to keep fabrics, covers, etc. looking good for a long time.
When it comes to cleaning dirty fabrics, acting quickly is essential. The longer dirt has time to penetrate the fibers and permanently stain or even damage them, the more difficult it becomes to remove it without leaving any residue. Regular care of textiles in the office is definitely worth it, because a fabric that is cleaned regularly stays colorfast for longer and also feels better.
A little textile material knowledge
- Cotton, wool and linen
- Synthetic fabrics
- Leather
- Mesh
The covers of office chairs are as diverse as the wishes and ideas of those who sit on them: from leather-covered Executive chair Everything is available, right up to the sports seat with airy mesh fabric, which is also known from backpacks and sneakers. Of course, there are also covers made of cotton, polyester, artificial leather or mesh. These materials are also used in lounge furniture, bar stools, visitor chairs, couch sets - and also in functional furniture for the home, for example gaming office chairs or representatives of the all-rounder category of “living office chairs”, which combine the advantages 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 requires cleaning according to its material - and if it gets coarse dirt, the appropriate stain removal. For organic stains, such as blood or eggs, we recommend a mixture of cold water and a little dishwashing liquid or shampoo. For lipstick, ballpoint pens, ink or coffee, the shampoo and cold water mixture can be helped with a drop of mineral spirits or stain remover after it has dried. For non-water-soluble stains such as butter, paint, grease, oil or shoe polish, benzine or spirit is used - although when it comes to quantity, the following always applies: less is more and gentle repetition is better than the much-helps-a-lot method.
The right care for every fabric
Cotton, wool and linen
Seat cushions, curtains, carpets or coverings made from a natural product such as cotton, wool or linen are a little more difficult to clean than synthetic fibers. For superficial cleaning, the vacuum cleaner is the best option for thoroughly removing crumbs, hair, dust or lint. Even a vacuum cleaner set to a low setting will use the nozzle to pull any particles that are hiding in cracks or folds into the dust bag. Alternatively, upholstered furniture can also be swept with a soft brush. Perfectionists should know that the professional always pulls both the vacuum cleaner and the brush over the upholstery in the direction of the brush to avoid streaks.
If the upholstery has a stain, the following rule of thumb applies: If grease is involved, add a splash of dishwashing liquid or mild shampoo to a damp cloth; otherwise not. Otherwise, a leather cloth or lint-free fabric cloth moistened with cold water is sufficient and used to stroke the stain inwards from the edges and gradually remove it. It works better with distilled water. This avoids limescale stains that can form after drying. Wet furniture upholstery made from natural materials can also be carefully dried with a hairdryer - and should under no circumstances be used while they are still damp. When using synthetic fabrics, the hairdryer should remain switched off to avoid melting or burning the plastic fibers.
Synthetic fabrics
Polyester and microfibers can withstand a lot when it comes to cleaning. They can be cleaned daily with a vacuum cleaner without any worries and because their fibers have a smoother structure than natural products, stains are generally easier to remove. As far as stain removal is concerned, the same applies here: the type of stain determines the cleaning.
Leather
Whether it's an executive chair, a representative visitor's couch or lounge furniture: leather is a particularly sensitive material that needs a lot of care. Care in handling it starts with the location of the furniture. Since leather is sensitive to light, furniture covered in this way should not be placed near windows. If light falls on one side, leather furniture can become stained or darken unevenly. In addition, the good pieces should be kept in a room where there is enough humidity. Leather needs moisture so that it does not dry out and become brittle or brittle.
There are a few taboos when it comes to cleaning leather covers: under no circumstances should you use stain removers, turpentine, gasoline or solvents. It is sufficient to remove dust from the surface once a week with a damp cloth. As long as caution is exercised, the vacuum cleaner can also be used.
Sweat and skin oil leave traces on the leather over time, which is why it should be cleaned regularly with a damp cloth. Even larger stains are removed with a damp cloth and the leather is then cared for. Uncovered leather does not require any special care, while suede can be treated periodically with a special rubber brush to preserve its structure.
Grease stains on smooth leather should be dealt with calmly: grease gradually absorbs into the leather and becomes invisible. However, liquids should be carefully absorbed immediately with a cloth or kitchen paper - and under no circumstances should they be rubbed. After a stain, suede should be treated with an appropriate waterproofing spray or leather cleaner. It goes without saying that you must pay attention to the manufacturer's care instructions, especially when it comes to leather furniture.
And what if the watering can accident described above happens? Stay calm, soak up the water and counteract any limescale with the following recipe: Mix equal parts milk and water, dip a clean cloth and gently polish the affected area.
Mesh
“Mesh” refers to air-permeable materials, usually based on nylon. As a preventative measure, these materials can be treated with silicone spray to protect them from contamination. However, they are actually quite resistant and can be cleaned with a damp cloth or, if they are very dirty, with a drop of dishwashing detergent on a damp sponge. It is also important here that the material is given the necessary time to dry completely. Because as I said: With plastics, using hair dryers, heaters or other heat sources is not a good idea.
The first part of a series on material care deals with “hardware” such as Chrome, wood and hard plastic.