How To Clean Upholstered Dining Chairs: An Expert’s Guide

Make your upholstered dining chairs maintain their elegance.

We know, we know. You love your upholstered chairs. They add a special touch to your table, elegance, and color. But as pretty as they are, they’re also hard to keep clean. Well, of course, you can’t just put them in your washing machine and that’s it. They require another type of cleaning process, a little more complex.

But don’t worry, at Fresh Home Cleaning we will teach you how to clean your upholstered dining chairs so that they look spectacular in your living room or kitchen. Keep reading with us!

How often should I clean my upholstered chairs?

Like everything, it will depend on how much you use them and in what condition they are. If they are used daily, and that use is already notable, we recommend cleaning them every three months with the change of season. If, on the other hand, you use them sparingly, once a year will be fine.

Must have list:

• Vacuum
• Warm water
• Gentle dish or laundry detergent
• Washcloths
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%), white vinegar, or store-bought spot treatment for stains
• A soft brush
• Fans

Start by vacuuming

The first thing you should do in the process of cleaning upholstered chairs is to vacuum them. In this way, the first layer of dust and dirt will easily come out and it will loosen the occasional stain. You can use the upholstery attachment of your vacuum cleaner, and if you don’t have it, with the brush attachment you will be fine. Now, from the top to the bottom of the chair, vacuum very carefully, in circles, and patiently, from one side to the other.

DIY a cleaner solution

It’s always best to use your homemade cleaning products, so you know you won’t damage the upholstery. In a large bowl, mix warm water with a teaspoon of mild laundry or dish detergent. We’ll be back with that mixture, but first, clean the tough stains.

Cleaning hard to remove stains

Lots of things can fall on your chairs, especially if you use them daily for family dinners. To remove them, you can use either a store-bought stain spot treatment, or you can make your own with 3% hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar. Dip a clean, dry rag into the mixture, and gently run it in circles over each of the upholstery stains. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you continue with what comes next.

Now it’s time to clean up!

Now yes, use the mixture you made before of warm water and dish soap and submerge it in water. Drain and then apply it to the entire surface of your chairs. Make sure that the upholstery does not fill with water, it should only be damp. Then, carefully, test whether the chairs need more mix or not.

Now, with a soft-bristled brush, go over all the chairs to remove the cleaning mixture. If you happen to have a steam vacuum, now is the perfect time to use it.

Last but not least…

Once you have completed all the previous steps, with care and a lot of patience, now only the final stretch remains. You’re close, don’t loosen up!

Grab a clean cloth and soak it in warm water, now wring it out until it’s just damp. Using that, pass it with small touches all over the upholstery of your chairs. Repeat the process as many times as necessary, until no foam comes out and they are completely free of cleaning solution.

You must let it dry perfectly before using them again. For that, place the chairs in a room with open windows and a fan on. This way you will prevent dust from sticking to them again and having a musty smell. Another option is to leave them outdoors, but remember, they should always be in the shade. The sun can be very damaging to your upholstery.

FAQs

This has been our guide to learning how to clean upholstered dining chairs made by our cleaning experts at Fresh Home Cleaning. If you need someone to give you a hand, or you want to save time and money cleaning your house, do not hesitate to contact us.