Dining room chairs come in different shapes and sizes. And fabric upholstered dining chairs is the feature pieces in the dining room in most of our houses. If you want to keep your dining room well maintained and looking good, it is very important to take care of its appearance.
With any good quality piece of furniture, including your fabric dining chair, you need to put in a certain amount of effort to care for them and preserve them, so that they are in their optimum condition.
But with time, it is highly likely that your fabric chair will go through wear and tear, and maybe even spillage. So how to clean dining chair fabric? This is precisely what we are going to help you out with today. Keep reading till the end!
Contents
How to clean dining chair fabric – Guide
Know the type of fabric.
This is the first and the foremost thing you need to take care of. Not all furniture comes with the same type of fabric and every fabric has its own way of being cleaned.
This tip is to figure out whether the cleaning product you are going to use is suitable for the fabric on your chair or not. If you want to be sure, you can check out the cleaning tag or test out your cleaning product in a small area.
Use a vacuum cleaner.
Fabric dining chairs can easily accumulate loose dirt, which can cause it to wear early. Vacuuming your chair is very essential to get rid of the dirt and grime that might be present on the surface.
The loose that can lead to stains, will not always be easy to wipe off with a clean cloth. Most of the vacuum cleaners in the market today come with special upholstery attachments, that are specially designed for cleaning the furniture.
Vacuuming will keep your chair free from stains in the long run, and if you see there is still some lint remaining, go over with a cleaning brush for better results.
Use a solution of white vinegar and baking soda.
To clean fabric dining chairs, it is recommended to go with this DIY solution for the best results. If the fabric on your chair does not react to any water solution, you can make one on your own by using one cup of club soda, or baking soda mixed in water.
To this solution, you need to add half a cup of vinegar and a half tbsp dish soap. Once you have made this solution, you can add it to a spray bottle and spray some of it on a clean towel. Now you can rub the clean damp towel on the fabric stain to get rid of it.
Use hydrogen peroxide.
Applying hydrogen peroxide is also a good idea to remove stains on a fabric chair. To do this, all you need to do is apply hydrogen peroxide to a towel, preferably a microfiber cloth or towel, and use that to blot the stain on the fabric.
You can go ahead and try out this method on a small area at first to double-check that the hydrogen peroxide is not affecting the fabric of the chair.
Use a steamer for deep cleaning.
Using a DIY baking soda and vinegar solution or hydrogen peroxide with a towel might not always be enough to give your dining room fabric chair a thorough cleaning. If you are looking for something more effective, you can try out a steam cleaner for deep cleaning.
But make sure that the fabric gets completely dry after the cleaning before you use the chair again. Otherwise, there is a risk of moisture getting trapped within, which is not good for the overall health of the chair.
Go for stain-resistant fabrics.
If you live in a busy household with young kids around you, it is expected that your dining room fabric chairs will undergo heavy use. In situations like this, stain-resistant fabrics can be a huge advantage.
Today there are many manufacturers in the market which offer fabrics resistant to stains and spills. The fibers in this kind of fabric do not allow penetration of water and oil, and you can gently wipe off any spillage effortlessly.
Plus, many stain-resistant fabrics in the market are also antifungal and antibacterial at the same time, and they will prevent the growth of microorganisms and will keep it hygienic. This function is especially important for those who suffer from allergies to fungus and dust mites.
Spot cleaning tricks for different types of spillage.
Different items need different treatments to get rid of the stain from spillage.
In the case of coffee or tea, you can blot up most of the spillage using an absorbent cloth. To get rid of the stain, you can use a solution of vinegar in alcohol, mixed in equal parts, and apply the solution to the stain by using a lint-free cloth soaked in the solution. Dab it gently by pressing the cloth on the affected area.
In the case of ice cream, chocolate, or any kind of dessert, you can use a clean knife to scrape off the excess residue. Next, you can use water mixed with liquid detergent to spot clean the stain by blotting it dry and cleaning it with cold water.
If you have spilled any kind of alcoholic drink, you need to remove the excess liquid immediately as soon as possible.
Next, soak up some rubbing alcohol using a clean cloth and dab the stain gently. You can also blot the area with liquid detergent mixed in cold water. Repeat the process until you have removed the stain satisfactorily.
If red wine or fruit juice stain is your enemy, blot away excess liquid and use a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water, in the ratio of 3:1, to dab on the stain.
For greasy items like sauces and butter, you can scrape off the excess oil. Next, mix liquid detergent in water and apply the solution to the stain. Later on, you can blot it dry and clean the area with cold water.
Urine stains from pets or kids are also common and can be difficult to get rid of once fully dry. If you leave it like that, it can lead to permanent discoloration of the fabric. Hence it is important to work on it immediately.
Blot the excess using a dry cloth, and use a solution of water in vinegar to dab on the affected area. Blot it dry and follow it with a mixture of liquid detergent and water. Once you are done with that, dab the stain with cold water and blot it dry.
General tips for fabric conservation.
Even if you do not have stains on your fabric right now, here are some tips you can follow to conserve the fabric and maintain it-
- Vacuuming upholstered chairs in your dining room at least once a week will make sure that loose dirt, dust, and crumbs do not penetrate the fabric and the body of the chair. It will also reduce the growth of dust mites.
- Exposing most fabrics to direct sunlight for a longer duration of time might lead to fading of bright colors. If your dining room is designed in such a way that there is plenty of strong sunlight, it is better to draw the curtains or use blinds when you do not use the room.
- High=quality furniture is not cheap, and if you want to meet them last for a long time, go for professional cleaning of the fabric at least twice a year. Choose a reputable company to do the job, so that you are sure that they will not damage the fabric.
Which cleaning products should you avoid for fabric chairs?
When it comes to cleaning the fabric of your dining chairs, it is best to reach out to professionals to do the job. But of course, you can use some products in the case of an emergency like spillage.
Do not use any random cleaning product without knowing what exactly it is. You should never use Harsh chemicals on upholstery fabric, and here are some of the products that you need to avoid strictly-
- Strong acids.
- Abrasive cleaning products, like cream cleaners.
- Alkalis.
- Ammonia.
- Bleach.
Conclusion.
There is no doubt about the fact that you absolutely love your fabric dining chairs. But not knowing how to clean dining chair fabric might lead to a major blunder, which can end up ruining it.
This guide will give you a clear idea of how to clean dining chair fabric, and get rid of stains and dirt. Cleaning the fabric on your dining chairs regularly will improve their appearance and make them last longer.
FAQs.
How to clean faux leather dining chairs?
There are specific cleaning products available only for leather, and you can couple this up with regular vacuuming to get rid of the dirt along the crevices to maintain the leather fabric in top-notch condition.
Which fabric is most suitable for dining room chairs for easy cleaning?
The fabrics on dining room chairs are more likely to get stained since there is a lot of cooking and eating going around. Fabrics that are easy to clean, like cotton blends, polyester blends, short pile velvet, suede, etc are the best options in this scenario.
How to keep the dining chair cushions clean?
You can use a vacuum cleaner or remove the excess dust by shaking it off. The seams of the cushions accumulate the most dirt and dust, and you can scrub them with soap or liquid detergent to clean them thoroughly.