How to Clean Upholstered Chairs

Upholstered chairs come in every color, style, and size. But whether you have a plush recliner or a formal dining room chair, it will eventually need to be cleaned. Sometimes a simple vacuuming will remove the dust and brighten the fabric or you may need to tackle years of pet stains, food spills, and grime.

Before you begin, it is important to know what kind of upholstery is covering your chair. Since 1969, furniture manufacturers have added a tag to help you determine the best and safest way to clean upholstery. Look for the tag underneath the chair or cushion and follow the cleaning guidelines for the code.

• Code W: Fabric can be cleaned with water-based cleaning solvents.
• Code S: Use only a dry cleaning or water-free solvent to remove stains and soils from the upholstery. The use of these chemicals requires a well-ventilated room and no open flames like fireplaces or candles.
• Code W-S: The upholstery can be cleaned with either water-based or solvent-based products.
• Code X: This fabric should only be cleaned by vacuuming or by a professional. Any type of home cleaning product can cause staining and shrinking.

If there is no tag, you must test different cleaning solutions in an inconspicuous area to see how the fabric reacts when treated.