How to Make an Office Chair Water Resistant
Working long hours usually means meals and snacks consumed at your desk---convenient, but it can also be messy. Even if you're careful, you can't avoid the occasional spill. This can add up to an unprofessional-looking workspace if you don't have a water-resistant office chair. Since you can't prevent office chair stains entirely, it's a good idea to protect your chair as best you can. Whether you want to spillproof leather or waterproof fabric, the steps below will protect your office chair from of all kinds of wet messes. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Sponge
- Gentle dish soap
- Water
- Bucket
- Soft toothbrush or baby brush
- Vacuum cleaner with hose attachment
- Leather conditioner
- Interior car wax
- Beeswax furniture polish
- Rubber gloves
- Painter's mask
- Goggles
- Waterproofing fabric spray (e.g., Scotchgard)
- Weatherproof cushion (optional)
Instructions
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Leather and Faux Leather
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1
Clean all grease and stains from leather furniture with a sponge dipped in a solution of gentle dish soap and warm water (five to six squirts of dish soap per bucket should work). Use a soft toothbrush or baby brush on stubborn stains. If you have a suede or microfiber chair, just vacuum it well; don't get it wet. Clean the entire chair, not just the seat.
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2
Dry the chair thoroughly with a clean, lint-free cloth.
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3
Apply leather conditioner or interior car wax to all surfaces of your chair. Some leather products are also safe for suede and microfiber; read the label to be sure. Interior car wax is good for plastic arms; beeswax polish is best for wood. Buff the conditioner, wax or polish in gently with your lint-free cloth and let it set overnight.
Fabric
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4
Vacuum your chair thoroughly, making sure to get into all the little nooks and crannies. Use a soft toothbrush or baby brush to loosen dried spills.
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5
Remove any spots and stains with a clean, lint-free cloth dipped in a solution of dish soap and warm water. Dish soap is formulated to break up food stains and won't harm most fabrics. Let the areas you spot-treated dry completely.
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6
Put on your rubber gloves, painter's mask and goggles and spray the entire surface area of your chair with waterproofing spray. Let it dry overnight and apply a second coat. Let the second coat dry overnight before using the chair.
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7
Install a good, waterproof outdoor cushion on your chair (optional)---this will go a long way toward helping protect your office chair. You can find this type of cushion at patio, home improvement and specialty stores.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Keep several large polyester cloth napkins in your desk drawer to put on your lap during meals and snacks to add an extra layer of protection.
Always use waterproofing spray in a well-ventilated area.
Do a small patch-test in a hidden area of your chair before applying anything to the rest of the chair.
