Silk, leather, suede, wool blends, cotton and nylon...
some are cleanable, some are not. They can look beautiful
for years.
It matters not whether the seating is period, colonial,
futuristic or contemporary. Chairs and sofas are almost
always padded and upholstered.
There are those few pieces that are wood, molded to seat
comfortably, but not for a long day at the desk. While the
executive chair is an impressive verification of the stature
of the office-holder, it is only a part of the vast world
of seating in the facility.
There are ergonomic chairs, arm chairs, stack chairs, side
chairs, conference chairs and task chairs; sofas, settees,
loveseats, banquettes and benches.
They are upholstered with cotton, silk, blends, wool, tapestry,
vinyl, leather and suede. Most of which are cleanable...some
of which are not!
Cleanable fabric-upholstered chairs and other seating must
be cleaned with equipment that was designed solely for this
purpose. The equipment is capable of ejecting a detergent
foam, agitating this foam and simultaneously vacuuming the
moisture to avoid any liquid from affecting the padding
under the fabric. The beauty of this system is that the
seating dries quickly and can be used within a couple of
hours.
There are protectorants that can be applied to fabric seating
that will help to retard soiling. Spills bead up on top
of the fabric and can be blotted away. These spills, if
allowed to dry, will not be absorbed by the fabric but will
appear as a stain, requiring cleaning. When cleaned, the
protected fabric cleans more easily and cleaner than fabric
which is unprotected.
Leathers are luxurious and long-lived. If treated with
care they will last longer than fabric-covered seating and
look more inviting with age.
It is critical that leather be nourished no less than once
a year to retain its supple hand and fine patina.
With proper care leather will not dry out from heating
and air conditioning. The skin will remain soft and cracking
will be avoided. This program should commence within a short
time after purchase, to assure that the new leathers have,
in fact, been nourished before delivery.
Suedes are a sign of true luxury. Perhaps this is especially
true because they are so hard to care for. There is a specific
product for cleaning suede which will not affect the hand.
Spots may not come out and should then be considered a sign
of "character !" All suedes respond well to a
good brushing.
Velours and velvets are similar to suede in that a wet
cleaning may affect the hand of the pile. Brushing and dry
cleaning with powder cleansers is the safest and most successful
approach.
