Office chairs or computer chairs have cushions which, after a period of use, may start to smell. This odor, if untreated, may start to become unpleasant and thus requires immediate cleaning.
Since these chairs are often left out from maintenance, they start to pile on some dirt and dust which eventually give out a bad odor. By knowing how to remove smell from computer chair, you can have a clean and ambient workspace.
How to Remove Smell from Computer Chair?
To remove odor from computer chairs you must follow these steps to get them cleaned. This will remove the smell and keep the chair clean.
Checking the Build of Chair
The chairs are made up of different types of material and you have to check whether they are compatible with cleaning.
Some are fine with water; some can be used with solvents and certain chairs require professional cleaning. You must first check this out so that you don’t damage the cushion fabric.
To check this out, look for tags that are stuck with the cushion fabric. The tags will have symbols or codes that advise you regarding the maintenance. Usually, you can find W for Water cleaning, S for Solvent cleaning, and WS or SW for both water and solvent-based cleaning.
In some cases, you can find X or C which means you need professional cleaning and should not do it by yourself. If you find these codes, approach a professional cleaning service. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.
Drying in the Sun
If you are very keen on just getting rid of the smell, you can try leaving the chair out in the sun for a while. Because most of the time the odor is only due to the moisture present in the chair which acts with the dust and dirt.
If you let the chair dry out in the sun, you can get rid of the smell very easily. Also, this method is most of the time very effective and quick.
Also, leaving it out in the sun will disinfect the chair and thus making it ready for use. But if it didn’t work and you have accumulated dust and dirt, go to the next step.
Try Vacuum
This is another effective method in which you can clean the chair as well as remove all the dirt responsible for the odor.
After drying it out in the sun, use a vacuum cleaner and thoroughly remove the dust, debris, and dirt accumulated in the chair’s fabric.
Use baking soda and Vinegar
After vacuuming, take the chair someplace outside and sprinkle some baking soda on it. Then take some vinegar and apply to the chair.
Be cautious, because baking soda can react with vinegar. Let it dry for some time. Now using a pressurized water jet, wash away all the dirt from the chair along with the baking soda and vinegar mixture.
Now, let it dry out in the sun thoroughly and you can have a clean, odor-free chair.
Hard Cleaning Chemicals
When nothing works out, you have to go for some hard chemicals that can pull out all the dirt from the chair and thus making it clean and odor-free.
You can get specialized chemicals to treat such fabrics from the store. But you have to be cautious regarding the material of the fabric and see whether the chemical doesn’t harm the fabric.
Now using a vacuum cleaner, remove all the superficial dust and using the distinct chemical, soak the fabric and let it sit overnight. Then wash the cushion with water and dry it out in the sun.
Also, read these Post to Maintain your PC Chair,
- How to Fix a Computer Chair that keeps sinking?
- How to clean Computer Chair wheels?
- Are Armless Desk Chairs Comfortable?
What is the reason for the computer chair getting a smell?
The major reason for the smell is due to the action of microbes on the dirt in the chair. The microbes such as bacteria multiply in an area where there is adequate moisture and dirt.
The seat of the office chair is made up of a cushion and your body can easily sweat in the sitting area even if you are in an air-conditioned environment. The sweating is due to a lack of air circulation in the glutes.
This sweat gets accumulated in the chair and over the years becomes a viable place for bacteria reproduction. The action of bacteria causes anaerobic reactions and thus releases a bad odor from the fabric.
Why do we need to remove smell from computer chair?
The smell from computer chairs destroys the workplace ambiance and it will become very difficult to concentrate on the work.
It is also very unhygienic to have a chair like that because you may contract some infection from the bacteria causing the smell.
The cushion may accumulate a lot of dust over the years and it will start to release the particles in the air causing allergies. Therefore, it is very important to clean the chairs and remove the smell periodically.
Is it normal to get smell on your PC chair?
Yes, it is usual to get a smell on the PC chair and generally due to prolonged usage. If you have been using the chair for more than 5 years, you may start to have such issues.
Apart from time, the environment, the fabric material, and the model of the chair also play an important role in getting such issues. Considering the general model of a computer chair, we can say that it is quite common to get a bad odor from it after prolonged use.
Conclusion
Keeping the work area clean and tidy is very important for us and others. A smelly chair may ruin everyone’s day and it is important to get rid of it as soon as possible to maintain ambiance and health. Try these cleaning methods to take the smell off the chair.
