Top 5 Office Furniture Cleaning Procedures

When you look at your office cleaning checklist as a janitorial or building service specialist, are you taking the proper office furniture cleaning procedures into account? Many cleaning teams focus on high-traffic and high-touch areas, including doorknobs, light switches, point-of-sale keypads, and more, but sometimes furniture gets overlooked.

In reality, the furniture in your office building or the buildings you service is most likely used daily, sometimes by many different people. This means that it is certainly susceptible to wear, tear, and soiling and no one wants to sit on furniture that is covered in dirt, dust, or food crumbs.

Not only does proper furniture cleaning help with cleanliness, but it can also help furniture last longer, decreasing spending in the long-run. This is because without proper cleaning, furniture appears dingier and dirtier, which can bring down the aesthetic of an office space. However, with the correct cleaning procedures, office furniture can last for many years.

When completing office cleaning procedures, it is essential to follow the tried-and-true method of cleaning from dry to wet, from the top to the bottom of a room. This means that all of your furniture cleaning may not take place at the same exact time but rather in phases. For example, you may need to vacuum an upholstered chair or couch to remove crumbs and loose dirt and then revisit the same item later with a wet disinfectant. Jon-Don has all of the critical supplies your team needs to get the job done right every time, keeping office furniture looking fresh and new for many years to come.

Here are the top 5 cleaning procedures for common office furniture items.

1. Dust and Vacuum

When you think of dusting and vacuuming, it's likely that you think of picture frames and carpets. However, furniture cleaning includes these two actions as well. You should start by dusting and vacuuming all surfaces to remove loose dirt, soil, and food crumbs. Desks, spots between computer monitors, and furniture items that are infrequently used can all accumulate dust particles and debris between cleanings. This can aggravate indoor allergies for those who suffer and can cause an office to look unkempt.

For the best results, your office cleaning checklist should include a variety of dusters and vacuums. You can vacuum crumbs off of upholstered couches and chairs and get rid of any cobwebs that may be hiding either behind or under office furniture. Additionally, dusting off desks, particularly areas that aren't touched very often, can help keep office furniture looking spick and span.

2. Evaluate Fabric Cleanability Codes

When looking at your office cleaning checklist, finding the right products and equipment to clean various types of upholstered furniture may seem like a challenge. At Jon-Don, we have the tools and supplies you need for every job, including upholstered furniture cleaning. You can shop our full selection of upholstery cleaning tools from top brands online or call an expert to find out which tool is right for you.

Evaluate the type of fabric you will be cleaning: Acrylic vs. cotton vs. silk vs. microfiber vs. velvet–they all have different methods of cleaning. Even if the fabric is marked as "W" for wet cleanable, you should always take care to use as little moisture as possible to avoid over-wetting the item.

Whether you're looking to clean a couch in an office building's main lobby, or the cushions on a set of conference chairs, we have the equipment for you. Avoid messes like drips, spots, and over-wetting upholstered furniture with the right tools, while effectively removing dirt, stains, and germs. Are there throw pillows on that couch that have seen better days? You can clean those, too, along with upholstered ottomans and other furniture pieces that may often go overlooked.

3. Clean and Buff Leather

Often found in executive suites, boardrooms, and conference rooms, leather chairs and furniture are a hefty investment. They're definitely at the higher end of the cost spectrum and can be challenging to clean. When looking at your office cleaning checklist, make sure that you have the proper tools and cleaning agents for leather surfaces.

At Jon-Don, we have a wide assortment of leather cleaners and conditioners that help lift dirt and soil from the furniture while keeping the grain soft and free of cracks. Additionally, look for tools and accessories like a leather buffing mitt and leather cleaning brush. These tools are designed specifically with the unique grain and texture of leather in mind.

4. Handle Wood with Care

Wood is another common type of material in office furniture. Desks, chairs, and sometimes tables may be made of high-quality wood, which requires careful cleaning. While dusting is essential to keeping wood furniture clean and looking its best, sometimes spills, ink marks, and dirt can accumulate on the surface and dull its appearance. Having a good wood cleaner on your office cleaning checklist helps solve this problem.

When cleaning wood furniture, you will also want to make sure you have a variety of soft, microfiber cloths that you do not use with any other cleaning agents. This will avoid scratching the finish on the wood or leaving behind greasy streaks.

5. Disinfect and Sanitize

Today's office buildings are full of hard, non-porous surfaces that are designed to be easy to clean. This includes many staple furniture items, such as desks, tables and chairs, and more. These furniture pieces are also often particularly high-touch areas. Buildings may have employees using the same chair during different shifts or people filing in and out of conference rooms throughout the day. Finding the best furniture cleaning protocol for each of these items is essential.

For hard, non-porous surfaces, it is best to take a three-step approach when cleaning. First, remove all dirt, dust, food, and debris from the surface with a microfiber cloth or dry dusting cloth. Next, clean the surface with a neutral cleaner or soap and water. Lastly, apply an EPA-registered disinfectant or sanitizing agent. Follow all instructions on the label, including specifications for dilution, contact time, and more. This can help reduce the spread of germs in the office, particularly on communal furniture. You can use this cleaning procedure on desks, chairs, countertops, conference tables, and other hard, non-porous surfaces.

If you are cleaning a large amount of furniture at one time, such as rows of seating, benches, or bleachers, it may be advantageous to use an electrostatic sprayer. Electrostatic sprayers enable you to cover a greater area in less time while wasting less of a cleaning solution. They are excellent for use in settings such as assisted living facilities and hospitals and can clean hard surfaces in common areas and meeting rooms. Electrostatic sprayers add a positive charge to the liquid solution as it leaves the nozzle of the sprayer. These positively charged droplets seek out a negative or neutrally charged surfaces. The electrical charge creates a wrapping effect that ensures comprehensive coverage of a surface, providing you with excellent results.

Creating the Ultimate Office Cleaning Checklist

With these top five office furniture cleaning procedures in mind, next, it's time to look at what ancillary tools and equipment you may need to complete the job. Things like janitorial carts, cleaning chemicals, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for your staff. When working with chemicals, always follow the appropriate PPE guidelines, such as using gloves or hand coverings, eye protection, respiratory protection, and more.

The Jon-Don Difference

If you are responsible for furniture cleaning procedures at an office building, whether you head an internal team or run a janitorial and building service company that works with many clients, we know that you're focused on getting the best results. Not only can proper furniture cleaning help stop the spread of germs and disease, but it can increase the lifespan of office furniture, save money and help the building look its best for employees and visitors.

At Jon-Don, we're experts in all things relating to janitorial equipment and building service materials. No matter what type of office furniture you need to clean, whether it be plush armchairs, executive wooden desks, plastic chairs in the kitchen, or tabletops, it's essential to know what cleaning agents, tools, and equipment to use for the best results.

Our knowledgeable sales representatives have decades of industry experience and will take the time to help you determine which products to purchase for your office furniture cleaning needs, as well as how much of each product to buy. Additionally, if you purchase a new machine or equipment from Jon-Don our experts will provide your team with on-site training to make sure that you get the most of every item you use.