Cleaning a chair with a steam cleaner? Here's how to do it for each type of chair

Your dining chairs are looking grubby and you're thinking about a steam cleaner. Good idea. It's an effective and sustainable way to clean chairs. In this article, you'll find out what works and what doesn't for each type of chair, how to avoid water marks and which stains are best left unsteamed. That way, your furniture will look as good as new. Shall we get started?

Steaming a chair is similar to steaming a sofa. Yet chairs are where things often go wrong. A chair has little padding, lots of seams and often wood and glue in its frame. And a dining chair picks up different stains to a sofa.

Why use a steam cleaner on your chair?

A steam cleaner is made to clean and disinfect. The steam reaches at least 100°C. It loosens grease, dirt and build-up and kills bacteria, without harsh chemicals. Perfect for chairs that get a lot of use.

The benefits of a steam cleaner for your chairs

• Deep clean: steam loosens skin oils and dirt, without cleaning products.
• Bacteria and dust mites: the heat kills them. You can't see them, but they live in every chair. Sweat and food odours often come from bacteria too.
• No chemicals: just water in the tank. That's great for a high chair, because whatever lands on the tray ends up in little mouths.
• Low moisture: the dry mode on the TS Compact and TS3 Edge gives you more heat and less moisture. The fabric gets damp, not wet.
• Into the seams too: the jet nozzle and small brush reach where a cloth can't, such as seams and buckles.
• One appliance for more: afterwards, use the same steam cleaner on your sofa, mattress or floor.

How steam cleaning a chair works

The steam loosens dirt and skin oils. A steam cleaner doesn't suck them up, so you wipe them away yourself with a cloth.

That's why you don't steam a fabric chair directly. Fit the white microfibre cloth over the triangular brush. The cloth spreads the steam and picks up the loosened dirt. This leaves the fabric damp, not wet. The cloth holds heat for a long time, so never touch it with bare hands while you're steaming.

Steam cleaning works in three steps: apply the steam, wipe the dirt away with the cloth, then leave it to dry.

Can your chair handle steam? A guide by material

Not every fabric is suitable for steam. So check the care label or your chair's manual first. Most chairs can be steamed. Take care with velvet, genuine leather and wooden joints. Don't steam silk or viscose.

Material	Steam?	How to do it	Watch out
Fabric (cotton, polyester)	Yes	Triangular brush with white microfibre cloth, short strokes	Test on the underside of the seat first
Microfibre and faux suede	Yes, briefly	White microfibre cloth, then brush up once dry	Can dry patchy if you steam one spot too long
Velvet and velour	Limited	Don't press the cloth onto the fabric, steam from a few centimetres away	Pressure leaves permanent marks in the pile
Silk and viscose	No	Leave it to a specialist	Moisture leaves rings that won't come out
Faux leather	Yes, briefly	Steam with the cloth, wipe and dry straight away	Older faux leather can crack in the heat
Genuine leather	Best avoided	Use a leather cleaner	Heat and moisture dry out the leather
Wood (varnished or oiled)	Only briefly, with a cloth	Steam onto the cloth and wipe the frame	Never aim at joints, as the glue can loosen. Oiled wood turns dull, so re-oil it afterwards
Rattan and cane	Yes, briefly	Small brush on the jet nozzle, then let it dry thoroughly	Leaving it wet too long can make the seat sag
Plastic	Yes	Steam directly with the small brush	Nothing to note
Mesh (office chair)	Yes	White microfibre cloth, gently over the mesh	Dries quickly thanks to its open structure

How to steam clean your chairs, step by step

These steps work for every type of chair. Where materials need different treatment, you'll find it in the table above and in step 8. Allow about five to ten minutes per dining chair. What matters most is where you start and where you finish.

1. Test on a hidden spot. The underside of the seat is ideal. Check the care label or the chair's manual too. Let it dry and look for any discolouration, shrinkage or water marks.
2. Remove dust and crumbs. Vacuum the chair, especially the seam between the seat and backrest. That's where crumbs collect, and they'll turn sticky if you leave them.
3. Fill the tank with clean water, ideally distilled. Don't add any cleaning products. If your appliance has a dry mode (TS Compact and TS3 Edge), select it. It gives you more heat and less moisture. With the TS1 and TS2, take extra care to spray off the excess water.
4. Choose your attachment. For flat surfaces such as fabric, faux leather, mesh and wooden frames, use the triangular brush with the white microfibre cloth. For seams, rattan and plastic, use the small brush on the jet nozzle. Spray off any excess water into the sink first. Only then fit the cloth, and never with bare hands.
5. Start where hands and legs make contact: the top of the backrest, the front edge of the seat and the armrests. That's where most skin oil builds up. It's also where a chair turns grey first.
6. Work from seam to seam and keep moving. Never stop in the middle of a surface. A damp patch in the middle of the seat dries into a ring. At a seam, the edge blends in.
7. Change the cloth as soon as it looks grey. A dirty cloth just spreads the dirt back. The cloths are washable. Use liquid detergent, without fabric softener.
8. Finish off according to the material. Leave fabric to dry by an open window, with the chair tilted or on its side so air can get under the seat too. Feel the underside. If it's dry, the padding usually is too. Brush microfibre and faux suede dry afterwards. Wipe faux leather, mesh and wood dry straight away with a cloth. Re-oil oiled wood afterwards. Let rattan and wicker dry thoroughly before anyone sits on them.

 

Stains on a chair

Not every stain responds well to heat. Protein-based stains set when they're heated, which fixes them into the fabric. On dining chairs and high chairs, these are often the most common stains.

Stain	Steam?	Method
Milk, baby food, egg, blood	Not at first	Rinse with cold water and blot dry. Only steam once the stain has gone
Child or pet urine	Not at first	Blot, treat with an enzyme cleaner and leave to dry. Then steam to tackle odours and bacteria
Grease, gravy, hand cream, skin oils	Yes	Steam softens grease. Blot it up straight away with a dry cloth
Chewing gum and candle wax	Yes	Steam softens it. Scrape it off or blot it away with kitchen roll
Coffee, tea, red wine	As a follow-up	Use a stain remover first. Steam rarely removes these stains completely
Ink and marker pen	No	Steam spreads the stain. Use an ink remover

Not sure what kind of stain it is? Start with cold water. It won't make anything worse.

Which steam cleaner suits your chairs?

For a quick clean of a few chairs, the TS Compact is the handiest choice. For a whole dining set plus the rest of your home, go for the TS3 Edge. The TS1 and TS2 sit somewhere in between. All four come with a white microfibre cloth for upholstery. Only the TS Compact and TS3 Edge have both a wet and a dry mode.

	TS Compact	TS1	TS2	TS3 Edge
Power	1,200 W	1,500 W	1,800 W	2,600 W
Cleaning power	2.6 bar	3.6 bar	4 bar	4.2 bar
Steam output	35 ml/min	35 ml/min	38 ml/min	62 ml/min
Accessories	15	26	26	26
Water capacity	900 ml	1,500 ml	1,600 ml	2,500 ml
Steam time	Unlimited	40 min	50 min	Unlimited
Heat-up time	±10 sec	2-8 min	2-8 min	±1 min
Wet and dry steam	Yes	No	No	Yes
Refill while you clean	Yes	No	No	Yes
Cable length	6 m	6 m	6 m	5 m
Weight	1.3 kg	4.3 kg	4.2 kg	3.2 kg
Steam temperature	125°C	100°C	100°C	125°C+

 

You can hold the TS Compact in one hand. That's handy for armrests, seams and a high chair. The TS1 and TS2 have a larger tank, but you can't refill while you clean. So for a whole dining set, plan around the tank's steam time: 40 minutes with the TS1 and 50 minutes with the TS2. The TS3 Edge gives almost twice as much steam per minute and has a larger tank. You'll notice it when doing six chairs in a row, or if you move on to the sofa or the floor afterwards.

Compare all steam cleaners side by side.

FAQs

How do I know if my chair can handle steam?

First check the care label or the chair's manual. If there's nothing there, test on a hidden spot, such as the underside of the seat. Once it's dry, check the fabric hasn't faded, shrunk or got water marks. Don't steam silk or viscose.

Can I steam clean a leather chair?

Best not with real leather. Heat and moisture dry the leather out. Use a leather cleaner instead. You can steam faux leather briefly, using a cloth. Rub it dry straight away, as older faux leather can crack in the heat.

Which stains should I avoid steaming?

Protein stains set with heat, such as milk, baby food, egg and blood. Rinse these out with cold water first. Ink and marker also spread with steam. For urine, start with an enzyme cleaner and only steam afterwards to tackle odour and bacteria.

How do I avoid water rings on my chair?

Don't stop in the middle of a section, and keep the steam gun moving. Work from seam to seam, as the seam hides the transition. Still got a ring mark? Lightly steam the whole section again and rub it dry with a clean cloth.

How long does a chair take to dry after steaming?

Usually less time than a sofa, as there's less padding. Allow a few hours. Feel the underside of the seat. If it's dry, you can sit on it.

What water should I put in my steam cleaner?

Distilled or demineralised water is best. It prevents limescale and keeps the steam steady. Don't add cleaning products or fragrance. Empty the tank after steaming, as standing water starts to smell.

Can I steam clean a high chair?

Yes. Steam works without cleaning products, which is ideal for a chair where food ends up. The jet nozzle gets into the seams of the tray and around the harness buckles. Let fabric parts dry completely before your child sits in it again. Keep children at a distance while the appliance is switched on.

What's the difference between a steam cleaner and a vacuum cleaner for chairs?

A vacuum cleaner picks up dust and crumbs. A steam cleaner loosens skin oils and dried-on dirt. You need both. Vacuum first, then steam.