How To Clean Office Chair Wheels: An Easy 7-Step Guide

In this article, we will teach you how to clean office chair wheels so you never have to worry about the wheels getting caught on dirt or hair.

A good office chair offers both support and mobility. You wouldn’t want a chair that makes your back hurt and gets stuck on things!

how to clean office chair wheels

 

Why should you clean the wheels of an office chair?

Before cleaning the wheels, first, you should know why it is essential to keep the wheels clean. The first reason is that over time, a chair naturally accumulates dirt and grime. Therefore, it is unavoidable for a chair’s fixtures to remain clean when used often.

Wheels are among the most susceptible to dirt and grime buildup. This buildup might be because wheels are always in contact with floors, which may not always be clean. Dirty wheels can hamper your chair’s functionality immensely.

A set of dirty wheels on a chair can cause mobility issues. It can get caught in things like string, thread, or even hair. Nobody wants an office chair that can’t even move from one point to another!

This is why you should clean an office chair’s wheels.

Another reason for doing so is to keep a chair looking good. The cleanliness of a facility space says a lot about a business or dwelling.

 

How Do You Clean An Office Chair’s Wheels?

This section will help you successfully clean the wheels of an office chair efficiently. Buckle up!

 

Step #1. Assess 

Determine how much dirt and grime has accumulated in the wheels of your chair. Usually, when people haven’t cleaned their chairs, the wheels need more thorough and intense cleaning.

For chairs such as these, you might need to dismantle the chair before cleaning the wheels, which entails bringing out tools and items that will help you clean. If that is the case, the following steps will help you do that.

If the maintenance crew in your office cleans the chairs regularly, then you might not need to dismantle the chair. However, you don’t need to fret! The following steps will also help you determine if you need to do so.

 

Step #2. Flip your chair

The next step is to flip your chair. Putting the chair upside down will help you get a better vantage point of the wheels, which will also help you clean them better. Ensure that your chair is propped up in a safe and steady position so as not to damage the furniture or hurt yourself accidentally.

 

Step #3. Remove larger debris

Once you’ve got your chair upside down, you can see clearly the kind of dirt that’s gotten stuck in your wheels. You can remove the larger debris using a butter knife or a barbecue stick. You can also use other items that can fit through the slots without getting stuck in the wheels.

Don’t be too forceful, especially when using a sharp item to dislodge the debris. You don’t want to damage the plastic wheels of the chair.

For chairs that are being cleaned regularly, this step should be enough to get your wheels working well again. However, for chairs with more buildup, the following steps will help you restore the chair to its full potential.

 

Step #4. Remove the wheels

Almost all wheels of a chair come off with a simple tug. However, some might require the assistance of a screwdriver.

In these instances, carefully unscrew the wheels. Again, make sure to keep the screws in a safe place so you don’t misplace them while you clean.

 

Step #5. Wipe

Once you’ve removed the wheels, it is smooth sailing ahead. Usually, wiping down the wheels with a damp cloth will get rid of all the dirt on the wheel. You can also use items such as cotton swabs to reach into the nooks and crannies.

After wiping the wheels, make sure to dry each of them thoroughly! You don’t want the chair to squeak. Additionally, dirt can cling more easily to a wet wheel.

 

Step #6. Lubricate

If you have access to it, a spray lubricant will help your chair glide much more smoothly across your work area. Spray the wheel and wipe off the excess so dirt won’t build up.

 

Step #7. Re-assemble

Once you’re satisfied with how your wheels look, you can re-assemble the wheels and set your chair upright. Test it out first to check if it works fine.

 

Other maintenance tips

To keep your wheels clean after a thorough wipe-down, you might want to try using a chair mat. Some people think that this helps keep their wheels cleaner for longer.

Another habit to pick up is to vacuum your work area often. It can help prevent dust from moving back into the groves of the wheel.

Lastly, the type of lubricant you use might also have an effect. Greaseless lubricant works best for chairs that have metal-to-metal contact. Silicone lubricant is great for plastic wheels.

 

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about how to clean office chair wheels. We also talked about why this is important and other maintenance tips. Every time you need to do another maintenance process on your office chair, do not hesitate to use this guide.

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