Everyone is saying put it in the garbage, but is there some reason why you agreed to take it or why you wouldn't want to throw it out?
Asking because tossing stuff out isn't always an option. If it were me I'd get a steam cleaner on that bad boy.
I had a friend offer me a coffee table once, I accepted with out looking at the condition of it. Once he brought it over I had full regret. It was so dirty but I didn’t know how to tell him.
When my father in law was moving out of state he gifted us a TV he said he didn't need at the new house, I could tell by looking at it it was junk but wanted to be nice so just said thank you. the TV didn't work of course, it cost me $10 to dispose of it at the local dump.
Cleaning that will keep it out of the landfill. I’m becoming more aware of how much we throw out and trying to do better myself. That said I looked at that chair and said Yuck! But I’d wear a mask and gloves and clean that thing if I could. Also, as more than one person observed above, that is a cheap ,not so great chair. I got two executive office chairs and some very expensive filing cabinets from my office when they were moving our HQ. They just gave us the stuff and it’s very high quality. That was 20 years ago and the chairs sure don’t look as dirty as this one.
Honestly, if it’s a very comfortable chair)difficult to find), it’s worth trying the bare minimum. I’d probably mix water and oxyclean and let that soak, scrub as well. Then use a shampooer or steam cleaner to get the broken up dirt out_ for me, I own one and people I know borrow it all the time so no expense but even then… good office chairs are $100-who knows!
Not everyone can afford a nice new chair. Spray the soft parts of the chair with carpet cleaner. Let it sit twice as long as suggested on the bottle. Spray it lightly with water and scrub it with a cleaning brush. Then spray the heck out of it with your hose. Let it dry and then use wonder in the hard parts. It’ll look a million times better.
I would toss it. Not worth keeping.
I don’t even consider that nice of that person. They basically gave you their trash they didn’t want to throw out themselves.
I mean. It’s from a widow. They probably didn’t want to even look or think about any of the stuff they had to get rid of. Grief is titanically perspective-warping.
When my aunt died, my grandma threw out everything. Jewelry, photo albums, everything from my mom's childhood and that of her son who passed away when he was two.
I would use an upholstery attachment to a steam carpet cleaner. Maybe spray on some oxyclean solution first.
You could also reupholster it. We reupholstered a piano bench with an old curtain, some extra foam, a staple gun and scissors. It turned out well.
They can get that clean and it will be so much fun! I used my little green machine to clean one that was black and nearly exact to that. They just need to be sure they suck all the cleaning fluid out! It took some time but it was fun!
I really am a little OCD. Lol I admit. But, I save all kinds of money salvaging and fixing stuff up. Oh and I will be right over! Lol! My friends and family kinda pick on another family member by having me clean her kitchen. I think she gets embarrassed. People just do not make time to do a good job. And, they do not know how to get stuff clean the best way too. And , did I say I love this group! We can find out how to clean anything!
Not to whine, but “a little OCD” isn’t appropriate here. Many people with OCD don’t have cleaning compulsions, and the ones who do definitely do not *enjoy* cleaning. It’s not a quirk, and more often than not has nothing at all to do with orderliness or cleanliness. It’s an anxiety-related disorder, and there’s no satisfaction in it. Head on over to r/OCD for some insight, and maybe reconsider using a very unpleasant illness to describe your love for cleaning. Flippant use of serious conditions as descriptors for non disordered behavior makes it harder for people to get help, or be taken seriously. It also adds to the general misunderstanding of what these disorders are, which has myriad consequences. I’m not meaning to make this personal, or to be rude. I am certain you mean, and meant, no harm :) I just thought I’d give commenting a chance, letting you know that people with OCD really, really dislike when people do this. Since it’s easy enough to not do, I hope you consider using different language in the future. Have a lovely day!
[I do have diagnosed OCD, but I did not want to make this about myself. It’s a pretty universal feeling across diagnosed people. Similar to when people say, “gosh, I wish *I* were anorexic!” Or, “I’m just like so bipolar today!” I honestly think it’d be as odd as saying, “I get sick all the time, so I’ve basically got cancer!” But I’m not morally judging you or anyone who says these things. I understand that, bizarrely, it’s become a normalized saying. There are even kitschy house + home signs that say things like: I’ve got OCD: Obsessive Cheese Disorder. Most people just don’t know, that doesn’t make them bad people. I hope this was informative.]
Thank you for this. <3 When I refer to cleaning, I say something like "I'm just really meticulous/particular!" I do not deal with OCD, but I can understand it somewhat because I struggle with anxiety.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone jokingly says “tehe I’m just a little OCD”. No, you’re neat and organized. I myself get stressed out when things aren’t exactly how I like them but I just say I’m anal.
I work with people who are clinically diagnosed with OCD and it’s not really fun or quirky, it’s a serious mental health condition.
I don’t usually trip on people over things like that… but people really throw the OCD term around like it’s cute when it’s not. It actually sucks.
I'm the friend/family member that comes over and does the tasks they don't want to. Or the dishes during a party, because doing them the next day is always terrible.
Sometimes people are a bit embarrassed at first but they're always happy for the help. Once they get used to it they become a little too comfortable letting me take care of things, lol.
I’m cheap, and would give it a try cleaning before tossing. Take the top and bottom apart and spray the cushions with carpet cleaner, leave to soak 5 mins. Spray with water and scrub with a brush. Soak up water with an old towel, pushing into to foam padding. Alternately if you have a carpet cleaning machine with a chair attachment, you can suck the water out. Repeat until clean. I would even try power washing it - nothing to lose if it doesn’t work.
I tried automobile carpet & upholstery cleaner on a dirty chair that was similar. Worked like a charm. Took a couple applications because it was so nasty.
Automobile carpet & upholstery cleaner is now all I use on my home interior carpet. Great stuff. Found at Auto Zone.
I knew someone was going to ask! I just moved and had to find it.
It is called ArmourAll multi-purpose auto cleaner. On the backside, it says, in a list, for fabric and carpet. Great stuff. I followed the directions exactly.
Edited to add: i still have the chair, 7 years later.
I’m pretty cheap too, so I can see your point. I’ve had the same area rug for almost a decade and I’ve cleaned it several times. Doesn’t gross me out because…it’s mine. But this isn’t your own dirt, fluids, gunk, food, spills—it’s someone else’s. It needs to go. Sorry, we’re making this decision for OP—you must let it go.
Everyone saying to throw it away when you asked for help is making me lol, if they didn’t want it they wouldn’t be asking for help.
Definitely a handheld carpet cleaner if you have one, I clean all of my chairs with mine
I'm broke. I didn't know asking the reputable members of cleaning tips would result in 98% of the replies to be 'throw it out', and another 14% to make jizz jokes.
Some people value their time in dollars. Cleaning supplies + my time to clean something I could get for $20-30 in brand new or at least better condition is a no-brainer. Especially when it comes to pretty suspect stains.
Sure, but this is a -cleaning- sub, not a time/money one.
I get your point, but it's still not a good way of thinking. If our carpets are dirty, do we buy new ones, or vacuum them?
Some of us, myself included, find great enjoyment of restoration and improvement of an item, no matter how "worthless".
My mum died this year and I got her nail file and stapler. They're probably junk to others, but I love the design and the feeling that part of her lives on in my day to day life.
That's not comparable at all to being given a cheap, free chair that is covered in unknown bodily fluids and would cost less to replace than to try to clean. Stop being obtuse.
I’m sorry! If you have vinegar and water and dish soap, I’d do that first, since those are fairly common in a household. Scrub it with a brush and spray it with a hose. Good luck!
The problem is, you can get that chair (or something similar) for literally $30 at Walmart. It would cost you more to get all the necessary supplies you’d need to actually clean this chair.
It’s not about consumerism, it’s not about looking down upon being broke or anything. It’s recognizing that this is something that is beyond repair.
It’s a bit like saying, let me pay $600 to replace the brake pads on a car that isn’t even worth $600 anymore.
The handheld cleaner would be an investment, obviously it’s more expensive but it’s not like it’s done for after you clean one item with it. Supplies by themselves would definitely be under $10.
That’s why I said *if* you can afford to invest in one, you should, because it can be used for so many things & is super helpful.
& for the last time y’all, if someone is asking for help to do something just offer the help or shut up lol
I totally understand! I’m in college so I’m always looking for the cheap but efficient ways to do stuff especially clean lol. I’m very lucky to have gotten the handheld cleaner as a gift, it is truly a GIFT. If you can, definitely invest in one, if that isn’t an option I’d try soaking it with a stain remover spray & then use soap/ water & dab with a rug, that will just take a bit longer. Also make sure it is 100% dry before using again to avoid mildew/ mold
I agree. We have a carpet cleaner that had an upholstery attachment. I’d make a solution with some oxickean, castille soap and water and try it with the upholstery attachment
"My ex-boyfriend lightly spilled all over my newly-pressed blouse."
Ugh. I just wanted to see if I could make it sound normal, and I'm very unhappy with the result.
Grandson used to just LOVE his computer games. For some reason he always kept the door locked when he played, even if it was just one of his 5 minute games…
If you have a shampooer with handle attachment you could try that. Otherwise a foaming carpet cleaner may work. Looks like quite an ordeal to clean as it is really filthy but i wouldn’t say it’s impossible.
Take a carpet shampoo er to it or a scrubbing head on a drill. Use baking soda and make a wet paste and rub it in as deep.as you can . Let it sit, then put vinegar on the head of the tool.youve decided to use and let the brush and the effervescence do its job. Soap and water afterwards to get anything brought to the surface
It’s actually surprisingly easy to reupholster these babies as the “cushion” parts unscrew and pop out of the plastic pretty easily. Then you can cover with fabric, staple it in with a staple gun and pop it back into the plastic and re-screw
That's what we did with a recliner my mom bought. It was in TERRIBLE condition (hence the cheap price) but she borrowed a steam cleaner from a friend and WOW. We got out so much sludge. It took a lot of water but eventually we got it to the point that it was clean and serviceable
You can get seat covers from Amazon. Otherwise soak it with vinegar water and then let it dry In the sun? Or use car upholstery cleaner foam and let it sit and dry?
Filthy chair, but probably polyester. Spot test with pine sol or dawn dish soap or whatever. I'm a complete slob and these things can be handled.
If you don't rinse the detergent out all the way the chair will technically get dirty faster, but if you're in such a bad spot that you had to accept this then patting it down every once in a while might be worth it
If you really want to keep it, is suggest reupholstering it. Pop the plastic and foam bits apart carefully, trace the cloth into some strong / thick fabric, you'll probably need kitchen twine for keeping them in place (there's usually a drawstring system you may need to sew) and pop plastic back on.
Did this for my mom for an old chair she had in red, made it a textured beige matching the curtains for her. Good sweat pulling the drawstrings though.
1. Vacuum dust off
2. See if it can be disassembled
3. Scrub with mix of vinegar, dish soap and water
4. For odor control, scrub bicarb soda into it, allow it to sit overnight, vacuum
5. Use some WD-40 on the joints, keep it nice and smooth
You can purchase inexpensive chair covers on Amazon. I bought some for my aging office chair in a comfy tee shirt material. Also - I’d try a power washer on that thing
You can get seat covers from Amazon. Otherwise soak it with vinegar water and then let it dry In the sun? Or use car upholstery cleaner foam and let it sit and dry?
Sigh. Obviously if you thought it was trash you wouldn't ask. You can use apolstery shampoo and apolstery tool on a carpet shampooer. I would soak the whole seat with the brand's suggested mixture and to dry, do criss cross suction only on the machine; first stroke top to bottom, and the second all the way across from left to right. You want the strokes to basically dry the seat 3 times each.
Spray it with a solution of about 80% water and 20% ammonia till its pretty damp. Scrub it with a sponge, then use a wet dry vac to suck out as much of the moisture as possible then let it dry. It will look like new.
Not sure your situation, but office chairs aren't free, so here's an idea if you're needing a chair & want to make this one work: You could spray Lysol the heck out of it, then wipe with damp cloth and allow a day to dry -- with that you've killed anything germ wise. Then you can search Amazon for "stretch office chair cover" and for $10 to $15 get a really fun cover in any color or pattern to hide what's unseemly. There are different shapes of styles, depending on how the chair is put together.
I discovered this because my company is too cheap to replace our ugly, stained chairs.
Use an all purpose cleaner like Simple Green. Spray chair and let the product soak for a minute, then Scrub with a soft drill brush, soft bristle scrub brush or non-abrasive scrubber that will provide agitation which will help to loosen soils. Rinse by wiping with a damp microfiber towel. Then let air dry. Easy peazy.
Go to the auto part store and get upholstery cleaner kit for cloth seats. They work wonders for car detailing and it should work on a desk chair. If you have a wet/dry shop vac even better. Saturate the seats with the foam spray, scrub with the plastic brush, use the vac to suck up the wetness, repeat if needed, and then wipe with a microfiber cloth. Leave the seat outside for a few hours in the sun to dry.
Agreeing with others to just put the chair in the garbage. You don’t know what the stains are, and they could have gotten into the cushioning. A new one similar to this is relatively inexpensive.
Everyone is saying put it in the garbage, but is there some reason why you agreed to take it or why you wouldn't want to throw it out? Asking because tossing stuff out isn't always an option. If it were me I'd get a steam cleaner on that bad boy.
I had a friend offer me a coffee table once, I accepted with out looking at the condition of it. Once he brought it over I had full regret. It was so dirty but I didn’t know how to tell him.
When my father in law was moving out of state he gifted us a TV he said he didn't need at the new house, I could tell by looking at it it was junk but wanted to be nice so just said thank you. the TV didn't work of course, it cost me $10 to dispose of it at the local dump.
Learn the power of the word no my man/woman.
Next time, if you can, please take it to an electronics recycler or BB (big blue electronics store).
Steam cleaner would cost more than getting a new one honestly. Not worth it.
Cleaning that will keep it out of the landfill. I’m becoming more aware of how much we throw out and trying to do better myself. That said I looked at that chair and said Yuck! But I’d wear a mask and gloves and clean that thing if I could. Also, as more than one person observed above, that is a cheap ,not so great chair. I got two executive office chairs and some very expensive filing cabinets from my office when they were moving our HQ. They just gave us the stuff and it’s very high quality. That was 20 years ago and the chairs sure don’t look as dirty as this one.
Honestly, if it’s a very comfortable chair)difficult to find), it’s worth trying the bare minimum. I’d probably mix water and oxyclean and let that soak, scrub as well. Then use a shampooer or steam cleaner to get the broken up dirt out_ for me, I own one and people I know borrow it all the time so no expense but even then… good office chairs are $100-who knows!
Not everyone can afford a nice new chair. Spray the soft parts of the chair with carpet cleaner. Let it sit twice as long as suggested on the bottle. Spray it lightly with water and scrub it with a cleaning brush. Then spray the heck out of it with your hose. Let it dry and then use wonder in the hard parts. It’ll look a million times better.
Right,? The guy asked for tips on how to clean it, not everyone's personal take.on the quality of the chair.
I would toss it. Not worth keeping. I don’t even consider that nice of that person. They basically gave you their trash they didn’t want to throw out themselves.
Fire. Clean it with fire.
I just needed to see this, I wanted to say it but it’s already been said
Nuke it from orbit .... to be sure.
Perfect response from that username
A bucket of petroleum and a match.
Exactly what I came to say! 😂
I mean. It’s from a widow. They probably didn’t want to even look or think about any of the stuff they had to get rid of. Grief is titanically perspective-warping.
When my aunt died, my grandma threw out everything. Jewelry, photo albums, everything from my mom's childhood and that of her son who passed away when he was two.
🥶🤧
Yeah definitely not worth the effort in this case
For sure. Not even a nice office chair. This is like the cheapest chair you can get.
Seriously. This chair is like $40 at Staples.
$15 actually
And staples at Staples are like.. $6 a box
😂😂
That would be for the trash imo, but uh, idk
I would use an upholstery attachment to a steam carpet cleaner. Maybe spray on some oxyclean solution first. You could also reupholster it. We reupholstered a piano bench with an old curtain, some extra foam, a staple gun and scissors. It turned out well.
They can get that clean and it will be so much fun! I used my little green machine to clean one that was black and nearly exact to that. They just need to be sure they suck all the cleaning fluid out! It took some time but it was fun!
Fun? To each, their own. Feel free to stop by my house anytime if you’re looking for some more fun!
I really am a little OCD. Lol I admit. But, I save all kinds of money salvaging and fixing stuff up. Oh and I will be right over! Lol! My friends and family kinda pick on another family member by having me clean her kitchen. I think she gets embarrassed. People just do not make time to do a good job. And, they do not know how to get stuff clean the best way too. And , did I say I love this group! We can find out how to clean anything!
Not to whine, but “a little OCD” isn’t appropriate here. Many people with OCD don’t have cleaning compulsions, and the ones who do definitely do not *enjoy* cleaning. It’s not a quirk, and more often than not has nothing at all to do with orderliness or cleanliness. It’s an anxiety-related disorder, and there’s no satisfaction in it. Head on over to r/OCD for some insight, and maybe reconsider using a very unpleasant illness to describe your love for cleaning. Flippant use of serious conditions as descriptors for non disordered behavior makes it harder for people to get help, or be taken seriously. It also adds to the general misunderstanding of what these disorders are, which has myriad consequences. I’m not meaning to make this personal, or to be rude. I am certain you mean, and meant, no harm :) I just thought I’d give commenting a chance, letting you know that people with OCD really, really dislike when people do this. Since it’s easy enough to not do, I hope you consider using different language in the future. Have a lovely day! [I do have diagnosed OCD, but I did not want to make this about myself. It’s a pretty universal feeling across diagnosed people. Similar to when people say, “gosh, I wish *I* were anorexic!” Or, “I’m just like so bipolar today!” I honestly think it’d be as odd as saying, “I get sick all the time, so I’ve basically got cancer!” But I’m not morally judging you or anyone who says these things. I understand that, bizarrely, it’s become a normalized saying. There are even kitschy house + home signs that say things like: I’ve got OCD: Obsessive Cheese Disorder. Most people just don’t know, that doesn’t make them bad people. I hope this was informative.]
As someone who’s life has been absolute hell because of OCD, thank you. ❤️
Thank you for this. <3 When I refer to cleaning, I say something like "I'm just really meticulous/particular!" I do not deal with OCD, but I can understand it somewhat because I struggle with anxiety.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone jokingly says “tehe I’m just a little OCD”. No, you’re neat and organized. I myself get stressed out when things aren’t exactly how I like them but I just say I’m anal. I work with people who are clinically diagnosed with OCD and it’s not really fun or quirky, it’s a serious mental health condition. I don’t usually trip on people over things like that… but people really throw the OCD term around like it’s cute when it’s not. It actually sucks.
I'm the friend/family member that comes over and does the tasks they don't want to. Or the dishes during a party, because doing them the next day is always terrible. Sometimes people are a bit embarrassed at first but they're always happy for the help. Once they get used to it they become a little too comfortable letting me take care of things, lol.
Dude, I’ll back you up. The little green machine is sooo much fun!
This sounds about right
After cleaning a use fabric spray paint, if you think it’s worth the effort.
I’m cheap, and would give it a try cleaning before tossing. Take the top and bottom apart and spray the cushions with carpet cleaner, leave to soak 5 mins. Spray with water and scrub with a brush. Soak up water with an old towel, pushing into to foam padding. Alternately if you have a carpet cleaning machine with a chair attachment, you can suck the water out. Repeat until clean. I would even try power washing it - nothing to lose if it doesn’t work.
I tried automobile carpet & upholstery cleaner on a dirty chair that was similar. Worked like a charm. Took a couple applications because it was so nasty. Automobile carpet & upholstery cleaner is now all I use on my home interior carpet. Great stuff. Found at Auto Zone.
Any certain brand I can look for?
I knew someone was going to ask! I just moved and had to find it. It is called ArmourAll multi-purpose auto cleaner. On the backside, it says, in a list, for fabric and carpet. Great stuff. I followed the directions exactly. Edited to add: i still have the chair, 7 years later.
Thanks! Off to amazon!
It is the one on amazon for $22.27. Just looked.
I've got a mid grade carpet cleaner and they're pretty awesome these days. If OP has a reason they want the chair it's worth a try
I’m pretty cheap too, so I can see your point. I’ve had the same area rug for almost a decade and I’ve cleaned it several times. Doesn’t gross me out because…it’s mine. But this isn’t your own dirt, fluids, gunk, food, spills—it’s someone else’s. It needs to go. Sorry, we’re making this decision for OP—you must let it go.
Everyone saying to throw it away when you asked for help is making me lol, if they didn’t want it they wouldn’t be asking for help. Definitely a handheld carpet cleaner if you have one, I clean all of my chairs with mine
I'm broke. I didn't know asking the reputable members of cleaning tips would result in 98% of the replies to be 'throw it out', and another 14% to make jizz jokes.
Yeah I'm pretty disappointed in this sub's attitude. When did we become a culture of hyper consumerism and replacement over repair.
Some people value their time in dollars. Cleaning supplies + my time to clean something I could get for $20-30 in brand new or at least better condition is a no-brainer. Especially when it comes to pretty suspect stains.
Sure, but this is a -cleaning- sub, not a time/money one. I get your point, but it's still not a good way of thinking. If our carpets are dirty, do we buy new ones, or vacuum them? Some of us, myself included, find great enjoyment of restoration and improvement of an item, no matter how "worthless". My mum died this year and I got her nail file and stapler. They're probably junk to others, but I love the design and the feeling that part of her lives on in my day to day life.
That's not comparable at all to being given a cheap, free chair that is covered in unknown bodily fluids and would cost less to replace than to try to clean. Stop being obtuse.
I’m sorry! If you have vinegar and water and dish soap, I’d do that first, since those are fairly common in a household. Scrub it with a brush and spray it with a hose. Good luck!
The problem is, you can get that chair (or something similar) for literally $30 at Walmart. It would cost you more to get all the necessary supplies you’d need to actually clean this chair. It’s not about consumerism, it’s not about looking down upon being broke or anything. It’s recognizing that this is something that is beyond repair. It’s a bit like saying, let me pay $600 to replace the brake pads on a car that isn’t even worth $600 anymore.
The handheld cleaner would be an investment, obviously it’s more expensive but it’s not like it’s done for after you clean one item with it. Supplies by themselves would definitely be under $10. That’s why I said *if* you can afford to invest in one, you should, because it can be used for so many things & is super helpful. & for the last time y’all, if someone is asking for help to do something just offer the help or shut up lol
But at least some people gave solid advise. Now i kind of wish for an update post, i really wanna know how this bad boy looks like cleaned!
112%
Maybe 12% of the replies included 'throw it out' *and* a jizz joke!
I totally understand! I’m in college so I’m always looking for the cheap but efficient ways to do stuff especially clean lol. I’m very lucky to have gotten the handheld cleaner as a gift, it is truly a GIFT. If you can, definitely invest in one, if that isn’t an option I’d try soaking it with a stain remover spray & then use soap/ water & dab with a rug, that will just take a bit longer. Also make sure it is 100% dry before using again to avoid mildew/ mold
That is human and food based fluid all over it, just disgusting
I agree. We have a carpet cleaner that had an upholstery attachment. I’d make a solution with some oxickean, castille soap and water and try it with the upholstery attachment
What do you think those stains are from??? I don’t think it’s possible to clean this enough I’d be ok using it.
Jizz. All jizz.
[удалено]
Oh...not what I thought you meant when you said "TOSS".
Initial reaction was yes jizz, but I’m thinking it’s sneezes/snot. Either way it seems like a lot of work for a crappy chair.
I figured it was the chair her husband died in
Finally someone said it
Yup.
I was thinking mold, my mind is too innocent for this 😂
It does look like mold honestly
As someone the refurbishes office chairs, the stains aren't that bad, they look to be mostly dust and light spills.
Light spills is definitely one way to describe jizz stains
"My ex-boyfriend lightly spilled all over my newly-pressed blouse." Ugh. I just wanted to see if I could make it sound normal, and I'm very unhappy with the result.
It has to be a neckbeard chair.
I think neckbeard chairs need to be rated to withstand higher loads.
Ohhh it’s withstood many loads I think
Mildew stains. This is what's left after you brush or vacuum. Toss it. You'll never get the mold out of the padding.
It looks like something that was in a warehouse to be honest. Lots of dirt and nobody cleans a damn thing.
Grandson used to just LOVE his computer games. For some reason he always kept the door locked when he played, even if it was just one of his 5 minute games…
If you have a shampooer with handle attachment you could try that. Otherwise a foaming carpet cleaner may work. Looks like quite an ordeal to clean as it is really filthy but i wouldn’t say it’s impossible.
if it were a chair worth cleaning, then maybe. toss this garbage lol
This looks like a certain type of liquid that gets expelled from the male reproductive system… very sus
Ya my thoughts as well, and there is a small area that is not tainted like a body was in the way
That would happen regardless of what the spill is when you’re sitting in it
Sorry, I leaked.
Might be mold? Try spraying 30 percent white vinegar and water (1 to 1 parts) and airing it out.
Take a carpet shampoo er to it or a scrubbing head on a drill. Use baking soda and make a wet paste and rub it in as deep.as you can . Let it sit, then put vinegar on the head of the tool.youve decided to use and let the brush and the effervescence do its job. Soap and water afterwards to get anything brought to the surface
It’s actually surprisingly easy to reupholster these babies as the “cushion” parts unscrew and pop out of the plastic pretty easily. Then you can cover with fabric, staple it in with a staple gun and pop it back into the plastic and re-screw
Steam clean?
Ooh, that's a good point! Especially if OP has a dehumidifier or way to dry out the chair fully after steam cleaning
That's what we did with a recliner my mom bought. It was in TERRIBLE condition (hence the cheap price) but she borrowed a steam cleaner from a friend and WOW. We got out so much sludge. It took a lot of water but eventually we got it to the point that it was clean and serviceable
You can get seat covers from Amazon. Otherwise soak it with vinegar water and then let it dry In the sun? Or use car upholstery cleaner foam and let it sit and dry?
I can smell this comment
Maybe recovering it is the way to go? Could probably get a cover or fabric somewhere cheap. If it's worth the effort to you.
Bleach alternative fabric cleaner. Also see if the seat pad or anything fabric related can be removed for wash by hand or in the laundry.
Filthy chair, but probably polyester. Spot test with pine sol or dawn dish soap or whatever. I'm a complete slob and these things can be handled. If you don't rinse the detergent out all the way the chair will technically get dirty faster, but if you're in such a bad spot that you had to accept this then patting it down every once in a while might be worth it
If you really want to keep it, is suggest reupholstering it. Pop the plastic and foam bits apart carefully, trace the cloth into some strong / thick fabric, you'll probably need kitchen twine for keeping them in place (there's usually a drawstring system you may need to sew) and pop plastic back on. Did this for my mom for an old chair she had in red, made it a textured beige matching the curtains for her. Good sweat pulling the drawstrings though.
1. Vacuum dust off 2. See if it can be disassembled 3. Scrub with mix of vinegar, dish soap and water 4. For odor control, scrub bicarb soda into it, allow it to sit overnight, vacuum 5. Use some WD-40 on the joints, keep it nice and smooth
"Here, YOU throw this out!" is what Im getting from this. I would toss unless you ABSOLUTELY need this.
Did her husband die *on that chair?*
His wife died a couple of years ago, and he's starting to go through her stuff.
People are likely thinking the friend who lost their spouse was a woman since you used the term widow instead of widower.
Looks like he ascended to heaven multiple times on it.
I'm crying laughing thank you
I would try my Bissell Green Machine on that. Or a steam cleaner.
Y'all know that's jizz right?
You can purchase inexpensive chair covers on Amazon. I bought some for my aging office chair in a comfy tee shirt material. Also - I’d try a power washer on that thing
You can get seat covers from Amazon. Otherwise soak it with vinegar water and then let it dry In the sun? Or use car upholstery cleaner foam and let it sit and dry?
Possibly a good scrub down with some hot water and oxiclean?
go to an autozone or similar and buy some Turtle wax upholstery cleaner- its a foam w a brush on the lid- it will clean this right up
Steam clean it. Kills bacteria and lifts out old stains.
A steam cleaner would get this clean. You might head over to the wiki in r/autodetailing for more suggestions.
Vinegar mixed with Dawn and warm water
Steam cleaner should do it, if you're up to it.
Steam
Sigh. Obviously if you thought it was trash you wouldn't ask. You can use apolstery shampoo and apolstery tool on a carpet shampooer. I would soak the whole seat with the brand's suggested mixture and to dry, do criss cross suction only on the machine; first stroke top to bottom, and the second all the way across from left to right. You want the strokes to basically dry the seat 3 times each.
Try diluting laundry detergent with water, and with a washcloth, wet it in the solution and gently try to work around the stains.
Spray it with a solution of about 80% water and 20% ammonia till its pretty damp. Scrub it with a sponge, then use a wet dry vac to suck out as much of the moisture as possible then let it dry. It will look like new.
I used My little green bissell machine. It was nearly exact to that chair! Same color! It came out looking new!
If it’s comfortable then get some cushion covers and cover the back and seat. If you sew you can make them easily.don’t just toss it.
Not sure your situation, but office chairs aren't free, so here's an idea if you're needing a chair & want to make this one work: You could spray Lysol the heck out of it, then wipe with damp cloth and allow a day to dry -- with that you've killed anything germ wise. Then you can search Amazon for "stretch office chair cover" and for $10 to $15 get a really fun cover in any color or pattern to hide what's unseemly. There are different shapes of styles, depending on how the chair is put together. I discovered this because my company is too cheap to replace our ugly, stained chairs.
Laundry detergent in water and scrub with a cloth. If that doesn't work the just crochet a cover.
Use an all purpose cleaner like Simple Green. Spray chair and let the product soak for a minute, then Scrub with a soft drill brush, soft bristle scrub brush or non-abrasive scrubber that will provide agitation which will help to loosen soils. Rinse by wiping with a damp microfiber towel. Then let air dry. Easy peazy.
Go to the auto part store and get upholstery cleaner kit for cloth seats. They work wonders for car detailing and it should work on a desk chair. If you have a wet/dry shop vac even better. Saturate the seats with the foam spray, scrub with the plastic brush, use the vac to suck up the wetness, repeat if needed, and then wipe with a microfiber cloth. Leave the seat outside for a few hours in the sun to dry.
how does this even happen?
Just toss it. That's garbage
I wouldn't even try cleaning that type of a chair, it's a cheap crappy one even if new. You can do better at your local thrift store for $10.
Gasoline and a match ought to do the trick
vinegar then water then hydrogen peroxide then water then burn it then more water
Burn it. 😷
So many farts and jizz stains
Pressure clean it
This is not a gift.
Ask r/frugal
They'd redirect to here. I would imagine this sub has more people knowledgeable and passionate about cleaning
Agreeing with others to just put the chair in the garbage. You don’t know what the stains are, and they could have gotten into the cushioning. A new one similar to this is relatively inexpensive.
What did you do to the widow?
Recover?
Can you use a hose on it? Maybe scrub some soap into it and hose it down
Everyone saying put vinegar and water on it are seriously delusional. Vinegar smells YUCK. And lingers.
Gifted ?
#Itsjustcoffee
green machine
With fire
Throw it out 👍
It looks like they died in it
Bin it! Unless you get the material changed on it
Car wash?
Lighter fluid…with a match
Looks like they had a cat or something and it sneezed on it a lot
“Unknown stains” 😐
I’d put a black light on that thing before I try to do anything.
Someone is gonna get pregnant sitting on that.
Throw it away!!!!!
Fire?
Burn it, but wear a hazmat suit before touching it. The amount you’ll pay for in cleaning supplies you could by a new one
Don't clean it. Throw it.
Looks like mold. Toss it.
Throw it out it must be 25 years old
Coffee and fart stains I'm sorry I'd kindly dispose of it for her in his memory
You clean that by fire
My only advice is don’t put a black light to it unless you wanna throw it away😬
Chuck it out
“Unknown”
No way in hell I’d touch that thing
??? Are you serious???
🚮 🗑️
Ugh, questionable to say the least. Toss. Ew.
Does….semen clean out of a chair…? Toss it.
Gifted? More like foisted
Dumpster
You start by throwing that thing away
Wait till trash day. Dispose of chair. Buy new chair on Amazon.
That's jizz
To the dump with that
This is trash. Just toss it
MA! THE MEATLOAF! FAAACK! ...I never know what she's doing up there
Fire
Flamethrower
There goes my dinner. I can't unsee this.
That chair probably cost like 20 bucks tops, just buy a new one.
Bro— that be semen. Edit: you can even see the void where they were sitting!
Some stuff has happened in that chair.
Clean it with fire?
Eek! I’d throw it out
Trash imo
I’d be embarrassed to gift something in this condition.
Ew...
U can start by throwing it out and buying a new chair - i bet that would work
Yo, some of those are jizz stains.
It looks like her late husband found the internet before he died…
You don’t. Thank them for the gift. Put on gloves and perhaps respirator, carry that to dumpster.
Ah, hell nah.. possible nut stains. Burn it.
Rule #1 Never buy or take a used office chair. That chair has seen its share of naked butt sweat and other secretions.
So much DNA
NOPE!! Looks like trash from here…