The Complete Guide to Healthcare Seating Textiles

Whether you’re furnishing a new healthcare facility or replacing old furniture in a hospital or private practice, knowing your textiles is crucial to the well-being of staff and patients alike. To help make your purchasing experience as easy as possible, we’re breaking down the pros and cons of commonly used seating textiles. This list is ranked from worst to best in terms of appropriateness for a healthcare setting.

Fabric

Fabric is a woven textile that is not considered appropriate for healthcare settings. The major benefit of fabric is aesthetic: it comes in many color and pattern options. 

Although the appearance of fabric creates a welcoming, homey aesthetic that most medical facilities seek, the good far outweighs the bad in the case of this material. Because fabric is woven, it is porous—fluids can seep into the chair easily and become nearly impossible to remove. This creates an infection control nightmare as fabric will likely harbor bacteria and bedbugs. 

In addition to the health hazards associated with this textile, fabric is not durable enough to withstand regular use in a busy healthcare facility.

Benefits

• Unlimited color and pattern choices

• Welcoming, homelike aesthetic

Challenges

• Porous

• Not very cleanable or durable

• Harbors bedbugs and bacteria

Crypton Fabric

Crypton fabric is specially manufactured with a fluid-resistant backing that makes it more like vinyl than the fabrics it so closely resembles. This textile has the same large range of color and pattern options as fabrics, but it’s much more acceptable for a healthcare setting as fluids cannot seep into the chair as they can with fabric. However, this material is still semipermeable and can hold unwanted odors. 

Crypton requires specific cleaners for regular maintenance, as it can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly, so staff must be well-trained on the correct cleaner to use on this material. This textile can also be expensive and is not the most durable option. Due to this, Crypton is often used on the backs of chairs in low-abuse settings such as private practices and senior living centers.

Benefits

• Same range of color and pattern options as fabric

• Fluid-resistant backing is healthier than fabric options

• Good choice for chair backrests that receive less wear

Challenges

• Semipermeable

• Requires special cleaners and can degrade quickly if cleaned improperly

• Expensive

• Can hold odors

PVC-Free Vinyl

PVC-free vinyl is an impermeable and eco-friendly textile ideal for inpatient and acute care facilities. Because it’s PVC-free, this material emits no off-gas, making it a great choice where indoor air quality is a concern. In addition, this textile has a soft, comfortable feel. Unfortunately, the color palette is limited. Though relatively easy to clean, PVC-free vinyl is fragile and can degrade quickly and pucker if not maintained correctly.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Emits no off-gas and is great for indoor air quality

• Soft, comfortable feel

Challenges

• Fragile and will degrade quickly if not properly cared for

• Can pucker

• Limited aesthetically—only solid colors are available

Vinyl

Like PVC-free vinyl, regular vinyl is commonly used in inpatient and acute care facilities, including typical hospital settings. Vinyl is also impermeable and Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality, but this material is much more durable and easy to maintain. 

You should note that over-bleaching can lead to the breakdown of plasticizers (the additive used to make vinyl soft and pliable), and the stripping of plasticizers can lead to cracking and ripping that The Joint Commission will quickly write up as a violation. On the plus side, vinyl is available in a much wider range of colors and patterns than PVC-free vinyl. Bedbugs and bacteria contamination are less of a concern with this textile, though these may still thrive in the seams of the material.

Benefits

• Impermeable

• Greenguard Certified for better indoor air quality

• Many patterns and colors available

• Durable with good light resistance

• Easy to clean (though this varies depending on manufacturer)

Challenges

• Can degrade if over-bleached

• Seams can harbor bedbugs and bacteria

IC+

Ideal for emergency departments, IC+ is the top-of-the-line choice for high-traffic hospitals that require the very best in durability and cleanliness. Healthcentric is the only company that manufactures IC+. The treatment is applied via a spraying technique rather than sewn. As a result, IC+ has no seams for bacteria and bedbugs to thrive in, making it the best choice to prevent the spread of infection. 

This material is also 10 times stronger than vinyl, completely impermeable, does not degrade, and has a very high abuse rate, making it ideal for busy emergency rooms that see patients with a vast range of ailments. Not only will this material not rip or crack, but it’s also safe to clean even with harsh bleaches. 

IC+ is truly the best option available for healthcare facilities, but it is worth noting that color options are limited, and this material is not the most comfortable for patients due to its durable build.

Benefits

• 10 times stronger than vinyl

• Does not degrade

• Seamless design does not harbor bedbugs or bacteria

• Highest abuse rate

• Easy to clean

Challenges

• Not the most comfortable

• Very limited color palette

You use the chairs in your office every day, and they’re bound to get dirty even if you’re careful. To ensure your chairs look their best year after year, take these tips for the regular cleaning and maintenance of all upholstery types.

General Chair Care

Always test cleaning techniques on an inconspicuous spot first. Try the bottom of the chair, the back, or anywhere else that doesn’t show. Make sure you test an unseen spot before you try a new cleaning method on the whole chair. Even if you only use a mild soap, you never know how certain substances might react with your specific chair. Testing a hidden spot first will ensure you don’t damage an important part of the furniture.

Remove stains immediately. The longer a stain sits, the harder it is to remove. Do yourself a favor and clean it up now.

Beware of breathing in harsh chemicals. If using a cleaning agent that has a strong scent or chemical smell, only clean in a well-ventilated area.

Always check your chair for a tag with cleaning instructions. Most office chairs have a tag under the seat that outlines care tips. Look there first before beginning any cleaning.

How to Clean Office Chairs

Fabric upholstery can usually be cleaned using water-based cleaning agents or water-free solvents. First, vacuum any crumbs that may be hiding in cracks and crevasses. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner handy, use a can of compressed air. Next, mix a few drops of mild soap in a bucket of water. Using a soft, lint-free cloth, wipe this on your test spot first. If it looks good, wipe down the entire chair, then use a second lint-free cloth to wipe it dry.

Genuine leather upholstery can be cleaned in 1 of 3 ways: store-bought leather cleaner, vinegar and linseed oil, or rubbing alcohol and water. For a more detailed description of how to clean and maintain a leather office chair, read our guide to cleaning and maintaining leather furniture here. 

Faux leather and vinyl are easier to care for than real leather. In many cases, you can clean faux leather and vinyl using water-based cleaners in the same manner as fabric upholstery, and many vinyl options can even be cleaned with bleach solutions. Double-check the tag on your chair for any special instructions to avoid damage. Read our guide to leather upholstery to learn more.

Mesh chairs should be vacuumed regularly, as crumbs tend to get caught in the little spaces. Any remaining dirt or stains can be removed using a damp cloth, but do not drag the cloth across the mesh, as this can cause the material to fray. Instead, dab any problem areas until clean.

Plastic chairs can be cleaned with soap and water, but avoid using bleach, which can damage the material. For stains, dampen a soft cloth with white distilled vinegar and wipe. Baking soda on a wet sponge can also create a mild abrasive that eats away stains without damaging your plastic.

Wood chairs need cleaning too! Regularly wipe down your wood chairs with a dry lint-free cloth. For deeper cleaning, choose a wood polish and apply it to the chair in small amounts using a cloth. Like with your upholstery, you’ll want to test your polish on an inconspicuous area before going over the entire piece of furniture.

Need a hand organizing your office? A little storage can go a long way, and there are storage options for just about every type of clutter you can imagine. Read our comprehensive guide to office storage to determine what type you might need for your workspace.

Filing Cabinets

Got paper clutter? Get a filing cabinet! Dozens of options are available, making filing cabinets or files ideal for sorting and organizing paperwork. Be sure to read our complete guide to filing cabinets to learn more.

Storage Cabinets

A storage cabinet is a bookshelf with doors that conceal contents. Storage cabinets come in a huge range of styles and sizes and may or may not come with lockable doors. Storage cabinets may be mobile or stationary.

Storage Credenzas

A storage credenza is often referred to as a buffet and is commonly used in private offices and conference rooms to store supplies and office essentials. Credenzas are wider than deep and may have a combination of doors, drawers, or open display areas.

Storage Shelving

Storage shelving is metal open shelving typically used in a utility setting. These shelves are perfect in a mail room or storage closet to store surplus boxes and office supplies.

Wardrobe Cabinets

A wardrobe cabinet is a doored storage unit with a space specifically designed for hanging up jackets and other articles of clothing.

Bookcases

A bookcase is a storage cabinet without doors, though some bookcases may have doors on just a portion of the unit. Bookshelves come in a huge array of sizes and styles, and many include special features such as built-in lighting or an attached ladder.

Storage Islands

An office storage island sits in an open space and is counter-height. Storage islands provide a spacious work surface and a combination of filing, shelving, or doored storage.

Lockers

Lockers typically include multiple lockable compartments in a single unit.

Display Cases

Display cases are a compromise between storage cabinets and bookcases. These units are specifically designed to show off their contents while also protecting them from theft and dust. The glass doors are often lockable for an extra layer of protection.

Machine Storage Stands

Machine stands are also known as printer stands because they commonly house a computer printer. The printer is typically kept on the top of the unit, while the underside usually includes a drawer or open area for ink and printer paper. Machine stands can be stationary or mobile.

Literature Organizers

Literature organizers may include mail sorters, brochure holders, and magazine racks.

Safes

A safe is a heavy-duty lockable storage unit meant to prevent theft. 

Fireproof Storage

Fireproof safes and storage units are made of extra-durable material that makes them resistant to damage caused by fire and water.

Storage Hutches

A storage hutch is a hutch designed to sit on the desktop of a specific desk to provide vertical storage instead of using additional floor space.

Binder Organization

Due to their large size, binders require specific storage options. Binder storage comes in stationary and rotating options.