We're still in love with our Eames chairs and recently inherited a couple more that are covered in naugahyde. They've been sitting in storage for about 20 years and they're dull and sad. We want them to look shiny and new like the picture above. Jump below for hot to restore them to their original lustre.
Here's our baby, a dull pink with water stains and sadness. This weekend we plan to implement the tips we've gotten to get this naugahyde/vinyl chair to a shine again.
• Wash with warm dishsoapy water and rinse well. We've also read that a combination of water and white vinegar will do the trick.
• For stains: mix some bleach with water and proceed cautiously. Best to test an inconpicuous area first. (For really bad stains, we read about using lighter fluid, but we'll pass this round).
• For shine: try a light coating of spray on furniture wax, let it sit for a couple of minutes and then buff it off.
• For seriously dull chairs: use an automotive shine inducing product like .
If you've got a fiberglass shell chair to restore, check out How To Restore a Fiberglass Shell Chair.
And for more Eames Inspiration, check out this post on the book Eames.
(Image: Door Sixteen)
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"• For seriously dull chairs: use an automotive shine inducing product like ."
Like what? Proofread!
the "." has a link attached.
The <a> tag is there, but there's no text between the closing and ending tags.
Actually, there is text -- it's just that there's a > missing after the " at the end of the address. The link is for Meguiars Natural Shine Vinyl and Rubber Protectant, and the URL is http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Natural-Shine-Rubber-Protectant/dp/B0008D6NLO --- which shouldn't surprise me, since I've been using Meguiars for years on my cars, inside and out, and the stuff is awesome.
(Even if after all this time I still can never pronounce the company's name properly. I always misread the 'i' as an 'l' and say Meh-gue-lars. I think it's Meh-gwi-ers. I think.)
That's my chair in the first photo, and I have to admit -- it's anything BUT "shiny and new" looking in person. It's pretty banged up, actually. Very worn and dull, with lots of stains and water damage. And see the rip in the back?
Obviously, the best way to get your chair looking "shiny and new" is to photograph it in bright daylight next to a window. :)
More to the point of the post, though, I have to disagree with several of the suggestions you were given to clean your chair. Most importantly: DO NOT GET YOUR CHAIR WET. If you do, you will DESTROY the foam padding underneath, and the chair will we RUINED and need to be fully reupholstered. Trust me on this. DO NOT WASH OR RINSE THE CHAIR. It's okay to spot-clean with a damp cloth, but you really don't want to let even a speck of water seep into those seams.