How to Care for Your Awesome New Bar Stools

We only sell quality bar stools that are designed to give you years and years of service when used properly, but even top-of-the line models require care and respect to keep them looking their best. No one has invented an indestructible bar stool yet!

The amount of force required to cause damage can be surprising. A sharp drop to the floor can sometimes leave a stool unscathed, while a seemingly light tap against the corner of a countertop can cause a chip in the finish! It would take a laboratory filled with physicists and structural and chemical engineers to figure out why this might happen from incident to incident. (In other words, it shall remain a mystery.) Regardless, the best way to prevent damage is to exercise common sense when using your bar stools.

• DON'T use your bar stools as step stools.
• DON'T knock over your bar stools.
• DON'T spin wildly in your swivel stool's seat.
• DON'T bang your bar stool into your wall, countertop, neighboring bar stools or any other object in the room.
• DON'T let people who weigh more than the bar stool's max weight limit sit on your bar stools. (Sorry Uncle Bubba.)
• DON'T put all your weight on the bar stool's footrest. (Unless it has a fully-welded metal frame. They're usually able to handle this.)
• AVOID touching your bar stools with sharp/hard objects (e.g. rings, keys, studded belts, big rivets on jeans, sharp heels, etc. etc.)
• DO keep all four feet on the floor while sitting in your bar stool.
• DO follow the care instructions for your material type below.

How to Care for Wood Bar Stools

Everyday cleaning should be done with a lightly damp cloth. Use room temperature water and the softest, lint-free cloth available. (Rough towels can leave fine scratches on the surface of your wood.) Try to always wipe in the direction of the grain of the wood. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.

You should NOT use soaps or cleansers on your wood every day. Occasionally, if thorough cleaning is required, you can use a wax-free product such as Murphy’s Oil Soap (DILUTED HEAVILY – about 2 drops in a large bowl of room temperature water) or some other wax-free & silicone-free wood cleaner. Read the labels of such products before use!

If you wish to polish your wood surface, do so sparingly (once every 3 to 6 months, at most, depending on use). Do NOT use wax-based polishes like Pledge. (They will leave a waxy buildup over time.) We only recommend Guardsman® furniture polish – available at most home & hardware stores. Always apply polish by wiping in the direction of the grain of the wood. Follow the directions on the container for detailed application instructions.

Regardless of the price or quality level of your bar stool, wood is still a porous substance. Remember, it exists in nature to transport moisture up trees – not to become furniture! It CAN be dented, scratched and stained. Wood is also affected by heat, cold, humidity, moisture and direct sunlight.

Avoid exposing your wood to direct contact with extremely cold things (like ice cold drink glasses), extremely hot things (like hot bowls of soup), and direct exposure to heat & air conditioning vents and intense sunlight. Also, do not leave liquid spills sit on your wood for extended periods of time. Failure to follow these recommendations can, among other things, result in discoloration, swelling, and/or cracking of the wood.

Also avoid dragging rough and/or sharp objects (like plates and silverware) across your wood surfaces, and use a pad under your paper if you should ever find the need to write with pens and pencils on your barstool.

Even if your wood bar stool is finished with a superior catalyzed varnish, care should still be taken to protect your surfaces from damage. No furniture is indestructible!

How to Care for Metal Bar Stools

Everyday cleaning should be done with a lightly damp, soft, lint-free cloth. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth. If necessary, use a mild dish detergent diluted with water for thorough cleaning. Avoid leaving soap residue on the metal, as it will leave a greasy build-up that attracts dirt and grime.

Powder-coated metal paints are the most durable coatings used in the furniture industry, however, as we've said before, nothing is indestructible! If you hit or scratch any painted surface hard enough, you can damage the finish, regardless of the quality level of the furniture.

Hand-applied metal finishes (those that resemble brushed steel or antique/weathered metal) are often more prone to scratches, chips and wear than powder-coats, so more care should be taken with these types of finishes.

How to Care for Fabric Upholstery

Each fabric type has its own recommended method of cleaning, identified by a “cleaning code.” Determine your fabric’s cleaning code prior to cleaning. Contact us if you need assistance. Here is the list of the codes and their corresponding methods of cleaning:

• Code – W (water-based cleaners are recommended)
  To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean using the foam only from a water-based cleaning agent such as a mild detergent or non-solvent upholstery shampoo. Apply foam with a soft rag or brush in a circular motion. Vacuum when dry. Always pretest a small area before proceeding.
• Code – S (solvent-based cleaners are recommended)
  To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean using a mild water-free solvent or dry cleaning product. (These cleaners will be labeled as “S” cleaners on their packaging, and they usually have aerosol-type dispensers.) Clean only in a well-ventilated room and avoid any product containing carbon tetrachloride which is highly toxic. Always pretest a small area before proceeding.
• Code – WS (either water-based or solvent-based cleaners are recommended)
  To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing to remove dust and grime is recommended. Spot clean with a mild solvent , an upholstery shampoo or the foam from a mild detergent. When using a solvent or dry-cleaning product, follow instructions carefully and clean only in a well-ventilated room. With either method, pretest a small area before proceeding.

How to Care for Leatherette Upholstery

Virtually all leatherette (a.k.a. vinyl/polyurethane/PVC/pleather/faux leather) upholstery is classified with cleaning code W or W/S (see info about these codes in the section above). Nevertheless, we simply recommend using a lightly damp cloth for everyday cleaning. Use room temperature water and a soft cloth. If it gets really dirty, use a mild dish detergent diluted with water for thorough cleaning. Avoid leaving soap residue on the vinyl, as it will leave a greasy residue, and it can cause the vinyl to dry out and crack over time. Finish cleaning by wiping up all remaining moisture with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.

Unlike genuine leather, leatherette is virtually non-porous, so moisture and foodstuffs will usually wipe right off with ease. Simply avoid exposing it to rich organic substances, like tomato sauce, red wine, etc., as the acid can cause staining to occur. Pen ink, permanent marker and clothing dyes (e.g. bleed from blue jeans, etc.) can also stain leatherette. Due to the nature of these pigments, which are meant to be permanent, such stains are usually not removable.

How to Care for Genuine Leather Upholstery

Despite its bourgeois appeal and higher cost, genuine leather is actually more susceptable to stains and more difficult to clean than its synthetic counterpart. Unlike leatherette, real leather is porous, so spills should be wiped up immediately with a soft, dry cloth to avoid staining.

Leather should only be cleaned using a specially formulated leather cleaner, such as Guardsman® Leather Cleaner – available at most home & hardware stores. (Normal household cleaners and plain water can cause the leather to dry out and crack over time.) After applying the cleaner, polish the leather with a soft, dry, lint-free towel to remove any excess cleanser. Always follow all instructions on the label. When completely dry, apply a specially formulated leather conditioner, such as Guardsman® Leather Conditioner to moisturize the leather. Again, be sure to follow all instructions on the label.

Stains, scratches and tears should only be cleaned and/or repaired by a leather repair specialist. "Google it" to find one in your area.

Other Materials

If you have questions or concerns about the care of other types of materials that we didn't cover in this guide, feel free to contact us! If someone's used it to make a bar stool, we'll know how to care for it! ;-)