How to Clean Office Chair Wheels?

An office chair with dirty caster wheels can be one of the biggest reasons that stop you from working productively. The wheels of office chairs are prone to different types of dirt such as hair, dust, and pieces of paper all of which are stuck to the chair and make it difficult to move.

To have a rolling office chair, and to prevent your carpet from ruining, you need to regularly clean your office chair caster wheels. It’s a good practice to clean caster wheels every six months. However, there is nothing wrong with cleaning them earlier if you notice any stuck debris or dirt.

But, not all know how to clean office chair wheels. For your assistance, this article outlays a detailed process on how to clean office chair wheels in 6 easy steps.

Materials Required to Clean Office Chair Wheels

The cleaning process of an office chair’s caster wheels is not very difficult. You need to have these basic things to effectively clean office chair wheels:

• Duct Tape
• Screwdriver
• Butter Knife, nail clipper, tweezer, bottle clippers (all are optional)
• Scrub Brush
• Drying Cloth
• Water and Detergent
• Vacuum (optional)

All of these things are easily available in your house. However, if something is unavailable, you can easily purchase it from a nearby hardware store.

How to Clean Office Chair Wheels? 

Now let’s get started with the step-by-step procedure for cleaning the castor wheels!

Dismantle the wheel

First of all, you have to turn over the chair upside down and remove the wheels. If the chair is heavy, take assistance from someone else in flipping the chair.

The wheels of most office chairs can be removed simply by pulling them. However, if this method does not work, you can use a screwdriver or wrench to dismantle them.

The wheels of some models cannot be detached unless you remove the base or legs from the upper seat portion of your chair. In that case, detach the base from the upper portion and remove the wheels.

Remove debris using fingers or tools 

The best tool to clean the caster wheels of your chair is your fingers. Use your fingers to remove hair, stuck paper clips, stickers, clumps of hair, or any other article that can be conveniently removed.

You can also use a screwdriver, tweezers, nail clippers, bottle clippers, or butter knives to remove hair if you don’t want to use your hands.

Remove Sticky Dust using Duct Tape

After that, use duct tape to remove the sticky dust from your office chair wheels. Duct tape has an excellent ability to absorb dust on it and pull it easily away.

Cut a strip of tape and pat it on the wheel. When the tape fixes wells and traps all the dirt on them, remove it with a jerk. If gum or any adhesive material is stuck in the wheels, use a butter knife and alcohol to remove it.

Soak the wheels in Detergent Mixed with Water 

After that, the caster wheels are ready for washing. Dip the wheels in warm water mixed with soapy detergent for about 10 to 15 minutes. Any surface cleaner or mild soap easily accessible to you can be used to make the soapy solution.  Now, use a nice scrub brush to clean the wheels as you desire. If the wheels have stains, use a laundry cleaner or any good stain remover to clean them.

Scrub, Rinse, and Dry the Wheels

Rinse the wheels thoroughly with water unless all the foam washes away from all sides of the wheel cover. Now allow the wheels to dry on their own or you can even use a blow dryer to dry them quickly.

Make sure that the wheels dry out completely as any leftover moisture can attract more dust and debris. Moreover, some wheels are made of material that is prone to corrosion and rust buildup due to regular washing. In that case, use a cloth dipped in the surface cleaner to remove the dust and debris.

Reattach the wheels

Once the wheels have completely dried, reattach them to the base of the chair. Make sure to attach them rightly and tightly to avoid any trouble while using the chair in the future.

After cleaning the wheels, you would notice the smooth working of your chair. You can also lubricate the wheels using any spray lubricant for better results. In case, you have plastic wheels, use a silicone lubricant. Thus, these easy steps help to keep you and your office chair moving.

How to have a Smooth Rolling Office Chair? – Pro Tips While Cleaning Chair Wheels!

A lot of people confuse office chair wheels with casters. But there is a difference between both, which we’ve already discussed in an article (what are office chair casters?“). As far as office chair wheels are concerned, here are a few extra tips that can help you clean them in a better way and keep your chair rolling smoothly.

• If your chair already has a cleaning guide with it, either attached to the packing or available on the official website of the company, follow those steps above all.
• It is best practice to clean wheels in the morning time or on a clear sunny day so that you can closely examine the dirt and debris.
• It is advisable to cover the floor with a plastic sheet or towel before starting to clean to protect your area.
• Use a chair mat for keeping your chair wheels clean for a long time.

• Never soak wheels in soapy water before removing larger particles using tweezers or screwdrivers as it would reduce half of your effort and bring about the best results.
• A vacuum can also be used to capture dirt particles that could not be removed with tape or tweezers etc. Use a small vacuum attachment for your convenience. Moreover, compressed air can also be used to blow out dust from castor wheels.
• Use a butter knife, nail clippers, and other tools with caution.
• If the process of cleaning the castor grosses you out, you can wear gloves.

Conclusion – Final Thoughts!

In sum, office chairs, especially their wheels, require regular cleansing to work efficiently. For having a smooth rolling office chair, you need to clean your office chair wheels regularly. This isn’t very complicated or time-consuming.

You just have to turn your office chair upside down with the wheels sticking up, remove the wheels and remove larger pieces of dirt, pieces of paper, or hair with your fingers or tweezers.

Afterward, use duct tape to remove adhesive dirt followed by soaking them in a soapy solution and washing them out with clear water. Once the wheels have dried, reattach them with the base tightly and your chair is ready to use again.