Figuring out how to get smell out of a gaming chair is a must for people who spend a lot of time in front of the computer. Whether working or grinding your favorite RPG, the more time you spend in your chair, the smellier it will get. With the help of these tips and regular maintenance, you can restore your favorite piece of furniture to like-new.
What Causes Gaming Chair Odor?
There are two common sources of sources gaming chair odor. First, some new gaming chairs come with a strong chemical smell.
Over the long term, you’ll shed skin particles(1) and excrete body oils(2) while you sit. The more often you use a chair, the more it soaks in unappealing odors.
This is especially true if you have a fabric chair. Fabric upholstery will cling onto food odors, body odors, and other unappealing smells.
However, even leather is prone to attracting smells that can last for years if the chair isn’t cleaned. For instance, if you smoke in a leather gaming chair, it will reek after just a few days!
As well, sweat, bodily functions, and general dirt and grime also contribute to smelly furniture. Luckily, even if your chair stinks, it doesn’t mean it’s ruined forever.
Get Smell Out of Gaming Chair: Top Tips
Undoubtedly, there are many ways you can work towards getting rid of smells in your office chair. Let’s review some of the top tips you can use to restore the chair to its original condition.
Trick #1: Sunlight and UV Disinfecting
Apart from being essential for day-to-day life, sunlight is a fantastic disinfectant(3). If you are not interested in using cleaning products to keep your chair smell-free, you can always leave it outside.
The UV rays coming from the sun have long been known to an excellent natural disinfectant. Although it won’t get rid of the smells right away, it can work to break down the bacteria causing unappealing odors.
You will likely have to give the chair several hours of sunlight exposure for it to make a difference. But don’t overdo it!
This method can also break down the materials of your chair if you leave it outside for too long. Also, you’ll want to ensure that you leave it in a weather-protected room, such as a sunroom. This process reduces the chance of your chair getting rained on or attracting bugs.
Trick #2: Baking Soda
One of the most powerful cleaning agents you can own is already in your kitchen cabinets. Baking soda is a fabulous solution for getting rid of gaming chair smells and cleaning other types of upholstery in your home.
Another massive benefit of this product is that it works on all materials, from leather to mesh chairs. Let’s go over the steps to take if you want to use baking soda to clean your gaming chair.
Step 1: Vacuum the Chair
As with any other cleaning project, the first thing you’ll want to do is work with a clean surface. Make sure you vacuum your chair to eliminate any surface layer dirt. This step makes it much easier for the baking soda to work its way into your chair to target odors.
Step 2: Apply Baking Soda
When applying your baking soda, make sure you reach every crevice of your chair. Using a soft microfiber cloth can be beneficial to work the powder into the surface, scrubbing gently as you go.
Pay close attention to any cracks where grime could be hiding, as those are likely the smelliest parts.
Step 3: Wait
Now that you’ve applied the baking soda, it is time to let the chemical reaction work independently. When the powder finds dirt particles, it breaks down the compounds to eliminate odors(4). It is a mildly abrasive cleaner, so it’s also beneficial for scrubbing away stains on the surface.
Generic Arm and Hammer Baking Soda works fine. However, I prefer using Arm and Hammer Carpet Odor Eliminator ($4.49 on Amazon). The package instructions advise letting the baking soda sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming.
You could also leave it overnight. Once the baking soda has worked its magic, move on to the next step.
Step 4: Vacuum Again
As the final step to cleaning with baking soda, vacuum the chair again. Make sure you remove all of the powder with any smelly compounds trapped in it. After doing that, your chair should smell like new without using over-the-counter cleaning products.
Bonus: Baking Soda on Faux Leather
For heavy-duty cleaning of a faux leather gaming chair, you can also try a baking soda slurry. Don’t scrub too hard — baking soda is abrasive.
As a test, I did a deep scrub into a DXRacer Master chair with good results. If you’re a smoker, it’s worth doing this every few months:
- Mix water with baking soda to form a paste.
- Scrub into the faux leather using a microfiber cloth.
- Leave the solution to dry on its own.
- Clean off the residue using a vacuum cleaner.
Trick #3: Dryer Sheets
When doing your laundry, one of the best ways to add a lasting scent to your clothes is to use a dryer sheet. They help reduce static and can also prolong the freshness of your clothes. That said, it can also be a fantastic way to mask odors in your chair.
Although dryer sheets aren’t a great way to clean your gaming chair, they can cover surface odors. They can be pretty helpful if you regularly clean your furniture and are looking for a midweek refresher.
Bounce Outdoor Fresh Dryer Sheets on Amazon $9.94
Let’s review the easy steps to use dryer sheets to hide gaming chair odors.
Step 1: Vacuum the Chair
The first step you will need to do, like using baking soda, is to vacuum your gaming chair. Get rid of any crumbs, as you won’t want to push them deeper into the fabric.
Step 2: Rub with a Dryer Sheet
Now, it is time for odor elimination with the help of a dryer sheet. All you will need is one to two sheets
Begin gently rubbing the sheet on the surface of your chair. Ideally, you will want to use circular motions to work the sheet into the material. Be sure to focus on the high-traffic areas of your chair, such as the backrest and the seat cushion.
Spending extra time on the armrests can also be beneficial, where sweat could be trapped. The more you work the dryer sheets into the material, the more the fresh smell will infuse with your furniture.
Trick #4: Steam Cleaning
There’s no doubt that steam cleaning is the most effective and easiest way to clean your gaming chair. It is a method that works on almost every material but is highly recommended for leather and fabric.
The best part is finding a small handheld steam cleaner for cheap online instead of using a professional service. When done properly, steam cleaning is safe for most types of furniture. Plus, it’s a straightforward process that anyone in the family can do.
When the hot steam is applied to the material, it breaks down smelly compounds. Then, the steam cleaner sucks the dirty water out of the material, leaving the chair dry.
Bissell Steam Cleaner on Amazon $35.98
Here are the easy-to-follow steps to steam clean your gaming chair:
Step 1: Vacuum the Chair
Always ensure you vacuum the entirety of your gaming chair before steam cleaning. Otherwise, the hot steam will mix with crumbs and dirt, making them soggy and hard to remove. Pay close attention to the tiny crevices in your chair, such as where the backrest and seat cushion meet.
Step 2: Prepare the Steam Cleaner
The next step is to make sure your steam cleaner is prepared. Depending on the model you own, you may even be able to add essential oils to the water.
This process can help to infuse a distinctive natural scent while cleaning, adding freshness to your chair. Once the steam cleaner is ready to be used, the water should be hot and steamy. You can then begin the cleaning process.
Step 3: Cleaning Your Chair
When steam cleaning a gaming chair, be sure to reach all of the areas you targeted when vacuuming. You will also want to focus most of the steam on the most-used areas of the furniture, like the backrest and seat cushion. Ensure all moisture is removed with every pass, taking your time to inject hot steam and dry the chair.
Step 4: Allow for Drying
Once you’ve finished steam cleaning, the last step of the process is to let your chair dry for several hours, if not overnight. Most steam cleaners remove moisture, but your chair may still feel damp afterward. You won’t want to start using it until the material is completely dry when squeezed.
Trick #5: Rubbing Alcohol
Another tried-and-tested method to get rid of odors in your gaming chair is by using rubbing alcohol. Although it’s a powerful disinfectant, it is also very abrasive, so it’s not the best option for delicate materials such as microfiber. The steps you can take to disinfect your chair with rubbing alcohol are as follows:
Step 1: Wipe Away Dirt and Dust
For this project, you can vacuum the entire chair (time-effective), or you can wipe away dirt and dust. Try using a soft cloth, such as microfiber, to avoid disturbing the material too much before cleaning.
Step 2: Apply the Rubbing Alcohol
Depending on the material of your chair, you can then soak a cotton ball or a soft cloth in the solution. You might also want to dilute it with some water to help cut away from its abrasiveness. Using the wet cloth, gently work the solution into the material using small circular motions.
Step 3: Let Dry
After cleaning your entire chair, let it dry for two to three hours. Rubbing alcohol tends to evaporate relatively quickly, so you won’t need to leave your chair overnight.
Conclusion: Regular Maintenance Is Key
If you’re interested in learning how to get smell out of gaming chair, there are many tricks and tips you can try. Whether you use dryer sheets or baking soda, you can remove odors as long as you find a product to break down the dirt compounds.
Along with deep cleans, it’s best to wipe your chair down regularly to avoid smelly buildup over time.
Footnotes
- Imperial College London, ‘New insights into skin cells could explain why our skin doesn’t leak’, Science Daily [science news], 29 Nov. 2016, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161129114910.htm, (accessed 7 Feb. 2022).
- DT Downing, ME Stewart, JS Strauss, ‘Estimation of sebum production rates in man by measurement of the squalene content of skin biopsies’, Pubmed, J Invest Dermitol, 1981, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6219137/, (accessed 7 Feb. 2022).
- Boaz Amichai, et al. ‘Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants: the efficacy of sun exposure for reducing fungal contamination in used clothes’, Pubmed, July. 16 2014, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25167689/, (accessed 7 Feb. 2022).
- Alexanda Ossola, ‘Why Is Baking Soda Such a Good Cleaner?’, Pubmed, Oct. 6 2016, https://www.thekitchn.com/why-is-baking-soda-such-a-good-cleaner-236104, (accessed 7 Feb. 2022).
