How to Clean an Acrylic Table and Chairs

Are you proud of your acrylic table and chairs dining set?

What’s not to love? The sophisticated look of glass presents a unique, chic style and the appearance of not taking up space. Acrylic furniture also possesses the strength of steel and can withstand years of exposure to the elements.

The only downside to acrylic is that any scratch looks very obvious on the clear surface.

While acrylic or plexiglass has a decent amount of scratch resistance, you can mess up the surface if you don’t know the proper cleaning method. Most owners clean it the same way as glass, which is a mistake. It’s easy to damage acrylic if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So how do you clean your acrylic dining room chairs and other furniture? Here are some tips on how to care for your transparent works of art.

Your Acrylic Table and Chairs Set Deserves Better Than Regular Cloth

Cleaning clear acrylic dining chairs, desks, or shelves isn’t complicated. The process is mostly the same as cleaning any other furniture. It starts with dusting off, then cleaning with an appropriate product mixed with water, and polishing.

That said, most owners of plexiglass pieces use rags or ordinary dusting cloth that can leave scratches on the surface.

Instead, use a microfiber or very soft cloth for dust removal and cleaning. Even while using these materials, avoid aggressive rubbing or wiping across the surface. Also, make sure that the fabric is clear of small, trapped particles that can scratch the acrylic.

Use Cleaners Specifically Intended for Plastics

Another common mistake is using ammonia and acetate-based products for cleaning acrylic. While these cleaners are great for glass, using them on plastic material can yellow the surface. Household cleaners, such as Windex, can also break down the acrylic components and make the furniture look cloudy.

Use a cleaning solution specially made for plastic, such as Brillianize. You can also clean with mild soap or detergent, 3 percent Hydrogen Peroxide, or 30 percent Isopropyl Alcohol.

Clean Small Areas at a Time

Acrylic furniture, such as console tables, comes in unique shapes and designs (click here for more information). While we love them for their modern aesthetic, their complicated forms can be pretty tricky to clean. Spraying the whole furniture with a cleaning solution then wiping it down isn’t the best way to go about it.

For more thorough cleaning, focus your efforts on a tiny area at a time. Once you’re done with that particular area, you can move on to the next one.

Advanced Cleaning

It’s possible to restore a heavily scratched acrylic piece to almost new with intensive cleaning. The techniques used include scraping, sanding, flame-polishing, and buffing.

However, a word of caution: these methods aren’t exactly beginner-friendly. It might be best to leave it to professional restorers if you’re not up to the task.

For tiny and shallow scratches, you can probably manage with over-the-counter products.

Maintain That Look!

What we adore about an acrylic table and chairs set is the way that they look like glass. If the furniture is riddled with scratches or looks cloudy, it loses the mystique and charm and becomes looking like ordinary plastic. That’s why it’s essential to clean them the proper way to maintain that appeal and novelty.

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