Working in Medical Upholstery for over two decades, we often get asked what are the best materials to use for the furniture at a healthcare establishment. Since there’s usually many things that we take into consideration for each job, we decided to break it down and share the pros and cons of using one of the most popular upholstery materials – vinyl.
Advantages of Using Vinyl in Medical Upholstery:
- Cost-effective – One of the most affordable upholstery materials.
- Easy to Clean – Any spills can be easily cleaned with a simple soap and water solution.
- Long-lasting – Maintained properly (away from the heat), vinyl remains a strong and stain-resistant surface.
- Sanitary surface – Many vinyl materials are designed to prevent growth for potentially harmful mold and bacteria.
Disadvantages of Using Vinyl in Medical Upholstery:
- Not attractive – Vinyl is considered to give an institutional feel rather than comfort.
- Chemical emission – Vinyl materials that are based on traditional PVC are considered the most toxic.
- Difficult to repair – Any tear will have to be patched, and there’s no way to avoid seeing the work.
- Poor ventilation – Vinyl is rather stiff and tends to stick to bare skin.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing vinyl as your cover material for medical upholstery. Before making your final decision, we highly recommend checking out these two articles on How to Properly Select the Right Cover Materials as well as The Best Cleaning Practices you should know regarding medical upholstery.
Ready to invest in professional medical upholstery in Delaware or Tri-State area? Call us now! Our staff has over 70 years of combined knowledge and experience in cleaning and repairs. In fact, there probably isn’t a job we have not done!
