How to Restore a Bamboo Chippendale Chair

Remove any loose seat cushions. For attached, upholstered slipseats -- the type you typically see on dining chairs -- turn the chair upside down. Look for the screws at each corner of the seat, and turn them counterclockwise with a screwdriver to unscrew the seat from the chair frame. Use the screwdriver type, Phillips or flat-head, that fits the screws. Turn the chair rightside up.

Brush the chair with a dry, medium-bristled brush to loosen dirt. Chippendale chairs made of bamboo typically have openwork backs in a Chinese-inspired lattice design. Pay particular attention to the wrapped binder cane connecting the various bamboo pieces on the chair back, and those on other parts of the chair. Brush the binder cane gently so you don't damage it, and brush in the direction of the wrapped sections to remove dirt from the crevices.

Fasten a soft-bristled brush attachment to your vacuum cleaner. Vacuum the entire chair to remove any remaining loose dirt.

Mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water for lightly soiled chairs. Add a few drops of mild, bleach-free dish soap with a quart of warm water for heavily soiled chairs, and then mix in 2 teaspoons of ammonia. Dampen a sponge in the mixture, and wash the chair with the sponge. Scrub crevices with a soft-bristled toothbrush as needed. Rinse the chair with a new sponge dipped in clean water. Dry the accessible parts of the chair with a towel, and then leave the chair to air dry for at least 6 hours.

Restore the chair's natural luster by coating it with one layer of liquid wax, or by rubbing oil into the bamboo and binder cane. For oiled finishes, you may use linseed oil, baby oil or bamboo-specific furniture oil. Let oil dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Buff wax finishes with a soft cloth if the product packaging recommends it.

Return the original loose cushions to the chair, or replace them with new ones. For upholstered slipseats, pry out the staples attaching the fabric to the seat with a upholstery staple lifter. Cut new fabric for the seat, using the old fabric as a pattern. Lay the new fabric rightside down, and place the upside-down seat on top of it. Wrap the fabric around to the back of the seat, and then affix it to the seat with a staple gun. Turn the chair upside down and screw the seat back onto the frame.