Getting the balance between decor and function is never an easy task, especially when you add in the healthcare aspect.
The awareness of infection control protocol is much greater today than 10 years ago and hospitals are not using many of the fabrics or materials that we commonly did. Primarily we are using vinyl upholstery on healthcare soft seating but in the attempt to improve the tactile feel, we often get requests for vinyls with a little bit of texture to it.
I took the picture above that shows the arm of an upholstered chair with a textured or embossed vinyl, blown up in the inset. This image really brings home the reason that we recommend not using embossed vinyl as you can see the deep pits that would be hard to thoroughly clean. At a microscopic level, it would be like trying to clean butter off of a waffle; you know it isn't going to be complete!
There are many great vinyls with and without patterns to get the style and aesthetics that you are looking for but there is more to know about your upholstery options than whether it can be cleaned with your choice of cleaner. When buying healthcare furniture, speak with someone that is well versed in both the furniture and the upholstery options. It will make a big difference in the lifespan of your purchase and drastically reduce the potential for H.A.I.'s being transmitted through your furniture.