Babies are all cute and mushy unless they throw up. If you have kids, you will know that messes are bound to happen, and the struggle is real. When you think from the perspective of a kid, you’ll know that anything edible is supposed to be spilled – be it juices or cereals. Kids are messy, and we can all agree on that.
Things mess up when that you track down that pungent smell and find a blowout diaper on the car seat and a toothless smile. You’d see these creatures running around the house, pooping and, most importantly, staining that brand new car seat while you plan to travel.
But there is no need to panic when you find a vomit stain somewhere in the seat. This article will answer all the possible queries you might have.
Table of Contents
Why do I Need to Clean Child’s Car Seat?
It is not merely a car seat that needs to be cleaned. Everything that comes into your usage is supposed to be taken care of. Like every other device, a child’s car seat goes a long way if it is properly maintained. If yours is a 3-in-1 convertible car seat, you don’t want it to be useless before your kid reaches the 3rd stage when the booster seat is the most suitable for him/her.
Moreover, an uncleaned car seat will not be able to give a good experience to the kid. Many a time when the material that the device is made up of is rusted, it hurts the child. This is why the timely decontamination of child gear is essential.
How to Clean a Car Seat
To thoroughly clean a car seat; you’ll have to follow these steps in chronological order:
1. Get on it as soon as you can
2. Put your red cap on with a bucket of wipes, mild soaps, clean rags, and warm water
3. Try to remove as many contents as you can with the elements mentioned above
4. For extensive cleaning, remove the detachable inserts such as harness pads and the cover of the car seat (refer to the manual beforehand)
5. Move down to harness straps, shell, and buckles – avoid blast cleaning here and don’t use the washing machine.
6. Clean the base and the crotch buckle with paper towels and their likes
7. Once decontaminated, either air dry or put the parts under the Sun
8. Reassemble
Can I Hose Down an Infant Car Seat?
While we talk about using a garden hose or any other type of hose, it is essential to contact your device manufacturer before taking such a step. If there is a chance that the durability of a car seat can be at risk by hosing it down, then it is better to use some other way.
Generally, blast cleaning is not recommended. However, some parents out there recommend hosing down as it can easily reach every nook of the car seat, especially after a bad vomit incident.
Many people’s experience with Triumph Advance has not been pleasant so, if you have one – drop the idea of hosing it down. Many parents believe that if you are hosing down the device, make sure you use the garden hose on a gentle cycle, take off the cover, the harness (since you can’t soak it) and thoroughly clean the dirty spots. In many car seats, the harness does not come off easily. In that case, you’ll have to try other methods.
How to Remove Baby’s Car Seat Cover?
A child car seat is a product that needs to be salvaged timely; else, it could be quite challenging. Removing car seat cover is not too tough. At points, you do not need to remove the cover. A few baby wipes, clean rags, gentle soap, or detergent can get things done if you take timely action. You can also use a car seat cleaner. However, given that parents are mostly busy with thousands of other things, there are chances that you might have to remove the cover.
To remove a cover, you will either have to refer to the manufacturer’s manual or look it up on the internet. Make sure you read the manual of the same model. If yours is a Graco convertible and the manual belongs to Scenera Next, things won’t work, although most car seat covers are easily removable. You can start by opening the hooks and the clips, but don’t rush if you are new to this gross field.
While most car seats are almost made up of the same material, there may be some pain points that you don’t want to miss out on. So, reading manuals is significant. In most of the cases, additional covers are provided. You can always replace a car seat cover, if the messes are plenty and wipes don’t seem to work.
How to Clean Off Vomit From the Straps of a Car Seat?
Now, we all act as smart-pants at some points in our lives. I’d request you not to do so here. There is no need to jump in to clean the vomit contents off a car seat WITHOUT reading the manufacturer’s manual. Impersonating Robin Hood can cost you an expensive car seat.
When your kiddo throws up, it is not targeted towards the harness straps only. The contents may be scattered everywhere on the car seat, which is why it is important to spot clean the contaminated places. The possible spots could be the harness straps, buckles, the shell of the seat, and the cover. Covers can be taken off and easily cleaned by water.
Harness straps, however, are a hard nut to crack, and let’s accept it – they smell awful. Now, use baby wipes or paper towels to clean the apparent messes. If you are thinking about taking off the straps and putting them in the washing machine, then don’t. Don’t be an abrasive cleaner; you’ll be screwed. Straps are designed and manufactured in such a way that soaking them in water will make its webbing lose the force and make it useless.
What other ways do you have? Use gentle soap and warm water. Baby soaps or mild soaps designed for sensitive skins are great. The best way is to mix gentle soap and water, dip a cloth inside and then use it to clean the straps by gradually wiping them. Follow the process more than once, if needed.
How to Clean the Buckles?
Before we move to the cleaning part, make sure that you almost regularly check if your buckle is clicking and releasing smoothly. In many car seats, buckles are not removable, which is why you can use a vacuum cleaner to clean them. And if the manufacturer’s instructions allow, you can invert the buckles and soak them in a bowl of water. Make sure that the harness does not get wet or soaked in water. Now, wait for some time and try to click the buckle again. Keep doing this almost regularly to prevent any corrosion.
How to Clean the Shell?
The cleaning shell does not involve any rocket science. Remove as many contents and as much dust as you can. To thoroughly clean the shell, you can use an old toothbrush to remove the dirt from the crevices. Now, to wipe down the shell, you can either use a damp cloth or wipes. There is no need to use detergents. Tap water will work just fine. Use a dry cloth or a paper towel to dry off the shell. Water on the shell can lead to corrosion.
Infant Car Seat Cleaning Services
Usually, dirty and messy child-restraints are a hustle, but once you realize that your kid is not going to halt for about the next two or three years, you get used to it. However, in different states of the United States, there are different child gear cleaning services that you may refer to if you are a newbie.
Below are some of the famous and reliable cleaning service providers where you can get your car seats cleaned:
1. Tot Squad
Started in 2011 in Los Angeles, this company offers services like gear cleaning and car seat installation. You can look them up on the internet and see if they provide their services in your vicinity.
Based in Millburn New Jersey, Stroller Xpress provides services such as infant carrier cleaning, booster cleaning, convertible cleaning, and cleaning the base of a car seat along with several other services. You can contact them if you live in New Jersey.
Founding in New York City by a group of people, Mommy Nearest provides cleaning services in several cities other than New York. Click the link to find out more.
4. Sudsy Buggy
Established in 2013, Sudsy Buggy sanitizes, cleans every type of baby gear. It is based in Hoboken, New Jersey.
5. Stroller Spa
Started in 2008 in San Francisco, Stroller Spa provides a variety of services.
How to Get Rid of Mold from Baby’s Car Seat
Molds are formed through tiny spores. When your car seat is in the attic for some time, and the temperature and moisture are provided accordingly, molds multiply and quadruple. They smell bad, and they can be dangerous to your baby’s health.
Since child-restraint seats bear a lot of mess, they are highly likely to form molds. Not only are molds gross, but they can also damage a working car seat and force you into buying a new one. Molds are usually found in harness straps and covers.
Once you remove the mold spores, it is recommended that you fill white distilled vinegar in a bottle and spray it around the affected areas. Now, give it some time to absorb, and this should get your work done.
However, companies such as Graco believe that even if you wash out molds, they are likely to grow back. If they are on the straps and the straps are irreplaceable, then you will have to buy a new one. It sucks when the car seat is just as new, and you can’t use it anymore. Even if you clear out the pores, you can’t risk your kid’s safety. It is better to buy a new device if the company does not provide you with the replacements.
Prevention
These simple steps will help you in mold prevention:
1. Try to eliminate moisture from the car seat
2. Mold multiplies in darkness. Expose your device to the Sun as much as possible
3. Molds feed on water and liquid so; air dry the wetness as soon as you can
Conclusion
You must have realized how demanding car seats’ cleaning can be. But it is better late than never. Maintenance is of utmost importance, especially when you are not traveling. Make sure that you clean the device at least thrice a week if you can’t manage cleaning it regularly.
Moreover, always take timely actions because the sooner, the better. While dry contents can wait, moist contents such as those of vomit can be tough to clean later on.
Remember that the Sun is your car seat’s best friend. Do make sure that you put the car seat under the Sun for some time, but don’t keep it for too long – it can affect the device’s durability and material. Always refer to the manual and avoid using strong and acidic detergents.
If your buckle does not work correctly, do not apply lubricants or oil on it. Do not try cloth softeners on the cover’s cloth. Moreover, abrasives are a big NO, NO.
Also, do not make the mistake of drying the cover directly in the sun-light because that will have adverse effects on the fabric. Try to air dry it. We hope you’ll have a good time cleaning after your baby’s mess.
