Here are some guidelines for cleaning your childs car seat or booster seat without ruining it in the process. Follow the manual's instructions carefully, and see the relevant section of this article for tips on cleaning straps and buckles. Sunshine can really help eliminate those nasty smells naturally. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 98,293 times. Great prices too! http://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-clean-a-car-seat, Lavare il Seggiolino per Bambini della Macchina. You can use odor-eliminating sprays on the base and fabric cover if desired. Remember, however, that your child's skin will be in close contact with the cover, so be mindful of the materials in your chosen spray. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. This should be able to save you from having to buy a whole new seat. You basically need to reverse the process you used to remove the cover, so if you took mental or physical notes, or a picture, video, or sketch, you should be in good shape. Once youve washed the cover, you can use a damp cloth with a mild detergent to wipe down the plastic base. But to get you started, these general guidelines that apply to most car seats and booster seats on the market will help you know what to do, and just as importantly, what not to do. Which Type of Booster Seat is Right for My Child. Make sure that the straps do not twist when you thread them through the seat. Thankfully, car seat manufacturers understand the nature of children, and the normal, everyday messes that accompany them are usually cleanable with a little soap, water and elbow grease. 9. ^^Bad idea! However, please note that harness straps and buckles require special care for safety reasons. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 98,293 times. Washing the harness in the machine or with anything other than mild soap and water can affect the integrity of the harness and it's ability to restrain your child in a crash. FWIW, most of us don't wash the car seat cover before using. Wiping it with a dry cloth will expedite the process, but in general, its best to allow several hours or a day for it to dry completely. Clean the surface with a soft cloth and water (and mild soap if needed). check out www.hipncozy.com. Learn to adjust the harness straps bigger, so as your child grows they still fit into their car seat. Gently swish the buckle or LATCH clip in a cup of warm water, taking care not to submerge the strap. For safety reasons, harness straps (and buckles, to a lesser extent) require special and gentle cleaning. Clearing away this gunk will make the remaining cleaning portion easier to manage. This video is for the car seat version with a fixed back, (one that has different slots for heights for the one with an adjustable back and head rest please see your video gallery). Try to memorize their location (or take a picture) so that you know how to put them back into place (this is especially important if you do not have your manual). Take pictures if necessary. O:V66 j$;0p"B,Q6q lWh$uFq( -c$a%TJ\TBx> Watch out! Helping families attain the highest level of protection from their restraint systems is our top priority; this ensures your children are travelling safely in motor vehicles. If, however, you're dealing with vomit, a blown-out diaper, or some other big mess, immediate "triage" cleaning is the best way to salvage the seat. Do not overheat harness straps, however. Someone there will be happy to ensure a safe installation. Take note of the de-installation to help you with the re-installation. Plastic parts, straps and buckles should only be spot-cleaned with a soft cloth, water and, if necessary, a gentle soap. Once again, always consult your manual before cleaning any part of your childs car seat. Got something sticky in the buckle or LATCH clips? Harsh cleaners and solvents can damage and weaken the car seats components. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. To clean the car seat cover and padding, either hand wash or machine wash on a gentle cycle, and then hang or lay flat to air dry to prevent shrinking or damage to the cover and safety labels. See the relevant section of this article for more information, and always consult your owner's manual. IF VEHICLE, BELT DOES NOT STAY TIGHT, READ VEHICLE OWNER'S MANUAL AND. Check that the base is tightly installed and, stays tightly installed by grasping the base, near the belt path and trying to move side-to-, side. Never place harness straps in the dryer, or use a hot blow dryer on them. DO NOT use this seating location if the Car Seat does not. Always rely on manufacturers' instructions first, especially in regards to cleaning and installing straps and buckles. Many manufacturers say its ok for you to machine wash a car seats padding and cover on a delicate cycle with a mild detergent. If you have any questions about the instructions listed in your car seats manual or online, its best to contact the manufacturer for more direction to avoid damaging the seat. I know this may sound dumb but can anyone give me some tips on how to clean it? Don't wash it in a machine. If you need to use your car seat before it has dried completely, you can try using a small electric heater or electric fan to blow air across the parts and dry them. Enojyed this video? The #1 app for tracking pregnancy and baby growth. But such weakening would make a failure much more possible in an accident. The delicate fibers of a car seats straps can be easily damaged by abrasive cleaners and the harsh spinning of a washing machine, preventing them from properly restraining your child when it counts. For example, I know that Britax seats say to hand wash, but they do well in a machine on the hand wash setting and then air dried (or put in the drier on air fluff w/ no head). Simply dangle the buckle on the strap and dip it into a bucket of lukewarm water, then slosh it around a bit to loosen any gunk inside the mechanism. Hi I am a FTM and purchased the Baby Trend All Star car seat. There are 2 versions of this seat, we also show you the difference between the 2 versions of this seat. Generally speaking, cotton covers can be washed at up to 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). Agitate the red button to dislodge any gunk trapped in the mechanism. Spilled sippy cups, ground-in Cheerios and even the occasional diaper leak. If you don't want to do that, I would say to just hand wash it with a mild soap in the sink or bathtub and then air dry it. Something went wrong. but its usually not okay to tumble dry in the dryer. It not only gives your car seat a fresh new mod look, but it also just snaps off and can be thrown into the washing machine! We just make sure to air it out well so it can off-gas if necessary. Extreme heat could also possibly damage the tensile strength. Watch out! This can occur even when the strap still looks strong. This post has been closed to new comments. Contact the seat manufacturer to see if replacement straps are available. For advice on reattaching the straps on your car seat, read on! Twists in the straps can cause them to wear out faster, and they may rub uncomfortably against your baby's skin. Many of the major car seat manufacturers have general, manufacturer-specific cleaning instructions on their websites, and more specific cleaning instructions can be found in the manual that came with your childs car seat. If the straps are so disgustingly soiled that you can't stand to keep using them, or look worn or damaged in any way, immediately replace them. Once you have taken the cover off, you should also take off the straps. You may be tempted, but never submerge or machine wash the seats harness straps. Unfortunately, some messes simply cant be cleaned, and you may need to contact the car seats manufacturer for replacement parts. As long as you're not using an abrasive cleaner or scrubber (like steel wool), feel free to really get in there and scrub away. Your child's safety is always a worthwhile investment. i have a graco and i machine washed mine. This is the part of the cleaning when you can vent some of your frustrations. Some of the fabric feels like microsueade and I don't want to leave any water stains. Adjust Crotch Buckle (More Room for Bums), 3 In 1 (Rear Facing , Front Facing & Booster), Baby Trend Ez Flex Loc Cleaning Car Seat Part 2, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 Infant Car Seat : Correctly placing child, Graco SnugRide 35: Cleaning Car Seat Part 2, Graco SnugRide: Using Car Seat Without the Base, Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30: Installing Car Seat Without Base, Evenflo Embrace: Adjust Car Seat Harness Straps (Height), Baby Trend Ez Flex Loc Cleaning Car Seat Part 1. A cover that is not made specifically for your car seat will redirect the harness wrong and put your child in danger in an accident. Doesn't machine washing it remove fire retardants on the fabric? They have this snap and go system baby car seat cover that is fabulous! I think it's my True Fit that says "Hand wash only", but i wash it on gentle cycle and then air dry it. Hopefully someone else here has experience. By using our site, you agree to our. Cleaning or drying too harshly can affect important life-saving properties of these pieces, including flame retardants added to the fabric. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. In Part 2 of this video we will show you how to place it back together. As a general rule, it's best to tilt the seat in various directions after rinsing. This prevents water from accumulating in any of the parts. They come in cute colors and designs, and they protect the seat itself from dirt and spills. Use a garden hose to spray everything down if desired. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. I don't have a BT car seat, so I can't say how well it will do w/ different washing methods. Whatever you decide to do DO NOT wash the harness. Just dont put these in a washing machine since they can be easily damaged. The thick, woven material of harness straps can be particularly hard to get clean. This Video will teach you car seat Installation method for the Graco SnugRide, SnugRide 30 and SnugRide 35 when using the seat without the base. After spot cleaning with mild soap and water, lay the straps out to dry in the sun for several hours. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fc\/Wash-an-Infant-Car-Seat-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Wash-an-Infant-Car-Seat-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fc\/Wash-an-Infant-Car-Seat-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid4612294-v4-728px-Wash-an-Infant-Car-Seat-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"