How to clean a child’s car seat

As any parent knows, as much as bubs are adorable, they’re equally as messy, too. And those cute noises they make while you’re driving them here and there? You can pretty much guarantee it’s because they’ve just ground a banana into the upholstery, and poured milk on top for good measure.

If you own a child’s car seat or a booster seat, you’re going to have to clean it at some point. But to make sure the seat continues to be safe, you need to do it carefully.

You’ll find some great advice below, but it’s really important that you also refer to the manufacturer’s manual. If you can’t find the manual for your specific seat, head to the manufacturer’s website and see if you can download it, or at least refer to the manufacturer’s general cleaning instructions online.

You’ll need a vacuum cleaner and extension lead, a bucket of warm water, mild soap, cloths or baby wipes, a toothbrush, some cotton buds, and maybe even a butter knife. Oh, and a camera.

Time to get rid of all those loose rusk crumbs. Use a dedicated car vacuum if you have one or your regular home vacuum with one of those funky little attachments to get into the tight spaces. An extension lead will come in handy.

Removing the whole seat can be a hassle (and cause safety issues if you don’t reinstall it correctly) – so, if possible, just remove the fabric cover and padding, as well as the buckles and straps, instead. Not sure how? Follow the manufacturer’s instruction manual as a guide.

You might also want to consider taking the advice of parents who have been there before: take a photo so you know what the seat is supposed to look like when you put it back together again.

Use a damp cloth, water and a mild soap – or baby wipes – to clean the seat’s plastic frame. You can use a toothbrush, a cotton bud, or even a butter knife to get any crusted-on food or other questionable items out of awkward spots.

Depending on the make of the car seat, you may be able to wash the cover and padding in the washing machine. In some cases, covers can even go in the drier. However, some manufacturers make seat covers that need to be washed by hand, and/or dried naturally.

Cleaning and drying these materials too harshly may affect any flame retardants that have been added, making the seat unsafe in an accident.

If that avocado, ink or crayon stain is proving resistant, you may need to do some extra handwashing. Go easy: a cloth and a mild detergent is generally your best bet for both the cover’s sake and your bubba’s skin. If you’re really struggling to remove a stain, contact the manufacturer for advice.

Use warm water, a soft cloth and a mild detergent to spot-clean the harness and straps. Don’t immerse them in water or put them in the washing machine – it could harm the fibres in the fabric and make them less safe.

Most buckles should be cleaned with water only. Soap residue or other lubricants such as WD-40 could cause the buckles to unlatch in an accident. Again, refer to the manual.

When everything’s dry and looking good as new, it’s time to put it all back together. Aren’t you glad you took that photo? Now, hand over the rusks and the milk, and let’s get going.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}