Britax Car Seat Cover Cleaning
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Car seats inevitably get dirty. They’re a moving chronicle of life with small children—party snacks, a smudge of sunscreen after a day at the beach, muddy shoe prints after soccer practice, dried spit up after Grandma’s bumpy ride. .
Britax Car Seat Cover Cleaning
Deleting these archives can be tricky: taking the car seat apart, taking it apart, cleaning it properly, and then figuring out how to put it all back together is a tedious task. And since it’s a device that could save your child’s life, it’s important to get it right.
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Most car seats are made of fabrics and materials that can withstand different looks. How often you decide to clean your car seat depends on your circumstances as well as your individual contamination threshold. Certain dirt, such as vomit, urine, or diaper rash, should be removed as soon as possible, because if left behind, these straps can weaken and create a horrible odor. But dirt particles, goldfish particles, and diluted sunscreen can wait until your family’s personal exposure limit is reached, be it months or years.
When the time comes, the right approach to dealing with the mess depends on which car seat you have. Each manufacturer has its own seat cleaning instructions that must be followed. Failure to follow instructions may result in damage to seat materials such as: B. loosening of straps or loss of fire resistance and safety hazards. We consulted two experts for cleaning tips and advice that can be used alongside car seat instructions. Emily Marks is a cleaning specialist at BabyQuip, a baby equipment rental and cleaning company, and Alice Behr is a certified child passenger safety instructor and co-founder of The Car Seat Lady.
Note. If you decide to have the cleaning done by a professional, be sure to find a service that has experience working with car seats and that follows the manufacturer’s instructions. You can also take a “before” photo (front and back) of the car seat so you can check it’s assembled correctly when you return it.
Depending on what type of cover your car seat has, the hard work of cleaning the cover, removing the cover (and straps) from the frame, washing it thoroughly, and installing it (probably the hardest part) can take several hours. or more And since most car seat covers are non-dryable, it can take up to a day for the cover to air dry completely before it can be put back on.
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While the cover is still on the car seat, start vacuuming the dirt in the crevices with a hand-held vacuum, shop vacuum, or hand-held vacuum. When you’re done, keep the vacuum handy because you’ll need it again later.
Marks removes stains with a small brush (a toothbrush works too) dipped in a mixture of castile soap and water. For more stubborn stains (like mineral sunscreen), use a mixture of dish soap (Marks uses Dawn) and water instead of Castile soap. Avoid getting soap on the buckles. Soap and other residues can prevent the buckles from closing properly.
If you’re just spot cleaning and don’t continue with the next steps, you can finish by removing excess soap from the surface with a damp cloth. For light soiling (such as crumbs or dried mud), a clean area may be enough to keep the seat looking great. For larger leaks, you may need to remove the cover completely.
Many seats must be removed from the car to remove the cover. When you remove the car seat, Marks says, it’s a good time to check the expiration date on your seat—the date is usually on the bottom or back of the seat. Don’t store a car seat past its expiration date: After years of use, the integrity of the seat can change, making it unsafe in the event of an accident. In addition, new models may have updated security features.
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Recording a video while removing the cover can help. That way, you’ll remember the necessary steps when it’s time to put it on properly. Alternatively, you can search online for manufacturer videos showing how to install the cover on a specific make and model of seat.
Read the manufacturer’s instructions before washing. Some cleaning products can remove or react with flame retardant chemicals. You may also be advised not to soak the cover in soapy water at all.
If your cover is not machine washable, place it in a tub, large sink, or bucket with warm water and a little soap. Then twist or stomp it. You can also let it soak for 15 minutes before rinsing.
If the cover is machine washable, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for water temperature and detergent. Some cleaning products, including bleach, can react with flame retardant chemicals.
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Most car seat covers cannot be tumble dried, so the back of a chair or a dryer is a good place to air dry the cover. If you need to put the cover back on the car seat as soon as possible, you can speed up the process by placing the cover in front of a fan or in direct sunlight. It can also help eliminate some bacteria. However, do not use objects with concentrated heat, such as: B. a hair dryer, as this may damage the fabric or cause it to shrink.
Before changing the cover, make sure it is completely dry. Otherwise, moisture can accumulate in the seat, which can cause mold, rusting of metal parts, or loosening of straps.
To ensure that the straps are in the correct position later, take a photo of the straps before removing them from the seat frame. Seat belts are vital to your child’s safety.
Avoid submerging the straps in water and do not use chemicals (e.g. bleach) to coat the straps. Both water and chemicals can damage the integrity of belts. If the straps vomit (or worse happens), wipe the area with water and a little soap, being careful not to get the straps completely wet. If the belts are heavily soiled, many manufacturers offer replacement belts, according to Bayer. It is best to buy the seats directly from the manufacturer and double check that they fit your model exactly.
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After removing the cover, use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the debris from the car seat frame. You can also use this option to attack the place in the car where the seat is usually located. Then wipe the dirty surfaces of the frame with a damp cloth. However, do not wet the outside of the seat too much. This may cause the manufacturer’s labels containing installation assistance information, expiration dates, and recall identification information to peel off.
First make sure that the straps are in the same position as before cleaning and are not twisted. If there is more than one crotch strap slot, the next step is to check that it is in the correct position for your child (check the manufacturer’s instructions for fit).
When you’re ready to put the (completely dry) cap back on, watch the video you took off or the manufacturer’s video to help you put the cap back on correctly. Finally, before reinstalling the seat or having it installed by a professional, have your child sit in the seat to ensure the straps are at the correct height. Seat belts must be located at or below the shoulders for rear-facing seats and above or above the shoulders for forward-facing seats.
In the future, you can help keep the crib tidy by providing children with a splash-proof water bottle and covered snack cups. If your baby or toddler often runs down or gets sick while driving, an extra-large bib like the Bumkins SuperBib can help keep the mess under control. For an older child with motion sickness, a disposable bag with a plastic ring (to hold during vomiting) and a locking system (later) can be a game changer.
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To prevent fresh dirt from getting into the seat, you can also bring a small towel or baby wipes (but not antibacterial wipes, which may contain chemicals that attack the straps or fabric) to absorb the spill.
While the concept is attractive, so-called “universal” safety seat covers should be avoided because third-party accessories have not been crash-tested and may affect the seat’s performance in a crash. However, you can check to see if your car seat manufacturer makes a protector that is compatible with your model. For example, Britax Seat Saver is a waterproof liner approved for all brand seats. As a CPST, I have been approached by many parents with questions over the years
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