Ok, here you are. You have found your way to this blog post wondering how to clean car seat straps vomit from your baby. Well, take a deep breath; you’re not alone. You’ve come to the right place.
Babies are charming! They can make anyone’s heart melt with their soft lips, tiny hands, adorable and sparkling eyes! Of course, they vomit on your car seat, couch, or favorite shirt.
Don’t get it twisted- they are babies, and since they’re vulnerable to stomach upsets and diseases, it’s expected they vomit. However, cleaning them can be a daunting task! One of the most challenging situations for parents is driving around with a baby in their car.
Most adults get sick during long trips, so think of how your little one feels while traveling. As a parent, all you need to do in such cases is to stay calm and quickly clean the car seat and the seat straps.
How To Clean Car Seat Straps Vomit: Things You’ll Need
Car seat straps are a vital part of your baby’s car seat. They keep your baby safe and secure, and when your baby vomits on them, you need to act as quickly as possible! Here are things you’ll need:
- Warm Water
- Paper Towels
- Car Wipes
- Soft Cloth
- Mild Soap
- Toothbrush
- Air Freshener
The Complete Guide On How To Wash Car Seat Straps Vomit
One of the primary purposes of your baby’s car seat is saving your baby’s life in an accident. This is not the period to cut corners.
Don’t believe everything you read on a social media post full of “helpful comments.” You don’t need to purchase another car seat each time your baby vomits on it; you must ensure you maintain the car seat’s integrity while cleaning it.
Here is a complete, step-by-step guide on how to clean your seat straps vomit
1. Remove The Cover Of The Car Seat
We bet you don’t want stains everywhere on your cover, so wipe off the vomit as soon as possible. Then, use dry car wipes or tissue paper to wipe off the vomit particles by carefully picking them from the seat.
Once you have removed the car seat cover, look for washing guidelines usually sewn on the stitching line. This is important since all car seats are not the same and need to be cleaned differently.
2. Wipe Down The Hard Shell
Wipe the hard shell with warm water, mild soap, and a clean cloth. Do not power wash the hard shell! Remember that a toothbrush would also be helpful because dust and food particles are regularly stuck in the corners that are difficult to reach with a cloth.
3. Clean The Straps With Care
Many parents believe that tossing the straps into the washing machine is all required. According to manufacturers, it is best advised not to throw the car seat straps into the washing machine because it weakens the webbing of the straps.
Also, machine washing might cause the straps to stretch, which means they will be less effective, and you do not want that for the child!
Therefore, to get the vomit off your car straps, you will need nothing more than warm water and Dawn dishwashing detergent or mild baby bath soap. Use your clean, soft cloth, dip it into the soaped water and then wipe the straps until the vomit goes off.
When cleaning your car seat, try not to use bleaching agents! They can not only be threatening to your baby’s health, but they can also cause discoloration.
After cleaning, dip the cloth in warm water and gently wipe the straps once more to rinse off the soap. Remember, avoid getting them dripping wet because this can weaken the material.
4. Dry The Straps
The best way to dry the straps and the seat is to take it out under the sun to air dry. You can also use an electric drier if the weather is not conducive to air drying.
It is possible that after you’re done cleaning the straps, they may still smell vomit.
Spraying a simple air freshener might fix this problem, but try to avoid strong fresheners because they may irritate your baby. Using a disinfectant to eliminate germs is also a great idea! Once everything is ready, put the seat back in the car.
Read Also: How To Get Mold Out Of Fabric Car Seats (3 Natural Ways)
Remember:
Since you can’t prevent your baby from tossing his cookies in the car seat, you can make cleaning up easier on yourself in the future by having a Vomit Kit on standby. Just put it in your car right next to your Emergency Preparedness Kit.
Here is a short video showing how to clean car seat straps
Related Posts:
- How To Protect Car Seat From Vomit
- How To Protect Car Seats From Child Seats
- How To Remove Sour Milk Smell From Car
- How To Install Graco Car Seat
- Newborn Safety Checklist
FAQs On How To Clean Car Seat Straps Vomit
How Do I Dry The Car Seat After Washing?
As discussed above, one of the effective ways to dry the car seat is by placing it in the sun for a couple of hours.
The sun will dry them up perfectly and remove any remaining vomit odor. However, if your car seat straps are non-removable, you may need to take out the entire seat.
Is It Ok To Hose Off The Car Seat?
The short answer is NO! Hosing off your car seat will weaken the EPS foam. Additionally, the metallic parts of the car seat might get rusty, which will cause them to be less efficient.
Can I Use Vinegar Or Bleach To Clean The Vomit From My Car Straps?
The short answer is No. Bleach and vinegar are harsh chemicals that may harm the strap material. Such harsh chemicals and other household cleaners should be avoided as they may weaken the elasticity of the straps.
This affects the productivity of the straps, which is to restrain the baby on the seat. Additionally, bleach can also discolor the seat straps.
Can I Wash Car Seat Straps In The Washing Machine?
Although many parents would say, “yes, you can,” this is not true. The pad on the straps is designed with a unique material that’s not suitable for machine wash. Soaking the car straps wet will weaken their webbing and productivity.
Likewise, most straps are built to the seat and can’t be removed. This means that if they are soaking wet, they probably won’t dry as expected, and can be accumulate mold.
Conclusion
We believe this article has given an in-depth discussion to answer the question, How to clean car seat straps vomit? Parenthood is mixed with excitement and challenges.
As a parent, you need to be ready and know how to clean this vomit, whether it is on your favorite dress or your car seat! If you follow our guide and do not throw your car seat straps in the washing machine, you will be fine!