Need Help W/ Cleaning Car Seat Straps

Updated on September 09, 2008
C.C. asks from Littleton, CO
25 answers

my 5 1/2 mo old daughter likes to chew on her car seats straps. they are getting really dirty w/ her chewing on them, spitting up on them, etc. i am looking for a safe and easy way to clean them. any ideas???

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A.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My advice is to follow the instructions by the car seat manual. If you do not have it or it doesn't say, contact the company. I say this from experience. My sister borrowed my car seat. Her daughter got sick and threw up all over it. When her husband washed the cover and straps one of the stitching became unraveled. We are all lucky it became completely unraveled to where it was impopssible to not notice it. I worry about other straps doing the same. I ordered new straps and luckily so far i haven't had do do anything more than give them a wipe down.

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D.H.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I know it depends on the type of car seat you own, but we have a Graco and it's really easy to take the car seat apart and remove the straps completely. I just throw them in with my daughter's laundry and wash with Dreft like everything else. I have a 5 1/2 month old daughter too(yeah)......she has to have EVERYTHING in her mouth....yikes :)

Good luck.

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J.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I can not believe how many people are telling you to do something that goes against what almost all(if not all) carseat manuels say to do in regards to washing harnesses. Almost all say do not machine wash and do not soak in water. They say to only wipe down the harnesses. Im not sure how your dd is actually chewing on the harnesses. Are you sure that they are tight enough? you should not be able to pinch them at her shoulders or slip fingers between her and the harnesses. Also make sure that the chest clip is up at arm pit level. Double check that and it may solve your problem altogether. if they are truely that gross most companies offer replacement harnesses. I have many fam members who are carseat techs. Car seat safety is a HUGE thing in our family. MY dd is still rf at 28m!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Denver on

The parts should all slide off...but remember how it went... and then you put the strap in a luandry bag and wash on cold with the liner and every thing else. Everything is washable put the metal/plastic parts (wash in your dish washer or sink) and the memory foam pad. I got mine wet and it took thre days to dry out. Other then that, I have washed infant and toddler seats over and over on delicate cold and they look brand new.

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J.H.

answers from Billings on

My kids don't chew on theirs, but they do eat while in their seats, so our straps have gotten grubby, too. I have just used a wet wash cloth to rub them down, and it helps. On another note, I am not a car seat expert by any means, but I would suggest trying to discourage your daughter from chewing the straps--she may weaken the fabric, and then they may not be able to properly protect her in case of a crash. P.S. OOOps--I just read your post again--I had thought it said 5 1/2 YEAR old! I can't imagine a 5 month old baby could do much damage by gumming the straps!!! Forgive my assumption earlier! :)

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D.J.

answers from Fort Collins on

I had this issue as well GROSS! I would take the car seats to the car wash quick and easy & you don't have to take anything apart. You can take the pad off if you want or just wash the whole thing. Then get the strap pads (walmart car accessories) which will help protect the staps from getting dirty and throw those in the wash when they do get dirty.

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B.M.

answers from Great Falls on

Hi C.-
You've gotten enough advice about cleaning the straps, but I'm REALLY concerned that your daughter is ABLE to chew on her car seat straps. She should not be able to get her head down to the straps. When she is in her carseat, you should just be able to get your finger between her shoulder and the strap. It seems tight, but it will keep her so much safer if you were in a car accident. The straps are intended to keep the child in one place, so that she is not thrown violently against the straps, or worse yet, out of the seat/car. After cleaning the straps, PLEASE tighten them much more than you had them before. Your daughter may be upset at the new restrictions, but she'll get used to it and she'll be so much safer in the long run. Thanks!

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C.C.

answers from Pueblo on

HI C.,
I agree with Joycelyn. Your baby should not be able to get the straps into her mouth. If she has gotten them dirty try using a damp cloth or wipes to get them clean.

C.

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K.D.

answers from Denver on

I know she's still young, but is there a toy she likes to chew on? Discovery Toys has a great strawberry flavored one that our kids loved! #3 and it's not as strong, but I'm sure it will be a hit when the time comes. I have found that the straps aren't as stiff once they've been washed in the washer, so I don't do that anymore. I don't think it means they're weaker, but I have noticed as we've replaced seats that most of the new ones don't come completely apart anymore.

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F.N.

answers from Denver on

You child should never be able to chew on the straps- like PP mentioned how to get a snug fit was a great discription. Even in the infant carriers if they are in it napping the straps should not be loose due to chance of stranglation etc....

http://www.gracobaby.com/customerservice/care_maintenance...

http://www.britaxusa.com/uploads/products/user-guides/18.pdf
Page 35

I am shocked at how many people have not read their books. Their is a long list of why you should not put your harness into the washing machine, or use any kind of detergent to clean them.

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S.L.

answers from Fort Collins on

C.,

I just read that you are not supposed to put the straps of your carseat in the wash. The friction and motion can weaken the fibers of the straps, which could cause them to snap during an impact. I know all the user manuals for our carseats say not to machine wash the straps.

I would just soak them in a bowl/bucket of hot soapy water. If they are really gross, you could spray them with stain lifter or add some Oxyclean. Be aware that Oxyclean can bleach fabrics.

Best of luck,
S.

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R.S.

answers from Denver on

vinegar works great for everything!

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D.K.

answers from Denver on

I used to get a really wet soapy wash rag and wipe them down and get them really wet, then I would wipe them down with Clorox wipes, THEN I would get a really wet wash rag without soap and wipe off the residue from the Clorox wipes. Once a month when they were little I would lysol the seats and air out the car, hee hee....

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K.M.

answers from Grand Junction on

When my gkids get their car seat soiled and chewed on, I take apart and wash them in the washer and make sure they are air dried. DO NOT PUT IN THE DRYER it will mess up the flame retardant they put on the cover. you can wash them when ever you need to.
Good luck and enjoy that baby and all that follow.

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T.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi C.,

The car seats that I have had for my daughter come completely apart. Make sure to pay attention to how you take it apart, because it can be a bit of a trick getting it back together.
The straps and car set cover get thrown into the washer and hung to dry. The buckles get thrown into the dishwasher. Then I soak the cushion in the sink with a little woolite, and hand wash and hang to dry. I also spray down the actual car seat with lysol and wipe it down.

You'll have several opportunities to clean the car seat as your daughter gets older. Such as when your little one gets car sick or has an accident while potty training or opps, you forgot to make her go before you left the house and your on the interstate.

Hope that helps.
TRUDI

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S.L.

answers from Boise on

You can take your whole car seat apart and wash it. You pretty much have to take them apart to adjust the straps, anyway. Whenever I have to switch slots, I take it apart enough to wash the pad (but hang to dry). I also take the straps out and soak them in a big sink or in a bucket. That ought to get 'em clean!

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T.S.

answers from Grand Junction on

All you have to do is take a washcloth and soak it in hot water (as hot as you can stand) ad a little soap - dish soap works well, but you can use any soap. I would either remove the straps from the seat or just pull them out as loose as they get so that you have access to as much strap as you can (more room to work that way). Spread the washcloth flat in your hand and just wrap your hand around the car seat strap and rub up and down until clean.
I actually did this with my son's old infant seat from 8 years ago so that I could use it with my daughter. It had spit up and slobber that was 8 years old and "crunchy". I came right off!!

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T.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I think with a little work most can be removed and washed in the washing machine. Good luck.

S.K.

answers from Denver on

I wash them in the washing machine, noisy but they come out clean and then I let them air dry or tumble them on the air dry cycle. I have never had problems with rust or the buckles. I used to fill the tub and hand wash them until my little one yacked all over the front of him. I just threw the entire cover and buckles in the wash and they came out great!!!! I have a britax which says your not supposed to wash it that way but I had no fading or anything.

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R.S.

answers from Denver on

Hi C.,

Be careful cleaning the straps. I would just call the manufacturer and have them send you new ones (probably less than $10 with shipping).

to keep your straps... put a clean cloth bib on your baby after putting her in the carseat. That way she will spit up on the bib and chew on the bib or preferably a chew toy.

Also....she shouldn't be able to put the straps in her mouth if you have in the seat per instructions and guidance of carseat manufacturers. If she is strapped in so loose, that she can chew the straps she will be very easily ejected out of the carseat.

Good luck,
R.

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K.I.

answers from Denver on

You should be able to remove the cover (that can go in the wash! Yea!) and then just use the sink sprayer and mild soap and rag to clean straps. I've done it multiple times. Make sure to pick a day when you don't have to go anywhere so everything can dry. If you set the seat in the sun the straps will dry pretty quickly. I know in some seats you can take the straps out but they can be a pain to replace properly. It's easier to just wash them still attached. Hope this helps.

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S.P.

answers from Great Falls on

I used a dry wash cloth with dish soap on it and really scrubbed. Then, I used a wet cloth to finish cleaning it and getting it off the straps. It took a while but it worked. Good luck!!!

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A.F.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Kids 'N Pets. It's safe for kids and pets! And it seriously works wonders. My kids were all spitters, and that's what I used to clean their carseat straps every time. Gets rid of the stain and the smell most of the time. It can be found at Walmart, Target, or other grocery stores in the all purpose cleaner aisle. It's in a white pop-top plastic bottle with a yellow label and blue lettering. (about 32oz size) Good luck.

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K.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

i rip the car seat apart and throw everything that's material into the wash.

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