How to Wash a Car Seat Properly

Wash a standard size car seat or booster seat using a dishwasher.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mild powder dish detergent
• Borax
• or Washing Soda for hypo allergenic purposes.
• Bleach if necessary

1. * Check to see if your car seat or booster seat will fit in the dishwasher, by removing the top and / or middle racks out of the dishwasher. You will most likely have to have the bottom rack in the dishwasher, unless you happen to have an industrial size dishwasher.

2. Remove all padding from the car seat / booster seat, and check the labels for washing instructions. You may have to follow these if they are constructed of 100% cotton, but most likely they are not. The padding may be held in place by long plastic snap rails, you may need a pair of pliers to squeeze the tabs together and pop the padding away from the car seat. Keep these, you'll need to reassemble the padding after you've washed it. Don't worry about removing any belts, they will be fine as long as you tuck them into a spot of the car seat, where the spinning arm of the washer will not twist them up. They will come out very clean and just fine.

3. Now that the middle and top rack is out, and the padding is off, place the car seat only into the dishwasher. ( we"ll get to the padding later) You may have to jiggle it a bit, and turn it some, as many dishwashers are small. You may have to turn it face down. Make sure no belts are hanging near the spinning arms. Close the dishwasher door and check the fit once more.

4. Add necessary detergent. Hypoallergenic washing soda is very gentle, or you can use powder dish detergent , tablets, or Borax powder. You may want to add bleach if necessary. 1/4 cup is plenty. Turn your dishwasher to the short cycle , or a cycle that provides hot water. Select air dry if necessary. * WARNING* Do not select heated dry it may melt your car seat's parts! If you don"t have the option, then simply pull it out after it's washed and allow it to air dry. Voila! Clean car seat! No stains on the plastic, no dirty scratches!

5. Now to wash the padding. Replace the top and middle racks of your dishwasher. Put the padding on the middle or top rack. Make sure that no elastic or other bands are dangling near the spinning arms. Do not wash the plastic snap rails that hold the padding on, as these may melt.

6. Add the powdered detergent of your choice. Again, washing soda and a Tbsp bleach is pretty mild and shouldn't hurt, but remember to check those labels. Hypoallergenic precautions should be taken as your baby's bottom is going to be in the seat after it's clean. Close the dishwasher and select a normal wash cycle, heated or not your choice. Remember to follow the labels. Do not select the heated drying cycle. These items should always air dry. Yeah! after it's all dry reassemble the car seat and padding . Be sure to put all peices back the way they were, for you're baby's safety. Follow manufacturer's directions if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• People wash hats all the time in the top rack of the dishwasher, the materials in car seat padding are similar, there shouldn't be too much of a problem. Check all the labels, and be sure to reasseble the car seat and padding properly when you are finished.
• Do not choose Heated dry cycles as these could melt pieces of the car seat. Let all peices air dry.

[lilysmama]

on 8/6/2009 [i]Don't worry about removing any belts, they will be fine as long as you tuck them into a spot of the car seat, where the spinning arm of the washer will not twist them up. They will come out very clean and just fine [/i]

Seriously? Car seat harnesses should not be submerged in water, only surface cleaned with a non abrasive cleaner. I highly doubt a diswasher washing qualifys as such.

Please read your car seat manual before following these cleaning directions!