Puke in car seat help

[liverandonions]

My daughter threw up in her car seat. last time this happened I couldn't get the cover off and ended up hosing the whole thing out and several of you told me that soaking the straps compromises their safety. So, lesson learned-we bought a new seat and this time i got the cover off and washed it. Then i wiped down the straps with warm soapy water and then wiped down with vinegar. They still smell awful. What can I do?

[stellas]

Machine wash them and never look back.

[mommytutu]

Baking soda removes odors. Sprinkle some on and let it sit for a few hours. Or vinegar helps to. Mix with water and spray on.

[sarahbear]

I spray with vinegar and let it dry. Usually by the time it dries the smell goes away. If not, spray again.

[liverandonions]

Thanks, I'll try vinegar again.

[poppyseed]

This happened to us last year. I wiped the straps down with dawn dish soap and a little baking soda then let it sit in the sun for like 6 hours.

[saywhatnow]

This happened to us...we had to buy a new seat.

[bugandbibs]

May 3, 2015 12:55:06 GMT -5 stellas said:

Machine wash them and never look back.

Noooo! Don't do this. It's really bad for the straps and could compromise they safety in a crash.

[bugandbibs]

I do a baking soda paste and then vacuum when it's dry.

[stellas]

May 3, 2015 14:46:04 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

May 3, 2015 12:55:06 GMT -5 stellas said:

Machine wash them and never look back.

Noooo! Don't do this. It's really bad for the straps and could compromise they safety in a crash.

Someone please find me a recorded child death due to washed car seat straps.

Is this like aspartame? Like washing them on hot daily for 4 years straight increases failure by 10% in a study so we should NEVER WASH THEM EVER?

[kristie]

Lol, apparently vinegar and baking soda are on the no no list too. You can not win.

Attachments:

[kellykapowski]

Wouldn't spraying vinegar on them be wetting them? I've always just washed mine in the washing machine. I'd venture to saying leaving acidic vomit engrained in the straps is probably as bad as water and tide.

[textbookcase]

Bonnie gets car sick often (like, once a week often) and she JUST started to make it into the "puke bucket", so I've had to deal with this a ton. I honestly just wash the cover in the machine and wipe down the straps the best that I can with soapy water. I haven't had a problem with smell. I usually wash them with a rag and soapy water at least twice, letting them dry in between.

[thebreakfastclub]

It sounds like you are supposed to throw the car seat into the mouth of an active volcano and destroy it for all eternity.

But really, I might make a paste of OxyClean and try that.

[liverandonions]

May 3, 2015 15:21:55 GMT -5 kristie said:

Lol, apparently vinegar and baking soda are on the no no list too. You can not win.

I love that distilled white vinegar is perfectly safe for eating but is considered a "harsh chemical" on this list lol.

[stellas]

May 3, 2015 15:52:41 GMT -5 liverandonions said:

May 3, 2015 15:21:55 GMT -5 kristie said:

Lol, apparently vinegar and baking soda are on the no no list too. You can not win.

I love that distilled white vinegar is perfectly safe for eating but is considered a "harsh chemical" on this list lol.

When you're talking about the safetyyyyyyy of the childrennnnnnn you can't be too careful! I ceremonially burn my car seats once orange juice gets spilled on the straps.

[kristie]

May 3, 2015 15:52:41 GMT -5 liverandonions said:

May 3, 2015 15:21:55 GMT -5 kristie said:

Lol, apparently vinegar and baking soda are on the no no list too. You can not win.

I love that distilled white vinegar is perfectly safe for eating but is considered a "harsh chemical" on this list lol.

Well to be fair, the ph of vinegar is like 2.5 or something. It can be extremely corrosive. It can strip wax off of floors and cars, can corrode stone countertops, etc.... I love it for cleaning, but it isn't for everything.

[pooh8402]

you could try calling the manufacturer and see if they can send you replacement straps.

in the meantime, the car seat manual should have instructions for what you can and cannot wash the straps with.

[textbookcase]

If I had to replace my car seat every time Bonnie vomited on it I would be destitute.