Every parent knows that car seats can become super gross over time. Let's face it, kids spit up, vomit, eat, drool, pee and poop in their car seats and no matter how much you'd like to be able to, you can't do a car seat deep clean daily, or even weekly! What many parents may not know is that there is definitely a right way and a wrong way to clean those car seat straps that tend to get really dirty over time.

Car seat straps are an integral part of your child's car seat, and their integrity is crucial to maintaining the safety of a car seat. That's why it's important to check with the manufacturer of your car seat to ensure proper washing procedures. While you may be tempted to completely disassemble your car seat to remove the straps to fully wash them, most manufacturers warn against that.

Graco suggests simply using a damn cloth with mild soap to wash dirty straps. "Do not ever immerse the straps in water, as doing so can weaken them," they warn in an instructional video.

While your first reaction may be to grab the Febreze or Lysol or any other disinfectant to clean your child's car seat straps, or at least make them smell better, especially in the event of a major mess, most car seat manufacturers actually warn against using these types of cleaners.

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Chicco addresses this specifically on their website, once again suggesting you use warm water and mild soap to clean straps. "DO NOT USE BLEACH, solvents, or household cleaners, as they may weaken the straps," they write. These products can harm the fibers in the straps, reducing their effectiveness. While it may seem logical to fully soak the straps, especially after your child has vomited on them to get it clean, it's just not safe. Most manufacturers also warn against using any kind of soaps or lubricants when you're cleaning the actual buckle as they can also cause a malfunction, suggesting just warm water to clean.

Many of the manufacturers sell replacement parts so if you can't get those straps clean using the recommended cleaning method, you can purchase new ones for a reasonable price. Britax has a full range of replacement products available on their website, as does Chicco and Graco and most other reputable brands.

While it may be tempting to throw those straps in the washing machine on your 'sterile' setting, it's just not a safe option. If you can't get them clean using a mild soap and cloth, it might be time to invest in a new set of straps.

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