How do you clean your car seat after your LO throws up in it? I can remove the seat cover and head rest cover and wash them on delicate. I know you can't submerge the straps but can wash/ wipe with "mild soap"- what is that, exactly? And some throw up got into the plastic crevices underneath the seat cover- advice on getting at that? I have a chicco nextfit (not the zip 
Luckily it's a sunny day and I can leave it all to dry in the sun!
nectarine / 2018 posts
A mild soap would be original dawn or johnson's baby shampoo.
Hopefully this link helps a bit!
grapefruit / 4278 posts
Blue dawn is a good mild soap to use on the straps. I also took off the chest clip to get the puke out of all those crevices. You can't soak the crotch buckle, but try to clean that out too. I would take the main seat outside and hose it off then leave in the sun to dry. It's not going to hurt the plastic to get wet. I'd try to stay away from any foam padding if possible, just to avoid the potential for mold. Good Luck!
pomelo / 5298 posts
We always removed the fabric pieces and threw them in the wash. Foam pieces were hosed off if needed (not placed in the washer). For the remaining parts of the seat (plastic and nylon straps) we used the water hose outside. After it was all rinsed off, I spot cleaned with Dawn if needed. Then let sit outside in the sun to dry.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@catgirl: good info, thank you! @kiddosc: thanks- it looks like I was able to clean the buckle without removing the straps.
Car seat puke is just so gross. And of course I can't find the manual.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
I was able to clean my straps using baby wipes. Pampers wipes are wetter so that might help depending on level of soil.
Plastic crevices I wipe with Lysol wipes to moisten any dried crust, then use Q-tips.
DS2 definitely got a Zip!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@gingerbebe: really wishing I had the zip today! Though considering we have been using this seat for almost 3 years and this is only the second throw up incident I know I'm pretty lucky.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
@Foodnerd81: yeah I've only ever done the full disassembly clean once and DS has had his seat almost 2 years now. Most of the time we can suck everything out with our shop vac but once a year I feel like I need to give it a good cleaning.
pear / 1737 posts
I sprayed with vinegar and wiped and left to dry and washed the seat cover.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Apart from what's already mentioned above, I use Clorox wipes to wipe down the plastic parts of the car seat and/or the straps and buckles if I don't wanna hose everything down.
pomelo / 5220 posts
Seems like you've gotten great advice - just chiming in to say that I'm sorry you're dealing with this from the mom of a chronic car seat puker. We used a lot of clorox wipes, 409 and baby wipes. We also bought a Zip and he hasn't thrown up since, go figure.
clementine / 806 posts
Clorox bleach wipes (or anti-bacterial spray + paper towels) inside every tiny crevice!! If you leave the tiniest bit behind, it will still smell. I had to do a second cleaning because my husband wasn't very detail oriented the first time 
kiwi / 706 posts
Ugh, so sorry. That sounds like a nightmare! My son peed all over his and blue dawn + baking soda + siting in the sun 100% fixed all of the nonwashable parts for us. If it lingers you may be able to order new straps from Chicco too
pomegranate / 3858 posts
Heres car seats for the littles article on cleaning car seats: http://csftl.org/clean-my-car-seat/
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Ughhhh it still smells. I washed the seat cover twice but the gentle cycle on my washer seems to be useless. It's back together and in the car but will probably have to remove it all and wash it again this weekend.
BUT a velcro piece came off of the plastic seat itself. I was able to stick it back down but I'm contacting Chicco to see if it's still safe. Maybe they will send a new one and I don't have to worry about the stink...
pomelo / 5298 posts
@Foodnerd81: try baking soda as well. I keep a box in the car after too many episodes in the car. It will at least absorb the smell.
pear / 1503 posts
Ugh, DS went through a period where he was getting car sick frequently. We have a Clek Fllo, so not a removable cover, but touted as easily cleanable. You have my sympanthy. We did several of the things mentioned above, including vinegar, wipes, sun, etc. Time helped, too. We ended up buying the Clek car seat cleaner, which was designed by the company with two products that would clean all types of spills, including vomit and other bodily fluids. Of course, this was when he stopped throwing up, so I haven't tested it, but the reviews for it are really good. Maybe worth looking into?
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@Astro Bee: I will pay money for the karma of not having it happen again.
pear / 1503 posts
@Foodnerd81: Lol! That's totally what it is, karma! Might as well have prayed to the car seat gods.
Here is the link to the product. I like that it's eco-friendly and doesn't contain any bleaches. But again, haven't tried it myself yet.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@Kemma: I had it out yesterday afternoon. Now it's raining and will be for the rest of the week
grapefruit / 4923 posts
for the straps, i spray them with biokleen bac out and rub rub rub. or a lysol wipe. doesn't get into every little crevice, but it's enough.
nectarine / 2243 posts
I also have a nextfit. For the straps after a very very huge puke episode, I had to take a toothbrush with a little dawn to them. I brushed in the directions of the fibers. And a toothpick/cotton swabs into the crevices. The straps held the smell the longest. Lots of sun helped but I had to be sure to very the position of them, flip them, slides the buckles up and down so literally every part of the straps were exposed to the sun for a good period of time
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