# Moldy car seat - still safe to use?



## Asparagus78

I'm hoping I'm just overreacting, but you never know!

I took out DS' infant seat last night to clean and inspect it as we are nearing our due date with baby#2. It was last used about a month ago, and was cleaned, wrapped in plastic, and stored in the basement. Much to my surprise, the straps had mold on them - not a lot, but enough to get me concerned. I took the entire thing apart, washed the straps with warm water, vinegar and a gentle brush, and put them out to dry in the sun. I put the liner, the foam backing and the sun protector in the washing machine with warm water and vinegar, and let it soak. I put it out to dry in full sunlight.

Now that everything is dry, it looks and smells brand-new, no signs of mold or damage. Does this sound safe to use with a newborn... I'm worried about mold spores still being present, although everything I'm reading on mold seems to suggests I'm probably overly paranoid. This car seat is almost new, and I would hate to throw it out because of a little mold. Sorry for the rambling... Thanks!


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## Mama Mko

I think if the straps get soaking wet, you're supposed to replace them. I would replace the straps.


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## goodheartedmama

I'm assuming mold grew after you wrapped in plastic right after cleaning.

Anyway, you need to order new straps. But I'm confused about the "liner" you washed in the machine. What exactly was it?


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## Maedze

The fact that the straps were moldy and then you washed them with vinegar by definition makes them unusable.

The plastic shell should be fine, but you need to call the manufacturer and order a replacement harness.

The harness should never be cleaned with anything more harsh than water and very gentle soap. It should be spot scrubbed, never machine washed.

The mold is gone, but the damage done to the straps is permanent.


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## petra_william

wow i didnt know that about the straps, i washed mine on our old car seat which had to get scrapped after dp crashedthe car. luckily no kids in it but car seats were still damaged.







like the 5th set of car seats we;ve got now


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## snoopy5386

I also had mold grow on my harness straps. I chucked them. You can order a new set from the company for like $15.


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## queenjane

The OP did not say she machine washed the straps...she said she washed them (presumably "spot cleaned" where the mold was) with warm water, vinegar, and a "gentle brush"....why would they need to be replaced? (i dont know about the mold, but i'm referring to the water/vinegar)...if nothing harsher than warm water can ever touch a carseat strap or it needs to be replaced, then shouldnt we be chucking straps left and right every time a child throws up on his carseat or spills juice, soda, etc? Vinegar is hardly a harsh thing to use for cleaning.

By the "liner" i assume she means the carseat cover? Most are machine washable, yes?


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## JBaxter

I would get new straps. I would not trust anything with mold growing on it that close to the baby


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## lava

So what's the story here on why they should be replaced if wet? I mean...kids are messy! I've washed all of my kids carseat covers and straps a few times--how can you not?
-Lara


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## treehugginhippie

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JBaxter* 
I would get new straps. I would not trust anything with mold growing on it that close to the baby

I agree about the mold. Mold in homes are bad enough...even though you can't see the mold, it could still be lingering in the straps. And vinegar is acidic so IMO I would replace the straps considering both of those factors no question.


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## Maedze

The mold itself is enough to dispose of the straps.

Vinegar is not, however, a 'gentle' cleaner. It is extremely acidic. Safe for cleaning use, of course, because it's edible, but it also will damage the fibers of the webbing far more than water and a gentle soap ever could.

Straps were never meant to be washed in the machine. The agitation is simply too strong. We've all seen what happens to clothes that go through the macine, yes? They get stretched out, faded, thinned.

Harnesses are designed to stretch once. In an accident, they will stretch 18%, reducing the energy load on the child's body. If they've been machine washed, that stretch has taken place prematurely. The harness cannot protect your child the way its supposed to. If they've been machine washed often enough, or exposed to a harsh or acidic cleaner (like vinegar!) there's a chance the harness could fail completely in the right kind of crash.

Kids ARE messy.







I've had a couple of nasty accidents. There was one case where my daughter threw up an entire meal of macaroni and cheese right down the front of her car seat. I'm pretty sure more came out than went in! I've never dealt with messier puke in my life! Fortunately, because it was, ugh, fresh, I was able to scoop it out, and save the straps by immediately removing them, spot cleaning them with water and gentle soap and hanging them in the sun for a day.

And I have replaced straps that have been so badly soiled I couldn't clean them with safe methods. It's a pain, but still, cheaper than replacing the seat!

But, pretty much, the OP had her straps doomed twice...once with the mold, and the nail in the coffin was the vinegar.


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## Asparagus78

Done! Entire car seat will be replaced.... Thanks for your help! BTW, the straps were spot-cleaned with a diluted solution of vinegar and warm water (this is something I read in a parenting magazine...). The car seat liner (or cover) was machine-washed, on hand-wash cycle (very little agitation). The tag on the cover does mention it can be hand-washed, then line-dried. I'm not really worried about the safety of the straps or the cover due to washing (as some have mentioned, you should see how soaked the entire seat would get due to my DS1 spitting and vomiting....spot-cleaning the straps and washing the cover was a monthly ritual...). My main worry was having an infant in a seat that has once been moldy. My mind is made up - I will invest in a new seat... Thanks again for your help.


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