Help! Cleaning Chicco KeyFit Car Seat?

hoppermommy · June 2011

Apparently I didn't store our infant car seat well because I pulled it out today and it looks horrible.

The Chicco web site says you should only wipe the cover and straps down with soap and water and then air dry. I assumed I'd be able to take it all off like our Britax Marathon, wash it and let it air dry.

Has this happened to anyone else? Have you cleaned a Chicco that is this bad? I feel like an idiot for assuming it would be o.k. and waiting this long to bring it out an clean it. Today is 10 days from my c-section so I need to figure this out ASAP.

Of course, this is just the KeyFit, not a KeyFit 30, so they only make one model of it now and Babies R Us and Target don't carry that model in store. If we need to buy another one, we have to order it online. I hate to buy another one because we already have an extra base so then we'd have 3 bases and a car seat we don't feel comfortable using.

Any suggestions are much appreciated. Huh?

tswinson · June 2011

I would just get a new car seat.

skidunks · June 2011

Hmmm...I tried to take the cover off of ours to wash it but realized it looked like a pain in the butt to put back on. I would try washing it with soap and water and see what it looks like after that. I know the little pads that go over the straps do come off and you can wash those, we did that. Sorry I can't be more help, good luck!

mommyreed · June 2011

Im not help with the washing of this car seat...but I have taken apart our Graco SEVERAL times and washed it. This go round we got a new (double) stroller and infant seat. What I did was buy a carseat cover from BRU that I am using. I can take the cover off and wash as needed and it will keep the new infant seat clean! Then once baby outgrows infant seat...the cover shoul also fit the carseat! Maybe you could just spend 20 bucks on cover?!?!

shanbrite2 · June 2011

I think you are supposed to wipe it down because washing it could take off the fire retardant on it (there was a post about this a few days ago). We bought an extra Chicco off Craigslist that was pretty dirty, and this was before I knew how to wash it, so I did throw it in the washer and I was able to put it back on just fine (just pay attention to how you take it off!). It looked a ton better; however, I don't know if you would feel comfortable doing this with yours if it does affect the fire retardant (we ended up getting a new car seat from my parents, so may never use the CL one).

Julia0306 · June 2011

I just did this with my peg car seat. I ended up washing it 2 times. The label is peeling off now but it looks 100 times better. Though a pain to get off it looks great now. I would at least attempt it before buying another one.

MeganJBear · June 2011

I have the keyfit 30- but I took the whole cover off and threw it in the washing machine on the gentle cycle and then let it air dry. Came out sparkling clean. It was a total pain to put back on, but worth the effort. Good luck!

Bran_ham · June 2011

I have a hand me down graco and I took the cover off and washed it. I took pictures of everything before I removed the cover so I'd know how things went back on. I also ordered an instruction book from graco.

carrieatkeson · June 2011

I have a key fit 30 that I bought from a resale shop. I just took the cover off and washed and dried it with no problems, it wasn't even that hard to put back on.

In your case though I would not bother washing it b.c that really looks like mold/mildew to me. Once the mold spores set like that they will not wash out. I know from lots of experience with living on the mountain and having EVERYTHING even slightly damp mold and mildew. We had to through out A LOT of stuff, it still makes my stomach churn.

You really don't want that close to a new babies face. It can cause lots of respiratory, asthma, and allergies issues if the kids are exposed to it to long.

kmv68 · June 2011

carrieatkeson:
I have a key fit 30 that I bought from a resale shop. I just took the cover off and washed and dried it with no problems, it wasn't even that hard to put back on.
In your case though I would not bother washing it b.c that really looks like mold/mildew to me. Once the mold spores set like that they will not wash out. I know from lots of experience with living on the mountain and having EVERYTHING even slightly damp mold and mildew. We had to through out A LOT of stuff, it still makes my stomach churn.
You really don't want that close to a new babies face. It can cause lots of respiratory, asthma, and allergies issues if the kids are exposed to it to long.

This. I would definitely buy a new car seat.

lynn97 · June 2011

I haven't tried to wash the cover on mine b/c it's still new. But the Chicco bases (that they sell now, at least) are interchangeable between the KeyFit and the KeyFit 30. Hopefully it won't come to that though. Good luck!

staci183 · June 2011

i would just put it in the sink or tub and scrub it down. it will be fine. i have the same car seat and thats what i did. Put a fan on it to help it dry quickly.

MrsMarried08 · June 2011

You can wash it. The Chicco manual (I just did this with ours) says to wash on the delicate cycle, separate, no bleach and cold water and air dry. I washed the cover, infant insert, head rest and put the strap covers in a laundry bag and threw them in together. But if it is mold - cold water won't kill the mold spores.

Help! Cleaning Chicco KeyFit Car Seat?

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