How To Clean A Stroller: Ultimate Guide For Parents

How to Clean A Stroller

You have bought the best travel stroller or best travel system or best infant carrier but that does not mean that they will never get dirty.

However given that kids spend a lot of time in their strollers whenever you are out of the house, the stroller will inevitably get dirty from leaky diapers, mashed fruit, cookie crumbs, spilled milk that can result in gross stains that need to be got rid of.

However, cleaning the stroller or travel system is not as straightforward as any other baby equipment you have. Also, a car seat installation is very important for your child to be secured and safe while riding a car.

As such we have written this step-by-step procedure for cleaning up the stroller system to ensure it retains its awesome looks and keeps your child safe from all the germs and dirt the stroller accumulates over time.

The Tools for Cleaning the Stroller

Check out these essentials from Amazon before you start

Wooden grilling skewers
Toothbrush
Laundry or mild dish soap
Warm water
Large bucket or bowl
Terry cloth towels
Dust brush or hand vacuum

How to Go About It

One of the worst things you can do is to let the stroller get gross before deciding to clean it. To ensure that you have a better chance of getting the stroller clean it is important that you clean the mess almost immediately after it is made.

For wet dirt from apple sauce, baby food and drinks, use a spoon or knife to get the bulk of the dirt out immediately. You should always have these utensils handy when you are out with the stroller rather than use paper towels that will just work the stains into the stroller fabric.

When you get home you should get down to do a thorough cleaning that will involve the use of two or more of the items from the cleaning kit.

“It is important to use each cleaning tool all over the entire surface of the stroller rather than trying to clean one section at a time”

How to Clean the Stroller

Get Rid of the Crumbs with a Hand Vacuum: Suck up all the crumbs with a hand vacuum which will remove most crumb types from the stroller
Remove the detachable parts: Remove the fabric, cup holders, and storage trays and baskets from the stroller. Check if the manufacturer instructions for any parts that are not suitable for a dishwasher or washing machine. Ensure you have pictures of where every part comes from so that reattaching will not be a problem.
Clean Crevices with a toothbrush: One there is no solid dirt on the stroller, get a toothbrush and dip it into warm soapy water to scrub off the remnants of stains on the fabric. For any particles in the harness buckle and hard to reach places and cracks use the wooden grilling skewers
Wipe Down the Stroller with the Terry Cloth Towel: Dip your terry cloth towels in warm mild soapy water and scrub down the fabric of the stroller and scrub away any dirt uncovered in the previous process. Most manufacturers will typically recommend the type of soap that would be suitable for your stroller. If there is no recommendation on the tag use laundry detergent or mild soap. Given that most removable fabrics are a tight fit, it is advisable to let it dry while it is on the stroller.
Lubricate and Clean the Tires: Once you are one with the fabric, clean the wheels. Given the wheels will typically be dirtier than the other components, clean them last so that the dirt does not come into direct contact with the fabric that the child sits on. Use lubricants recommended by the manufacturer for your wheel bearings and let the wheels dry out fully.

Factors to Consider

When when looking for a car seat to buy, it is always advisable to get one that will provide the least inconvenience when it comes to cleaning and maintenance.

The best strollers and travel systems that are easiest to clean will typically have plastic frames making them easy to wipe down.
Avoid strollers with ruffles, and piping on the seat, basket, handles, and snack trays. The fewer the crevices are the easier it will be to clean the stroller.
Finally it would be best to go for a stroller that has busy or darker shades which for the most part may disguise or hide stains from the stroller for longer.

How to Clean the Stroller Video

Cleaning A Stroller with Vinegar

Vinegar is an excellent non toxic product that will get rid of most of your stubborn stains including mold.

To get started

Mix three parts of vinegar with two parts water and spray over the stained or mold area.
Spray enough of the mixture onto the fabric of the stroller until it is completely moist
Leave for five minutes and then scrub with a toothbrush and hose down the stroller fabric until it is clean
Leave in the sun to dry and you are good to go

Cleaning Mold Off Of Stroller Fabric

Take your stroller out of the house if you intend to clean it of mold as spores can be toxic and you do not want to inhale any.
Once you are out of the house, the first thing to do is to scrub away any of the solid mold using a toothbrush and the wooden grilling skewers
Next thoroughly scrub down the stroller fabric with soapy water giving more attention to the moldy areas.
Rinse with water and let the fabric dry out in the sun for a few hours.
Sometimes the first wash will not be enough to get rid of all the moldy stain.
In such an instance, spray the affected area with lemon juice, sprinkle some salt on it, and then let it dry in the sun
This second technique has worked for me almost every time
To get rid of stubborn or larger mold stains we have to go back to our trusty vinegar solution
Mix three parts vinegar and two parts water and spray on the affected area until it is moist
Hose down the fabrics and then dry it out in the sun
If that does not work, or you have a stroller with white or light fabrics a dose of chlorine beach will return the stroller back to its mint condition
Mix two tablespoons of chlorine into the spray bottle, add water and spray the stained area and then dry in the sun and you should be golden

How to Clean a Stroller – The Ultimate Guide