Safety issues: how to properly assemble a child car seat after washing?

A child car seat is designed to protect the child while he is in the vehicle. To prevent it from becoming a source of germs and dust mites, it must be cleaned regularly.

To do this, the device is completely disassembled. After washing, you need to assemble the car seat according to the user manual.

Otherwise, it will not be able to fulfill its main function - to ensure the safety of the little passenger who will be in it.

Let's take a closer look at how to assemble a child car seat after washing, what problems you may encounter and how to resolve them correctly.

Assembly instructions

Before you begin assembly, you need to read the instructions that come with each chair. It indicates the sequence of actions for a specific model.

If for some reason it is not at hand, you can rely on the following algorithm:

1. First you need to thread the straps into the bottom of the chair. There are special holes for them in the cover and on the sides of the seat.
2. When the straps are in place, you need to straighten the soft lining, which is located under the cover. It should lie flat, without lumps or folds.
3. The next step is to fasten the cover to the rigid base. Depending on the model, the fixation method may vary. The covers are fastened with buttons, buttons or clips, and sometimes attached with Velcro.
4. Then the top cover is pulled over the back of the chair and fastened. It also has slots for straps. Once they are in place, soft pads are put on them.
5. The completion of assembly is to pass all the straps through the metal buckle, which will bring them together.

Possible problems and solutions

Sometimes, after assembling the car seat, certain problems arise. For example, a child may feel uncomfortable due to the inconvenient placement of belts or covers.

His complaints cannot be ignored. Problems need to be fixed.

The car seat is not assembled correctly

The main reason for incorrect assembly of the chair is a violation of the procedure. This happens when at the parsing stage a person does not remember their sequence.

To prevent such a situation from happening, you need to record your actions using video or a camera. In the future, recording will help you easily collect all the details.

It’s good if you have at hand a user manual intended for a specific car seat model. Depending on the manufacturer and design of the device, the rules may differ. Although there is no significant difference in the sequence of actions.

If you cannot assemble the chair yourself after washing the covers, You can turn to friends who have experience in similar work. Help can be provided at the store where the purchase was made. As a last resort, you can try to write to the manufacturer’s website or customer support.

Belts are placed awkwardly

If, after installing the seat in the car, parents notice that the seat belts cause discomfort to the child, the problem should not be ignored. When they are too tight, they need to be loosened. If the belts are long, they are shortened. For this purpose they are equipped with special regulators.

When you don’t have the funds to purchase an expensive device, you can temporarily get out of the situation by removing the lining. This will provide more space for the child.

Sometimes the belts fit awkwardly due to the fact that the soft pads on them are knocked down or bent. They must be removed, straightened (in some cases, steaming the fabric is required) and put back on.

It's uncomfortable to sit on

After washing the covers, the child may complain of discomfort while sitting. Most often this happens because the lining is not positioned correctly on the chair.

Parents should check whether it lies flat, whether there are any folds, bumps, or areas of tangled tissue.. Be sure to inspect the reliability of fixation of the covers. All rivets and locks must be closed.

Another cause of discomfort is a small part that has gotten under the lining. It could be a small toy that the child hid and forgot. You may need to remove the cover and remove the interfering element.

The covers were deformed

Deformation of the covers occurs when the rules for caring for them are not followed. The reason may be washing in very hot water, intensive spinning and drying on a heating radiator. The situation can be corrected by repeated washing.

Incorrectly attached

After washing, you need to not only assemble it correctly, but install the seat in the car. If it is not fixed according to the instructions, then the device will not be able to ensure the safety of the passenger. If deficiencies are found, they must be corrected immediately.

It must be remembered that standard seat belts do not provide rigid fixation of the seat, but it should not wobble. Only minor fluctuations are allowed, no more than 2 cm.

The belts should not dangle or press on the child's body. The optimal gap between them and the body is 3 cm (about 2 fingers).

The standard tape is passed through all the guides that are available in a particular model car seats. The belt should go over the shoulder and hips of the small passenger, and not move towards the neck.

Recommendations

Parents should consider the following recommendations:

1. Covers are washed as needed. There is no need to be afraid to disassemble the car seat. Its assembly is simple and accessible to everyone.
2. If the contamination is not too intense, you can refuse to remove the covers. They are treated with soapy water and a sponge directly in the car.
3. The soft lining, which is located under the covers, is best cleaned dry. It may become deformed due to exposure to moisture.
4. During the assembly process, you need to monitor the condition of the lining. It should lie flat and not bunch up. Otherwise, the chair will need to be disassembled again.
5. It is convenient to assemble the lower part of the chair if you place it horizontally. This will make it easier to thread the straps through the holes.
6. Only dried covers can be put on the chair. Damp fabric may develop mold, causing the device to produce an unpleasant odor.

Conclusion

When assembling a child car seat, you must strictly follow the instructions. Failure to comply with any subparagraph will result in the child feeling uncomfortable in the device.

Having completed this procedure once, parents will not have any difficulties in the future with cleaning and assembling the car seat.