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For parents, the health and well-being of a child or children are their top priority. This means creating a safe and comfortable environment in every aspect of life. A pushchair is one of the essential items a family has, offering freedom and the ability to get around quickly. Given how often pushchairs are used, it is no surprise to find they get dirty or grubby quickly.
This guide underlines the best ways to clean a stroller to ensure it is clean looking and a safe environment for your loved one. Removing bacteria from the surface, frame and in the hidden areas and compartments ensure you look after your child and maintain the value and condition of the buggy for many years to come.
Before you start the cleaning process, remove crumbs, loose dirt and debris from the buggy. You can do this by hand, with a cloth or sponge, a soft brush, or even a good vacuum cleaner. The method of removing debris isn’t essential; the only important thing is you do it to a high standard.
You should also check for loose parts or items which can be removed to clean more efficiently. If there is a hood that zips off or a detachable fabric throw for the stroller, removing these items and washing them individually helps you enjoy better results.
After all, it is advisable to clean soft fabric differently than how you scrub plastic or metal from the pushchair or pram chassis. You can also check out our guide on how to clean a pram.
You have a wide range of options to consider when it comes to cleaning products. Many household items, such as baking soda or distilled white vinegar, have helped parents keep pushchairs clean for many years.
The choice is yours, but most parents avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive products when cleaning their pram or pushchairs. Given your child will spend a lot of time in the buggy, you want to use safe cleaning products that have no long-term harm to the child, pushchair, or even the environment.
How you create your mix of soap and water is up to you, in a sink or bucket, but adding soap or mild detergent to warm water is a simple process. Ensure the temperature isn’t too hot, especially if you are cleaning plastic or soft fabrics, but anything between lukewarm and warm water will suffice.
You also have options for applying the soap and water mix to the pushchair body and seat. To start, choose a soft option such as a sponge or cloth. If there isn’t much dirt on the pushchair or pram, this will wipe away marks and stains, creating an aesthetically pleasing finish.
However, you might need to be more aggressive in your approach if there are stubborn stains or tough marks. Switching the sponge or cloth out for a brush will ensure you get rid of annoying spots that ruin the appearance of the pushchair.
When you have finished this stage, take the time to rinse the soapy residue off with cold water, and wipe the surface down with a damp sponge or cloth. You don’t want to leave it wet, as this can cause streaks.
After you rinse, make sure you dry the pram. If you can air dry the stroller outside, this is a good option, but if not, use a clean towel or cloth to ensure the pushchair is completely dry.
Drying the buggy is vital, not only for the comfort of your baby but also to minimise the likelihood of mould or mildew. If you still have concerns about mould or mildew, you can apply a mildew-preventing product, which usually comes in a spray bottle.
Once applied and the substance dried, the pushchair is ready for use again.
It is helpful to develop a regular cleaning routine for your pushchair body and seat. A regular cleaning session, once a week or a month, on top of a small amount of cleaning jobs when you return home, will minimise the time and effort you need to spend to keep your baby buggy in excellent condition.
While there is no specific need to buy specialist equipment to keep a pushchair clean, it is easy to see why specialist items, or cleaning products, make the job easier. Remember there are different components to a buggy, and you should clean fabric differently from how you clean the chassis, wheels and other removable plastic parts.
If you have cleaning products for certain pushchair parts, such as a soft fabric brush, you can focus on a particular task and won’t contaminate the cleaning process. After all, the wheels or undercarriage will have different dirt and mud from the mess on the frame, fabric or seat, so using other cleaning products keeps everything apart.
Vinegar is a highly effective product for cleaning household items, removing grime, and killing bacteria and germs. Many parents feel confident about using vinegar as a cleaning solution as it is non-toxic, making it ideal for surfaces associated with children or pets.
For most cleaning purposes, a mix containing equal parts water and vinegar is tough enough to clean surfaces, and you can place this mixture in a spray bottle for easy use. For tougher stains, mixing three parts white vinegar with two parts water provides more cleaning power.
Some people add lemon juice to the mix, and find it more effective than a gentle disinfectant spray.
If you are looking for a quick list of items which make cleaning a buggy easier, please check these out:
If you insist on a thorough cleaning process, things like a soft toothbrush or nail brush will help you reach difficult places, but generally, warm soapy water and something to wipe and scrub the frame and canopy with is all you need.
It is generally not recommended to steam clean a pushchair or stroller. Steam cleaning uses high-pressure steam to remove dirt and grime from surfaces, and the extreme heat and air pressure from the steam can damage the materials and components of a pushchair. In addition, moisture from steam is often a factor in mould and mildew forming, which you want to avoid.
Some parents will use a hose to wash the mud off wheels and the body of the buggy, but again, watch the pressure and temperature of the water.
The washing machine is a great time-saving device, and many parents will choose to machine wash buggy covers. Before doing so, please review the manufacturer's instructions on doing so, as this might not be advised.
Even if you can machine wash covers or materials, it is best to choose a gentle cycle and to use a mild soap powder on a low-temperature setting. You may have to hand wash covers.
Loose crumbs and spilled food and drink from food trays and cup holders are annoying, but for many parents, bigger concerns are rust and mould growth. Always take time to completely dry a pushchair after cleaning it.
Air drying outside with the sun is a good start (although watch fabrics in direct sunlight), but using a towel to remove excess water, even in hard to reach places and the moving parts, will make you feel confident.
Its is far easier to prevent mould than remove mould, so before you place the pushchair in storage areas, ensure there is no moisture and it isn't wet.
Whether you are focused on the frame, canopy, wheels or fabric, clean your pushchair on a regular basis to make life easier and care for your little ones.
