If like me you enjoy getting out for walks in the Autumn and Winter that means rain, mud and salt on your pushchair which can damage your pushchair.
Before trying of the following tips please do check your owner’s manual for any chemicals or processes to avoid etc. Disclaimer: These are things I have personally tried that has worked on the frames and fabrics on my specific pushchairs.
Keeping your pushchair clean in the wet and muddy months can be a real challenge. Here are some of my tried and tested methods to managing the mess.
Transportation:
I often put the pushchair in the car and head out to a different park or location for a walk and a change of scenery. If that has been on a muddy path my favourite hack for keeping the boot of my car clean was to use a towel underneath it that was easy to wash but to also use shower caps to go over each of the wheels until we would get home.
Frame:
If water and grime is left for long periods on your frame this can cause rust on the metal parts. The best way to combat this is to strip your frame down as small as possible and wash each section with a bucket of warm soapy water to wash off the mud and salt that sticks to your frame. If you can’t break your frame down then pop it outside with the rain cover and break on and do it outside.
Scratches on the paintwork can let rust set in faster, use a scratch remover used for cars to seal the paint and make it look better too. This will only work if your scratch is superficial.
Wheels:
Dried mud is my nemeses and I bought a strong bristled paint brush to remove dried mud and debris. I also used the handle of it to push through between the wheels & frame when clumps blocked the spaces making the wheels a challenge to move.
If you have the ability the best way to keep on top of your wheels is to hose your wheels down after a muddy walk which will remove any stones or grit too. Once the loose bits are cleared off you can look at detaching your wheels and giving them a wash in warm soapy water periodically. Ensure you don’t submerge it as the end that rotates in the frame is usually coated to enable smooth movement.
Fabrics:
The simplest step is to give them a brush down and vacuum to remove any crumbs / sticks / stones or other debris that could damage the fabrics. Most fabrics can be removed from the frame. If yours can the simplest way to clean is to put it in the washing machine with a non-bio detergent, unfortunately mine did not fit in the washing machine so I improvised by putting it into the bath with some non-bio detergent and giving it a hand wash.
There was on one occasion a point where the fabrics got damp on a walk and didn’t dry properly after being left in the car which made it smell really bad. My solution was to put it back in the bath with water and bicarbonate of soda to neutralise the odour. Another option just to freshen it up is to give it a steam clean with water and zoflora or ironing water.
These methods got me through the mud and rain but if you have any other hints or tips to keep your pushchair clean please share them in the comments below.
🖤 Natalie
