Are Car Seat Protectors Safe

Why Seat Protectors Can Be Dangerous

A thick seat protector or mat between a child restraint and vehicle seat introduces space between the two. If the seat protector shifts over time, that can loosen the car seats installation.

To help you decide if a seat protector is for you, weve done a little field testing on some of the more popular options.

• Thick fabric can compress in the force of a crash, mimicking a loose installation when that bulky fabric compresses under the weight of the seat and force of the collision.
• Seat protectors withgrippy sides can grip the vehicle seat and make the child restraint seem tightly installed, but in reality it may not be.
• In the past, shelf liner was used to help with car seat installation but its no longer included in the CPST curriculum because it, too can mask a loose install. Shelf liner can also permanently damage your vehicles seats and has been known to melt onto them.

The CPST curriculum refers to good/better/best when talking about all kinds of child passenger safety scenarios. Well use that construct here to show how each of these mats do in terms of keeping the seat that theyre under installed correctly.

Temporary dents in a vehicle seat

How Do I Install Car Seat Protectors

The installation process depends on the particular car seat protector that you purchase. Typically, car seat protectors fasten around the headrest. Along with that, there are inserts to fit the seatbelt or car seat. Often, there are anti-skid features to help keep the car seat protectors in place. Your car seat protector should come with instructions on how to install it properly and securely.

Are Car Seat Strap Covers Safe

Car seat strap covers are unsafe because they can add bulkiness and pressure to the car seats actual straps. This can cause some challenges when you need to tighten or loosen the belt.

These strap covers can also interfere with the primary purpose of the car seat. It can modify the position and alignment of the restraining system, cause discomfort and even injury to your child. This is one car seat accessory that you should skip.

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Are Car Seat Protectors Crash

Its safe to assume that the car seat manufacturers that make car seat protectors have extensively crash-tested them with their car seats to assure that theyre safe to use.

On the contrary, most third-part companies claim that their products have been crash-tested and comply with federal safety standards, but heres the catch: there are no federal safety standards for aftermarket products. There is no government regulation or rules for testing car seat accessories.

If you want a car seat protector thats been crash-tested, its safest to buy one from your car seat manufacturer.

Cheekie Monkie Super Seat Saver Mat

As pretentious as this name is, the Super Seat Saver Mat is indeed a very good choice. However, it is not the cheapest cover, far from it. It is at least twice as expensive as some other good quality covers. On the other hand, the price is certainly justified. The Super Saver is compatible with the LATCH system and it is a good fit for any type of safety car seat. On top of that, it can work on its own as well. That alone makes it something better than a mere car seat protector.

It stands to reason that a cover of this class has a durable non-slip surface. The fabric is easy to clean as it is washable. The Super Saver has a sophisticated design thank to which it is a good match for any vehicle and car seat. It is also waterproof.

Unlike many car seat covers, the Super Saver cover not just the seat and the back but the front of the seat as well, protecting the seat even better than a typical high-quality cover.

Despite an already impressive list of available features, it should be said that this seat protector also comes with organizer pockets. After all, some extra storage space is always a good thing.

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Brica Car Seat Protector

Best for Rear Facing Child Seats

This car seat protector features heavy-duty material thats perfect for continual kicks from small, dirty, feet. Its unique construction prevent dirt and debris from collecting in seams but if it does, you can easily wipe everything clean.

Made from durable vinyl, they wont absorb odors, food, or moisture and keep your car looking spotless. Theyre designed for use with bucket seats or bench seats that feature a headrest.

When using this, youll still have access to your LATCH system and seat belts, plus theres an anti-slip feature on both the top and bottom of the unit. This keeps the protector in place and prevent any unwanted car seat movement.

Though its not available in multiple colors, it does feature a color-safe construction which guarantees no color will transfer to your cars interior.

Pros

• Allows for LATCH and safety belt use.

Cons

• Rubber grips may leave indentations on the seat.

Product Specs

Best Car Seat Protectors Of 2022

If you have kids, you know how quickly your car can become dirty.

A car seat protector will make it a little easier to keep everything clean and youll probably increase the longevity of your car seats, too.

Lets take a closer look at the best protectors currently on the market and how they can benefit you.

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Britax Vehicle Car Seat Protector

This car seat protector from Britax definitely stands out in terms of design. It provides full coverage for your car seats base with the main purpose of protecting against indentations from kids car seats.

Also, the raised edges contain spills, crumbs, and other messes. Because it is made of waterproof rubber, cleaning it up is a breeze. All you need is a rag with some soap and warm water.

The car seat protector is designed to grip onto the car seat for added security. It is crash-tested and approved. Also, the car seat protector is LATCH compatible. Along with this great quality car seat protector, Britax also sells a two-pack of waterproof kick mats with a pocket storage organizer if you want added interior protection.

Khomo Gear Baby Infant Car Seat Cover Protector

The Khomo Gear car seat cover is a fine specimen for this class of car seat accessories. It is very inexpensive but it does make a good supplement for a car seat. Be advised, however, the padding is quite thick. This is entirely by design but there is a possibility this particular seat may be too thick for your car seat. That said, it does make the back seat area more protected compared to many other products. The cover is also very easy to keep in place.

The waterproof fabric the protector is made of also serves to improve the protection of the seat. With this seat, you will not have to worry about your vehicles car seat being contaminated by fluids. Even if your child spills some juice, the seat protected by the Khomo Gear will be perfectly fine.

The area the cover protects is not limited to the contours of a baby car seat. The protector goes all the way to the top and it is extremely easy to install even if you have no experience with seat protector.

However, you should know that for the time being, the cover does not come with instructions. It may be intuitive and simple enough, but instructions are not included. This is definitely a disadvantage. However, it is countered by the two mesh storage compartments below the base of the seat. Even if your baby car seat has nothing of the sort, you can still use the ones attached to this cover protector.

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Bucket And Back Of Car Seat Protector

Best Package Deal

This handy set pulls double duty. With each unit, youll receive a car seat protector thats suitable for a bucket seat and a back of seat protector. Its a great choice for a traditional driver and passenger seat when you have young children in the back.

These are designed to be a seamless addition to your car since theyre a neutral black and not overly bulky. The back of the seat protector also offers storage and organizing compartments for your little ones. They keep their items within reach while youre focused on driving.

The durable design also lets you keep up with your familys frequent messes. It wipes clean easily so you can spend less time on maintenance. Its non-slip grip also keeps the protector where it belongs.

Finally, you can access LATCH connectors and use seat belts with this unit, which is always a big plus.

Pros

• LATCH system and seat belt compatible.

Cons

• Not suitable for a middle seat.

Product Specs

Check If It’s Been Approved

Before you do anything, make sure that the manufacturer recommends the car seat protector you have picked out, has been crash tested and passes all the safety criteria.

You can do this by checking the car seat manual I recommend never throwing it away and always keeping it nearby.

You will also need the car seat manual for following the instructions of the installations. Then, you want to check for movement!

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Fortem Waterproof Car Seat Protector

Award:BEST MULTIPACK

WHY WE LIKE IT: High quality multipack, shipping with two protectors, manufactured with Oxford cloth that is waterproof and easy to clean, with two large pockets on the bottom.

• Attaches via 1 latch
• Edges are not cupped

This Fortem Waterproof Car Seat Protector comes in a multipack containing two units, each being manufactured with high quality Oxford cloth, which we found to be waterproof, durable material, and easy to clean with speading a short time cleaning stains from accidental spills, making it a good choice for those with pets or toddlers. We also liked the large pockets on the bottom, which are great for the storage of toys, first aid kids or other knick knacks.

Though these car seat protectors were extremely easy to install, it only attaches to the seat via one latch, which is less than some other products on this list. Also, the edges are not cupped, meaning that spilled liquids will have nowhere to pool, so they could end up spilling over. Speaking of car additions, the best car floor mats will help you keep your car cleaner.

Protect Your Vehicle Seat

Every car seat has a manual. So before you considerpurchasing a car seat protector, see to it that its permitted according to thecar seats manual.

The manufacturer may allow a specific brand of seatprotector underneath. Some will just recommend you to use a towel or a blanket.However, others will specify that nothing should be placed under the car seatat all.

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What Can I Put On My Car Seats To Protect Them

If you do have to install a baby car seat and want to protect your car’s upholstery along the way, there are a few solutions.

You can use car seat protectors recommended by the car seat manufacturer or use a thin towel or a receiving blanket as a safer alternative.

A tear-resistant seat protector will do the trick if you are not a parent and are just looking for an effective protective layer.

What A Car Seat Protector Is

A car seat protector is an accessory used to protect the vehicles car seats from the car seat . The need for such a fitment is obvious. Even though the motor industry has to account for the legal requirements for childs safety on the road and keep their cars compatible with the safety car seats, it does not mean that the aesthetical qualities of the vehicles car seat will not be ruined by the safety car seat. A car seats base is often far from soft and may be quite damaging for many materials used in vehicles car seats, including leather. It is a little wonder many people want the best car seat protector for leather.

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Royal Oxford Luxury Car Seat Protector

The word Luxury is not part of the name for nothing. This is more than just another high-quality car seat cover. No, the Luxury Car Seat Protector is definitely not generic. Every Luxury protector is hand-made from luxury Oxford fabrics and polyvinylchloride leather. Thanks to that, it both looks classy and stylish and is very durable. It does not cover the entire seat but it is simply not designed that way. The cover is meant to be as discreet as possible.

At this point, it is only natural to expect that the cover is LATCH-compatible. It is, and it also comes with a spacious mesh organizer for storage. More space means more fun, after all.

The Luxury is a good match for any vehicle and car seat, and it is much taller than typical car seat covers. Although, given the fact it is a luxury seat, you should consider the fact it is better suited for seats with a dark color scheme. It can still work with seats that have a light scheme but it is important to follow the instructions carefully if the seats have leather upholstery.

The transparent PVC layers are very much unlike what you would expect from a typical plastic film. For one, the PVC has the anti-slip property and offers a better grip than many other seat covers. It is also waterproof, as expected.

The Luxury is not a very thin cover but it is also not very thick. The thickness is carefully balanced between protection and safety. It is possible thanks to the heavy duty materials used to make the cover.

How To Remove Car Seat Marks From Your Leather

Well, this depends on the type of mark the seat left.

The main thing youll want to do to avoid them is either put some protective surface between the seat and the leather or use the seat only when necessary while applying the above-mentioned CCR method in the meantime. But, if you dont actually succeed in avoiding damage, here is what you can do.

If you get some typical pressure marks and dents, youll be glad to hear that they can be removed. You can try and apply the CCR method even in such cases , but if it doesnt work you can apply heat to straighten the leather out and then use mechanical force to complete the process. Just be careful that you dont wait too long, as even small marks that are not fixed quickly might become permanent.

Here is a quick video that shows the heating method.

In case you see a crease, we have bad news for you the process is usually irreversible. Even if you manage to straighten the leather out, its only temporary, because the crease will return after a while. Prevention is the key thing in such cases.

And that covers our topic for today. We hope weve helped you with all the details and that youll find our advice and tips useful.

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Seat Protectors At A Glance

Caregivers often ask if its safe to use a seat protector between the vehicle seat and the car seat.

Our stance on this issue? Avoid using a seat protector if at all possible. Why?

Our article on Seat Protectors takes an in-depth look at the issues and offers some information on keeping your vehicle seats neat and tidy.

If you absolutely must use a seat protector, weve created this quick reference guide so you can quickly determine whether your car seat permits the use of a protector , or thin towel, or nothing at all between the vehicle seat and the car seat.

Munchkin Brica Elite Seat Guardian Car Seat Protector

• Can be slightly too large for certain bucket seats

This Munchkin Brica Elite Seat Guardian Car Seat Protector has been certified to stay secure during multiple crash tests, making this the safest car seat protector on this list. It is also extremely easy to install, requiring merely the connection of some simple latches, and features heavy duty traction on both sides of the protector, ensuring that it will not slide out of place. We also liked the color safe construction, which will not bleed colors onto the upholstery. This Brica Seat Guardian is a universal car seat protector thats compatible with all baby car seats, and the rear facing kick mat provides complete seat back coverage for those rear-facing child seats. It uses adjustable straps to secure the back panel to the back seat head rest.

This is a well made item manufactured with high quality materials and is available on Amazon com, though it does include a warranty of any kind, which may be a turnoff for some consumers. Additionally, it is only available in one color option, whereas our number two pick has five colors to choose from. Also check out the best car brakes to make sure your car is safe.

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Things To Do Before Using A Seat Protector

A word of warning first. Do not use the mat if you have to adjust the car seat installation to fit it in. It is a sign that this protector will be unsafe to use. Return it to the vendor. For online stores, such as Amazon, it means sending the protector back. Alternatively, you can try using it with another car seat if you have several children or you can give it to someone. Chances are, it will fit. That way you will save some money you would spending on gas or delivery service.

You should check out if the mat is cleared by the car seat manufacturer for using with their seat if you have not done that when purchasing the mat.

Compare how the car seat behaves with and without the protector. To do that, you have to install the car seat over the protector and then remove the latter. This can be done by undoing either a LATCH connector or the seat belt. After the mat is gone, click the belt back in or reattach the LATCH without loosening either. Inspect the car seat. If it moves too freely, the car seat cover is not a good match.

If the car seat does not move more than an inch, the car seat mat is suitable for future use.