seat protector under car seat safe?

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sllgatsby

Guest
I have a new car with cloth upholstery and would like to put a waterproof seat protector on my rear bench seat so that I can avoid all the stains I got in my old car from leaking sippy cups left lying down, crushed peanut butter sandwiches, muddy shoes on the seat when climbing in, etc.

There aren't many seat covers that are waterproof that go on the back as well as the seat to keep stuff from going down the crack in the seat, but I did find one that's really designed for pets (see link below).

I'm wondering if it would be safe under a car seat. I plan to use the rubbery netting like you use under area rugs to keep them from sliding. I was going to put a sheet of it underneath the seat protector, as well as on top of it, under the car seat.

Is that going to work? If not, does anyone have a suggestion for full seat protection? I've looked at a couple stretchy seat covers, but they apparently impair the side airbags.

Here's a link to the seat protector I'm talking about: http://tinyurl.com/3yo6zv
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Welcome! We're glad you've asked.

They're not safe. They can interfere with an installation, making it seem like you have your seat in well, but in reality you may have a fatal amount of compressible space.

You can spread out a thin towel both down the back of the seat and across the bottom. If you want to use a shelf liner and extra towels, or waterproof backing NEXT to the seat on either side that'd be fine. Install it over a thin towel and then when it's in well you can slide things under the towel next to the seat. But none of that should go under the seat, or interfere with your installation.

Wendy
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Oh, yeah, I wouldn't use that one you linked to, it's way too thick to be safe under a carseat. I second the thin towel suggestion. :)
 
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sllgatsby

Guest
Thanks for the quick replies. I'm glad I didn't buy it!

I was wondering about this though (http://www.babygearbuyer.com/produc...ly_for_baby_carseat_undermat.html#description). I saw it at a store and took it out of the pkg to look at it.
It's quite thin (about the thickness of a credit card) and has a rubbery vinyl backing. What do you think? I would be putting one car seat in the middle of it if I bought it.

When I told my husband we couldn't put anything under the seat, he wasn't too happy and wanted me to check on this one. :rolleyes:

Thanks again.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Does that one have grippy stuff on the bottom? I owned an earlier version that was slippery slippery nylon, it was awful, never stayed in place... If it's a little grippier, it's fine, but a discount store bathtowel that matches your upholstery cover is still really fine :twocents::)
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
If it has nothing to compress it's not a danger provided it doesn't get in the way of the seatbelt (it says LATCH compatible, but most cars don't allow LATCH in the middle, and this may cover the buckles or make a seatbelt installation more difficult).

I'd just as soon go and buy a towel, though. It has other uses later in life, and having a towel is always handy (have you read A Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy? LOL).

Wendy
 

Airforcemomma

New member
After reading these posts I'm now wondering if the undermats I have under my kids car seats are OK to use or not. I have both car seats sitting on the Sunshine Kids ultra mat. Has a flap that goes up the back of the vehicle seat a bit and mesh storage pockets that hang over the front of the vehicle seat with black rubber type stuff on the underside of the mat. It seems to be about a 1/4 " thick and really does help keep the vehicle seats from getting ruined by the car seat compression and little spills. Anyone know if these are OK to use?
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
No, they're not. That's much too thick.

Spills may be a danger to your upholstery, but the compression from your child's safety seat is not.

You may only use a thin towel.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
After reading these posts I'm now wondering if the undermats I have under my kids car seats are OK to use or not. I have both car seats sitting on the Sunshine Kids ultra mat. Has a flap that goes up the back of the vehicle seat a bit and mesh storage pockets that hang over the front of the vehicle seat with black rubber type stuff on the underside of the mat. It seems to be about a 1/4 " thick and really does help keep the vehicle seats from getting ruined by the car seat compression and little spills. Anyone know if these are OK to use?

Those are very dangerous. My advice would be to remove them immediately. DO NOT continue to drive your children around in seats installed over those.
 

jdchic3

New member
if she's worried about stains couldn't she use one layer of shelf liner? I thought that was also an acceptable option? and then put towels around the edges after the seat is installed like wendy suggested?
 

Valentine

New member
What about this; is it okay? We have it under the Snugride base now and I was wondering if we could keep it for the Marathon. We have cloth seats but we'll want to be able to trade the car in for a new one eventually, and I'm worried that the deep indentations from the seat will hurt the value.

http://tinyurl.com/26zruw
 

southpawboston

New member
unless your child is spilling entire cups full of liquid, a thin towel will prevent the car's upholstery from staining. we only use a thin towel and it quickly soaks up any random spills from sippy cups. shelf liner (the kind with holes in it) won't prevent staining.
 

ThreeBeans

New member
What about this; is it okay? We have it under the Snugride base now and I was wondering if we could keep it for the Marathon. We have cloth seats but we'll want to be able to trade the car in for a new one eventually, and I'm worried that the deep indentations from the seat will hurt the value.

http://tinyurl.com/26zruw

No, no, no, that is EXTREMELY unsafe. The indentations eventually do level out.

Putting that under your seat pretty much guarantees you do not have a safe installation. You shouldn't drive with your child in the car until it's removed :)
 

jdchic3

New member
unless your child is spilling entire cups full of liquid, a thin towel will prevent the car's upholstery from staining. we only use a thin towel and it quickly soaks up any random spills from sippy cups. shelf liner (the kind with holes in it) won't prevent staining.

Lol. I see now why a towel would be better. I've always imagined contact paper, like you stick it in your kitchen cabinets. I didn't realize it was the kind you're talking about.
 

Airforcemomma

New member
I will remove mine right away. I just got my van from the dealership today and installed the seats at the dealership with the Mats underneath both seats. Once the blizzard like total white out conditions end outside I will remove them and put a towel under the seats.

I had no idea these mats were so unsafe. Why are they even on store shelves if they pose a safety concern for children? I may be wrong but I actually thought the ones I bought said on the box they were crash tested.

I know the car seats really do compress the vehicle seats, and that is the main reason I wanted to use the mats. However, I expect 4 yrs from now when I'm ready to trade this van for a new one it will make no difference to me anyway. The car seats will be in the van clear into the next the new vehicle.

Thanks for letting me know, my heart skipped a beat when I read the messages to remove them immediately and not drive with the kids in the seats till they are removed.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Sure, they're crash tested. I can throw it against the wall and claim it's crash tested. However, FMVSS 213 does not cover aftermarket products. There is no standard for aftermarket products. They cannot be tested with certainty with every seat out there. Therefore they are not good.

They are sold for the same reason anything is sold. People will buy them. Don't kid yourself that Graco, Evenflo, and Britax are in this because of the goodness of their hearts. They're in this for the goodness of their bottom line. Saving kids is a byproduct, and the "safer" your seat and the more features you offer the more you can charge. Every single parent needs a carseat. It's good business.

How's that for cynical?

Wendy
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
I had no idea these mats were so unsafe. Why are they even on store shelves if they pose a safety concern for children? I may be wrong but I actually thought the ones I bought said on the box they were crash tested.

They can sell them because there is no law saying they can't. They can say they have been "crash-tested" to meet "FMVSS standards" because technically it's true - FMVSS doesn't say anything at all about after-market products. It's like saying "By law, I am legally allowed to hang hubcaps from every tree in my front yard!" As others have stated, they can throw their mats against the wall and say "I tested it to FMVSS standards!"

I know the car seats really do compress the vehicle seats, and that is the main reason I wanted to use the mats. However, I expect 4 yrs from now when I'm ready to trade this van for a new one it will make no difference to me anyway. The car seats will be in the van clear into the next the new vehicle.

If you haven't removed them yet, you can try something easy to illustrate the problem. Before you remove the carseats, use a pencil to mark where the latchplate sits on the seat belt. Then install the carseats without the mats, and look at the seat belt to see the difference. You'll be able to clearly see how much tighter your carseats are without the mats, and how much slack you would have had in a crash.
 

Airforcemomma

New member
They can sell them because there is no law saying they can't. They can say they have been "crash-tested" to meet "FMVSS standards" because technically it's true - FMVSS doesn't say anything at all about after-market products. It's like saying "By law, I am legally allowed to hang hubcaps from every tree in my front yard!" As others have stated, they can throw their mats against the wall and say "I tested it to FMVSS standards!"



If you haven't removed them yet, you can try something easy to illustrate the problem. Before you remove the carseats, use a pencil to mark where the latchplate sits on the seat belt. Then install the carseats without the mats, and look at the seat belt to see the difference. You'll be able to clearly see how much tighter your carseats are without the mats, and how much slack you would have had in a crash.
That's got my interest peeked. I will do that this afternoon. That's a really neat idea to demonstrate the difference.


Laura 07 Pontiac Montana
Christopher 6 yo FF Britax Marathon
Jessica 3 yo FF Britax Marathon , EFTA
 

Airforcemomma

New member
Sure, they're crash tested. I can throw it against the wall and claim it's crash tested. However, FMVSS 213 does not cover aftermarket products. There is no standard for aftermarket products. They cannot be tested with certainty with every seat out there. Therefore they are not good.

They are sold for the same reason anything is sold. People will buy them. Don't kid yourself that Graco, Evenflo, and Britax are in this because of the goodness of their hearts. They're in this for the goodness of their bottom line. Saving kids is a byproduct, and the "safer" your seat and the more features you offer the more you can charge. Every single parent needs a carseat. It's good business.

How's that for cynical?

Wendy
You're right. All these companies are out to make a buck. And people like me are an easy target.

So, I guess the same would go for any of those add on storage pockets/pouches you can clip to the car seats. Yes, I'm guilty of those too. Each of the kids have a Sunshine Kids clip on pocket/pouch thing for their toys and what not.
 
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