How to remove fire-retardant chemical from covers?

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
So even washing the cover takes the FR off? That's kind of a bummer for those of us who would prefer that it be on there, but I do have to wash the cover..

Washing will reduce it in bits here & there - there's a difference between washing when needed, vs. repeated washing to try and remove excess - that repeated washing before the cover is ever used isn't a good idea when you factor in that the cover will still be washed normally over it's lifespan.

There are also specific washing instructions for the covers - part of the reason is to reduce wear and tear the washing machine could cause, but part of it is to allow the fire retardancy chemicals to stay in.
 
ADS

Wineaux

New member
That's very nice, and we'd all love to have naturally fire resistant car seat covers, but until they are available, FROM THE MANUFACTURER DIRECTLY, then it's all just wishful thinking.

As of now, use the covers that the car seat manufacturers sell and TEST with the seats! There just really aren't any exceptions. You don't need to be in an awful wreck for your vehicle to catch fire. Read the thread linked above if you don't believe me.
 

southpawboston

New member
Hi, I wanted to share this.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/19/eveningnews/main4109418.shtml

It's not that fire retardants are used, it's that they are used in excess amounts and there are safer fire retardants that could be used as an alternative.


wool being a natural choice, I would love to buy my birtax seat with wool as a cover.

Volvo, Ikea, Dell are a few companies that use safer chemcials -

wow, that's a scary article, but somehow i'm not too surprised. it really comes down to a crap shoot-- risk having your child burned to death in a fiery car crash because the carseat didn't have adequate flame retardance, or risk your child developing health problems that will last him his whole life, or shorten his life. it really is a crap-shoot, and just because the flame retardance is part of carseat code, that does not mean that special interests of the chemical industry weren't bowed to in the establishment of that code. :twocents:

i don't "recommend" this, but for *my* family, washing the carseat covers per the manufacturer's instructions when new is a good idea, just to make sure that any excess chemicals not properly embedded in the fibers get washed away. that way no warranty is voided and the rules have been followed, but i can sleep that much better at night knowing my child's blood levels for unnecessary excess chemicals aren't sky high. i can live with the risk of a fiery death, because i know that any increase in risk is quite small (if any at all) compared with not washing the cover at all.

In a report to be released Tuesday, Russell Long of the environmental group Friends of the Earth documents how products like this car seat can contain up to 9 percent bromine, which might explain why Americans have 10 times more of these chemicals than anyone on earth.

are other westernized nations seeing large numbers of fiery deaths? what about sweden??? the fact that some states are banning certain chemicals speaks volumes to me. that doesn't happen without some compelling data pointing to health risks.
 

skylinphoto

New member
I wanted my daughter (then newborn) NOT to touch the carseat cover of her seat. I was told I could put a THIN receiving blanket between her and the seat so that she wasn't touching it.
That said, she had/has SEVERE eczema from synthetic fabrics and chemicals (as well as numberous other things ..sigh) and if she touched the carseat cover she would break out with HORRIBLE (i'm talking bleeding, crusty, itchy, etc) eczema.
Even with a SUPER thin cotton blanket/sheet between her and the seat cover she still breaks out with a small amount of eczema on the back of her head/neck.

I would never ever want those chemicals removed though...they are there for a purpose.

(please, if the advice i was given about putting a super thin blanket/sheet under the baby was bad advice..tell me!)
 
skylin generally i think peoplewould say not to. but your child seems to be in a difficult situation. then concern would be from the compression in an accident. i would think if she still gets the exzema scabs then the blanket must be super thin. the only thing i would suggest trying is perhaps turtleneck and pants and a cap. which is hard if you are in a hot climate area. sometimes you have to take a risk for your childs safety and value of life. i mean to say how comfortable could she be broken out like that versus a thin thin blanket. i would have done the same thing you did.
 

skylinphoto

New member
Thanks for the response on that.
Yeah..dressing her up like that isn't possible. We live in Orlando, FL. lol. Too hot.
The blanket is extremely thin. In no way does it make a difference in the harness fit or anything like that.
Good to know I didn't make a crappy decision! :thumbsup:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
okay... the recommendation I would give is one I have given as a temporary fix while she waited on a new cover (another parent... it was a britax sahara cover... the onyx didn't make the kid have an allergy, but something in the sahara caused contact dermititis (verified by doctor)

I advised her (because the seat is big enough) to just take a fitted crib sheet (she had more than one kid, one of whom was in a crib, so I knew it was an option), cut out the area around the slots for the shoulders and crotch (bigger than needed... basically rectangles) and put it on there to protect her child from the cover where skin was coming into contact with it.

it worked until britax sent her the new cover (they did this for free because of the allergy... he'd been moved from an onyx cover'd Marathon or Boulevard... forget which... which is how she knew that onyx would work)

I would love to know what seat, what cover, and then I'd probably suggest taking a bassinet fitted sheet and doing the same thing as a temporary fix.

I mean, there's always that RARE exception, and you've hit it.
 
A

atxmama

Guest
It's fine to say that the chemicals are on there for good intentions, but they are toxic and that at least needs to be acknowledged. My son breaks out in a terrible, itchy rash just from coming into contact with them, even on his head under his hair. Before I was able to figure out what was causing it, the rash developed into impetigo. Also, if I remember correctly, the flame retardant properties only last for about 12 seconds, after which the chemiclas become noxious gas.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I'm pretty sure the flame retardant properties of the carseats in this car fire lasted well over 12 seconds and remained pretty much intact. http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=51253&highlight=van+fire+walmart Look at the photos posted by the owner of the vehicle and compare the condition of the charred vehicle and its interior to the carseat covers. :eek: While I sympathize with those who have a demonstrable chemical sensitivity, those chemicals can potentially be a life saving feature and not something to completely do away with if at all possible, but it falls under parental discretion and parental weighing of the options as to which is of greater concern. I do think it's something that should ultimately be addressed by the federal standards and the manufacturers to pursue alternatives that are as protective in a fire scenario for those with chemical sensitivities to give those children the best of both worlds.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
My son breaks out in a terrible, itchy rash just from coming into contact with them, even on his head under his hair.
Acknowledged >
The very REAL benefits of the chemicals in this particular instance far outweigh any *potential* risk. Unless perhaps your child has an extremely rare + severe diagnosed allergy?

Simply [washing and] leaving the cover out in dry fresh air for a few days will reduce the smell, etc.

P.S. just for referrence, I thought it might be helpful to note that we only buy locally grown organic foods, vinegar & baking soda for household cleaning, :blah blah blah: which is to say that I take chemicals quite seriously & reduce our risk whenever/where ever I can (except when the chemicals are what would save my child's life)
If you haven't yet discussed this reaction with the doctor, I think you should . . . ex: I knew my daughter was allergic to disposable diapers as a newborn (she suffered severe bloody scabbing) so I switched to cloth (healed up within 2 weeks & never came back) but failed to inform her new doctor ... long story short, she suffered the same allergic reaction using the school toilet paper (the doctor said she would have advised I send her with hypoallergenic wipes in the 1st place) oops :eek:
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I understand that the flame retardants are for safety, but not in doses that are off the charts. For example I unknowingly purchased the Graco MyRide 65 in Prentis which has way more of the chemicals than it's supposed to. http://www.healthystuff.org/departments/childrens-products/product.carseatsonly.php

I can't return the seat because it's been too long and I can't afford to replace it right now. Will putting a sheet with holes cut out for the belts help with chemical exposure? Will one layer of a sheet hurt anything?

I want safety, but I don't want an over dose of an endocrine disruptor for my little guy.
 

tam_shops

New member
If you are worried about chemicals, wash it once, it will remove any excess residue, but really the pictures prove why they need to be there. A chance at living after an accident vs not...

But, if you truly are worried about reducing your child's exposure to chemicals, go after his/her pjs. Which despite repeated washing are still required to maintain a level of flame retardant chemicals. This is one off those old fashioned silly regulations from when kids used candles and had lace covered frilly pjs. The rest is obvious. So, if you don't want your child's skin in contact w/ chemicals, then instead of pjs, put him/her in a cotton t-shirt and leggings...

And, as at least one PP said, put them in long sleeves and shirt in the car.

tam
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I read an article the other day I wish I had saved. It had some tips for reducing exposure.

Two I remember are you vacuum your car seat and car regularly to remove "toxic" dust.

Also, off-gassing is worst when it's hot. So if it's hot in the car, open the windows and doors to air it out a bit before getting in. (ETA: Found the article: http://www.onearth.org/blog/how-to-detox-your-car-seat)

And yes, wash the cover. I always do, usually a few times.

This article provides some perspective on the toxicity findings: http://carseatblog.com/11035/is-your-carseat-toxic-dont-panic/

Also ETA: For the record, I'm in the minority on feeling that flame-retardant covers do no good. Not a popular opinion, though, so I tend to keep my mouth shut. I'm also a firm believer, though, in not altering seats or using aftermarket covers (which might themselves have chemicals, BTW). So, take reasonable steps, but don't do anything that violates manufacturer instructions.
 
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tam_shops

New member
Jennie, while I agree w/ you about the chemicals in kids pjs, kids don't carry around candles anymore and they are not in their regular clothes when they are more likely to accidentally catch fire, process the car seat cover this way: Most are made of polyester. When polyester gets too HOT (does not require fire) it melts. And, if it gets way to hot it can start a fire. If the kids had been in Lilsid's car when it caught fire, mom would have had a chance at getting them out. Depsite the direct flames (look at the never washed & heavily chemical coated car seats in the picture), they too were melted-from length and duration of flame exposure, chemicals can only do so much. If there were no chemicals on those covers, they would have melted to the kid's skin and/or caught direct fire, despite not being part of the original fire and done damage of their own. In other words, if it were not for the chemicals in the car's interior and those in the Britax covers/plastic, both cars would have looked like the one that started the fire--gutted and black. It is actually why they started adding the chemicals to the cars in the first place b/c one car would catch fire and another would join the party and all occupants would suffer the consequences. You're obviously taking an educated/intelligent stance to not liking chemicals, just thought I'd give you a reason to better like *some* of them, in some places.
 

aetj115

New member
I lost almost everything me and my 3 children had in a house fire a little over a year ago. My car was parked outside. It was parked parallel from the fire raging out of my garage. I had a grand prix. Installed in the center position was a Marathon. The glass on the windshield and rear windows shatteted from heat as well as the passenger ones. My rear view cracked. Some of the plastic on the drivers side even melted. My ma...unscathed. I never used it again, not sure if there was unseen damage. The trampoline on the other side (driver side, fartherest from fire) had melted foam and net. The bb hoop that was in between my car and tramp shattered and plastic melted. All from heat. Ill try and post pics later. I, don't have not one problem with flame retardent materials. My ma withstood some serious heat. Even the tether was fine. I still have the seat sitting in my storage room.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
tam_shops said:
Jennie, while I agree w/ you about the chemicals in kids pjs, kids don't carry around candles anymore and they are not in their regular clothes when they are more likely to accidentally catch fire, process the car seat cover this way: Most are made of polyester. When polyester gets too HOT (does not require fire) it melts. And, if it gets way to hot it can start a fire. If the kids had been in Lilsid's car when it caught fire, mom would have had a chance at getting them out. Depsite the direct flames (look at the never washed & heavily chemical coated car seats in the picture), they too were melted-from length and duration of flame exposure, chemicals can only do so much. If there were no chemicals on those covers, they would have melted to the kid's skin and/or caught direct fire, despite not being part of the original fire and done damage of their own. In other words, if it were not for the chemicals in the car's interior and those in the Britax covers/plastic, both cars would have looked like the one that started the fire--gutted and black. It is actually why they started adding the chemicals to the cars in the first place b/c one car would catch fire and another would join the party and all occupants would suffer the consequences. You're obviously taking an educated/intelligent stance to not liking chemicals, just thought I'd give you a reason to better like *some* of them, in some places.

It's not a matter of just "not liking" the chemicals. It's a matter of believing that they really do no good in car seats.

I have discussed the topic--including these specific photos--many times and in great depth with my husband, who has been a fireman for more than 30 years.

He says that he does not see evidence, from those photos, that there was flame intrusion inside the van (i.e., the interior of the van was never on fire). The damage seen was from ambient heat and smoke from the flames on the exterior of the van.

Fire retardants aren't designed to stop the spread of fire caused by a tiny flame like a cigarette. They are not designed to ward off an inferno.

Standard No. 302 - Flammability of Interior Materials - Passenger Cars, Multipurpose Passenger Vehicles, Trucks, and Buses
(Effective 9-1-72)
This standard specifies burn resistance requirements for materials used in the occupant compartments of motor vehicles. Its purpose is to reduce deaths and injuries to motor vehicle occupants caused by vehicle fires, especially those originating in the interior of the vehicle from sources such as matches or cigarettes.

They test materials by exposing them to flame, then taking the flame away. In a vehicle fire, the flame is constant. Vehicle fires are also extremely fast-moving, especially once they reach the interior. At that point, the flames and heat will be so intense that the flame-retardants will be ineffective. The seat is going to catch on fire anyway, and smoke inhalation and heat are likely to kill a child before the flames do.

This is the same reason we have mattresses custom-made to not include a fire barrier. He feels that unless you smoke in bed or use candles next to the bed, the flame barrier in a mattress really serves no purpose. The heat and smoke will kill you before you burn.

My husband is not flippant about fire safety. He's actually quite obsessive about it. If he felt the flame-retardency served any purpose, I'm sure he'd be a passionate supporter of it, but he's not.

DH feels the flame-retardency MIGHT buy you 1-5 seconds in a vehicle fire.

He said the only scenarios where flame-resistant car seat covers would be beneficial is in a case like what the standard was designed for, where (for example) a cigarette is flicked into the backseat, especially when there is an open window. The wind could fan the ember from the cigarette and cause the material to ignite. A flame-retardant cover would likely ward that off. But that's a lot different than a vehicle engulfed in flames.

Maybe the fact that people still smoke in the car with children is enough to make that a valid reason for their use. (It's illegal to smoke in a car with children in my state, but I'm not sure other places have the same law, and it doesn't mean people don't anyway.)
 

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