Top Tips on Maintaining Your Baby's Pushchair

Top Tips on Maintaining Your Baby's Pushchair

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Not all pushchairs are made to last, but if you put effort in maintaining one, you can get a wonderfully constructed stroller that will remain functional for many years. Here are some of my top tips to keep your baby’s pushchair in tip top shape.

Read the manual

A pushchair is not exactly a sophisticated piece of equipment, but it still pays to read the manual. Surprisingly, 24% of women and 64% men don’t read the manual when buying something new, which includes pushchairs, too, so this is a gentle reminder to make sure you actively read up on your baby’s pushchair. A lot of valuable information can be found in a manual, including how to assemble and disassemble it, removable parts, material info, and of course, how to keep it in good working order.

Disassemble, brush, and vacuum the fabric

Cleaning a pram typically starts with detaching the seat and fabric from the frame. Most seats and canopies are machine-washable with a gentle cycle. Afterwards, leave them under the sun rather than tumble drying as this may damage the fabric.

Not all strollers can be taken apart, so the best you can do in this scenario is to brush it and use a vacuum. Focus on every nook and cranny, then soak a towel in soapy water and wipe down any dirty areas. A vinegar, water, and baking powder solution can remove more stubborn stains.

Inspect the frame

Inspect the frame for rust, dirt, and debris, especially the hinges. A solution made up of warm water and mild detergent is enough to clean the frame. Avoid strong abrasives as this can damage the plastic parts and corrode metallic components.

Clean and lubricate the moving parts

It's good practice to remove the wheels every once in a while to give them a deep clean. Most wheels can be disconnected and the steps on how to do it are found in the manual. 

Squeaky wheels can be fixed with lubrication, which ideally should be done once a month. Oil and silicone lubricants are the most popular but these tend to attract dirt and dust. A non-stick Teflon lubricant is a viable alternative. 

If your pushchair has air tyres, pump them up as well to keep the pressure at the recommended level. For most buggies, the recommended air pressure is 20 to 25 psi. The exact value is typically indicated in the manual, too. A hand air pump – the kind used for bicycle wheels – can do the job.

Mind the storage space

In my previous blog post about travelling with a baby, I suggested investing in a foldable stroller, especially if you travel a lot. Some parents prefer bigger ones though for more comfort and functionality, and in this case, it's a matter of looking for a robust buggy that is still easy to store. Go for a single pushchair that's compact enough to easily fit in the back of a car, and can be carried in and out of narrow passages or doorways. Use a storage area that's dry, easily accessible, and far from most busy areas in your house to avoid unnecessary nicks, bumps, and spills on the pushchair.

The space should also be cool, well ventilated and away from direct sunlight. This prevents rusting and moulding, while the cool temperature prevents the tyre rims from warping.

BABY PROOFING IN STYLE WITH FRED SAFETY

Stylish baby proofing. Now there’s three words you rarely see together.

Do you remember those days when you couldn’t wait for your baby to crawl? I look back on those earlier, much easier days and wonder now what was the big rush. The ease of leaving a door open, stairs in sight, or a cooker on, knowing that the only person in danger was me.

Fast forward nine months, and we have a determined, energetic little boy who sees everything as a challenge. So where to start with baby proofing? Well you can start with cushions, padded edges and corner softeners, but these are all only quick fixes and aren’t going to stop the inevitable. Playpens are pretty handy too, but I’ve been told the novelty of being placed in a hexangle baby prison doesn’t last long before they realise they need to be free to roam wild.

So what’s out there? The classic bar stair gate aka the baby prison in two variations; screw in ones and pressure fit. The pressure fit ones have bars at the bottom which can be trip hazards and aren’t meant to be used at the top of the stairs. The only downside with most of these are the sizes don’t always fit narrow old fashioned doorways in victorian houses.

Then there’s retractable ones which definitely appeal due to their compact, clutter free nature.

After researching and reading about what felt like every safety gate out there I had almost given up on trying to find something that didn’t hinder our homes aesthetics, which I know sounds ridiculous as our child’s safety is what’s at stake here. But if you can find something that’s stylish and practical and does the same job, then why not choose this. This is when I discovered Cheeky Rascals and a brand called Fred Safety and their clear view safety gate.

For the record this safety gate is made of hardened plastic. Not glass as someone in my family asked. Its clear plastic is exactly what it says on the tin. Clear. So you can see your baby through it.

It’s also super easy to clean as its one smooth surface to wipe down. We opted for the screw fit for two reasons. First we didn’t think it would fit our narrow door frame, and this clear view gate is actually extendable from door ways of 75cm-100cm wide and you can fit them on the outside of your doorframe over the skirting boards. In the end we were able to fit it within our door frame as our doorway measures 75cm exactly. The screw fit design also appealed due to our hefty baby’s ridiculous strength at possibly being able to pull down a pressure fit safety gate. I know that sounds bonkers, but he’s super strong. But the third reason was its clear and looks great to the point that I forget it’s actually there.

I love how the clear view fred safety gate looks, and what I love most is how I can see Otis while I run the bath, nip to the toilet or cook the dinner. It was also super easy to fit too.

I’ve added a video to show you just how easy it was to fit, and also how great its been to keep our baby contained.

And don’t let anyone ever tell you that baby equipment will ruin your house, because they obviously haven’t seen these Fred safety gates.

This post was sponsored by Cheeky Rascals. All opinions and comments are 100% my own. I wouldn’t recommend something I didn’t love.