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Cleaning a pram is essential, but it does often get put off. It's not the most obvious task when it comes to the list of to-dos for people with children, so it's easier to just ignore the job altogether until it really needs doing. But when it does really need doing - how do you do it? Here's everything you need to know about cleaning the pram fabric and getting it to look as good as new.
What You'll Need To Clean The Fabric Parts Of A Pram
To clean the fabric parts of your pram, there are a few things that you'll be needing. It's worth sourcing all of these items before you start to clean a pram, as it will make the cleaning process much easier for you. You will need:
- Warm soapy water
- Scrubbing brush
- Laundry detergent
- Soft fabric brush
- Spray bottle
- Cloths
- Microfibre cloth
- Disinfectant spray
- Nail brush or toothbrush
- Washing machine
- Bowl
- White vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Salt
Most of these items you should be able to find in your home, if not your local supermarket - it's such an easy list!
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Cleaning Fabric That Can Be Removed From Your Pram
A lot of fabric parts on baby strollers can be removed from the frame entirely. This is so that it isn't too hard to clean a pram. The first step in cleaning a pram is to remove these parts from the frame entirely. This makes it much easier to clean them.
Once removed, check the fabric sections to see if they are able to be machine washed. Some fabric will be, and some won't be.
If The Fabric Is Machine Washable...
Should you find that the fabric is safe to be machine washed, you'll need to follow the label's instructions very closely. These will usually state that the fabric requires a gentle cycle and cool wash in the washing machine with a mild detergent.
Before popping the fabric into the machine, give it a gentle brush and shake to remove loose dirt. For dirt in things like seams or folds, you may need to use a vacuum cleaner. Then, pop the fabric into the washing machine and turn it onto a cool wash.
Once the washing machine has finished, take the fabric out and put it out in direct sunlight to air dry.
If The Fabric Is Not Machine Washable...
If the label says that the machine can't be washed in the washing machine, you should fill a bowl with some warm soapy water. Once you've brushed the fabric down with a small fabric brush to remove loose crumbs and loose dirt, you can place the fabric in the hot soapy water. You can leave this to soak and use a scrubbing brush and some stain remover if you find that there are stubborn stains on the material.
Once you're satisfied with the state of the fabric, you can remove it from the hot soapy water and leave it out in the sunlight to air dry after squeezing out any excess water. This will minimise the risk of the material shrinking.
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Cleaning Fabric That Cannot Be Removed From Your Pram
There will likely be a few parts of fabric that you can't remove from the frame. These still need to be cleaned. You can clean these elements of the pram using warm water and soap or disinfectant in a spray bottle.
Spray the warm water mixture onto the material and wipe it using a clean cloth. Alternatively, soak the cloth in the spray and clean the fabric that way instead.
As with fabric that you rake off of the pram, this material will need you to ensure that it is completely dry before you begin to reassemble the baby stroller.
Cleaning Fabric With Stubborn Marks And Stubborn Stains On It
It is just inevitable that your pram will eventually get stains or stubborn marks. Children are messy, and they tend not to really pay a lot of attention to what they're doing! As a result, prams are often subject to a lot of dirt and muckiness.
When this happens, it can be quite frustrating - especially on lighter coloured prams! But there's no need to fret, it's easy enough to remove stubborn marks with a natural stain remover and get your pram looking as good as new in no time at all.
Vinegar And Water
One of the best ways to remove mould stains and stubborn marks is to mix a concoction of three parts white vinegar and two parts water. Mix this into a bowl or a spray bottle, and simply apply the gentle disinfectant spray onto the fabric. Rub it gently with a clean cloth, and rinse with warm water.
You might find that it is more useful to leave the cleaning solution to soak into the fabric for a while before rinsing. Likewise, if one go doesn't work, you're likely to find that a few more attempts will make a world of difference!
Lemon Juice And Salt
If you've got smaller stubborn stains and marks, you can try to use lemon juice and salt to remove them. It's a great natural stain cleaner, and can do wonders on things like food stains.
Simply apply the lemon juice onto the stain or mark and then pour some salt onto the mark. Rub it gently with a cloth and then leave it to soak for a little while. When ready, rinse the lemon and salt away and leave the fabric to dry out in the sun.
Cleaning The Rest Of The Pram
Cleaning the plastic parts and the metal frame of the pram is simpler than the fabric parts. You can use a mild disinfectant, warm water and a sponge, scrubbing brush or cloth. Simply be sure not to scratch any metal surfaces in order to try and prevent rust from forming on the frame.
