Planning to potty train your toddler over the holidays? Let’s talk about safe ways to keep your car seats clean and dry!

While Clek, Britax, and Diono have waterproof car seat liners (for use with their car seats only), other brands don’t have a solution available. Adding anything to your car seat can change how it performs and restrains your child in a crash - that includes putting things like puppy pee pads, towels, and third party waterproof inserts under your child when they are in their car seat. 

But if it’s not safe to put anything under them, how can you protect your car seat from accidents? Here are 3 things to try:

1. For longer car rides (especially ones where they may fall asleep), have your child wear a pull-up instead of underwear! It can give you peace of mind knowing that any accidents will be contained and you won’t have to wash your car seat when you’re away from home.

2. Put a waterproof cloth diaper cover (or rubber shorts) over their underwear and under their clothes. They are still wearing their “big kid” underwear, but accidents won’t leak onto the car seat cover!

3. If your child is mostly potty trained but has “emergencies”, bring a portable toilet with you on the road trip. There are many cost-effective and small portable options with disposable bags that can be used right in the trunk of the car. It can help ease everyone’s mind knowing you won’t have to hunt for a toilet!

Guest Post written by Britney Schroeder, CPST from Buckle & Latch (@buckleandlatch)