11 Easy Ways to Clean Vomit From a Car Seat [2023]

Uh oh. Looks like your little one got sick and vomited while they were in their car seat. Or maybe your dog isn’t the biggest fan of car rides and gets motion sick. 

Whatever the reason, here is how to clean vomit from a car seat in 11 easy ways, so you do not have to keep smelling the repulsive odor when you are driving around. 

11 Easy Ways To Clean Vomit From a Car Seat

1. Baking Soda and Water To Make a Paste

In a spare bowl, measure out baking soda enough to fill one cup. Mix it with a third of a cup of room-temperature water. Combine the water and baking soda to form a pasty consistency. Use a damp washcloth and scrub lightly into the affected areas. 

2. Wash the Car Seat Cover With Laundry Detergent, Vinegar, and Baking Soda

This is the most thorough way to clean vomit from a car seat. Remove the car seat cover. Rinse it off with hot water to remove the excess vomit. Place it in your washing machine with your desired laundry detergent with a quarter cup of baking soda and a half cup of white vinegar. 

White vinegar acts as an odor neutralizer because of its acetic acid. Baking soda can dissipate acidic odors, including vomit which is an acidic substance. Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes the pH levels in acidic vomit. 

3. Dish Soap and Vinegar in a Spray Bottle

Create a natural cleaner and odor remover by combining dish soap and vinegar into a spare spray bottle. Measure out a quarter of a cup of white vinegar into the spray bottle. Add about a teaspoon of dish soap to the vinegar. Spray on the car seat and work it in with a clean rag. 

4. Use ZORBX Odor Remover

ZORBX unscented odor removal has an advanced chemical makeup that can get the vomit smell out of your car immediately after the first use.

The cleaning product has over 3,000 ratings and a four-star rating on Amazon. 

5. Water and Vinegar

Combining half water and half vinegar can remove the vomit smell from your vehicle and clean the car seat. Mix about a half cup of water with a half cup of white vinegar. Dip in a spare rag and work it into the affected areas. 

6. Mix Laundry Detergent With Water

Integrate a third of a cap of laundry detergent with about a third of a cup of water. Mix well to incorporate. Blot a washcloth into the mixture and work it into the car seat cover for optimal results. 

7. Power Wash the Car Seat

Remove the car seat from your vehicle. Power wash it with warm water mixed with dish soap and your choice of baking soda or vinegar to neutralize the smell. Let the seat air dry in the sun throughout the day. 

8. Let the Car Seat Cover Soak Overnight

Use a wash basin or use your washing machine. Fill with water and add laundry detergent and a half cup of vinegar. Put the car seat cover in to soak overnight. Finish the wash cycle and place it in the dryer on low heat. 

9. Steam Cleaning

Remove the extra vomit on the car seat. Bring out your steam cleaner. Mix about a cup of water, half a cup of vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Start the unit and run the steam cleaner over the affected areas a few times. Repeat as necessary. 

10. Use Soda Water

Choose one of the cleaning methods above. Once finished, you can lightly pour soda water onto where the vomit landed on the car seat. Let the soda water sit for at least five minutes before drying it with a clean rag. Undergo this process as necessary to neutralize the vomit smell. 

11. Use a Carpet Cleaner

Use your portable carpet cleaner to clean the carpets in your car and the car seat cover. Mix warm water with a few drops of dish soap and a quarter cup of vinegar to clean both areas. 

How To Clean a Baby’s Car Seat

Remove the car seat cover and clean it in the washing machine. Wipe down the car seat unit with disinfecting wipes or a baby-safe all-purpose cleaner. Wash the car seat straps with water and dish soap. Allow everything to air dry. Replace the car seat cover on the unit for the next use. 

How To Clean Vomit From Leather Car Seat

Leather car seats have stronger surfaces than standard car seats with covers on them. You can use the first method of creating a baking soda and water paste to clean the vomit and remove odors from a leather car seat. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are more informational elements on how to clean vomit from a car seat right the first time. 

How do I permanently remove the vomit smell in my baby's car seat?

Permanently get rid of the vomit smell by washing the car seat cover in the dishwasher using the number two technique listed. Wipe down the car seat unit as you wait for the cover to wash with a baking soda and water mixture to further neutralize odors. 

How do I get the smell of vomit out of my car?

Get the smell of vomit out of your car by:

• Put a few drops of tea tree oil into a small plastic container with holes in it. Tea tree is one of the odor-neutralizing essential oils on the market. 
• Steam cleaning your car. Be sure to add three to ten drops of essential oil into the machine’s cleaning mixture for optimal odor neutralization. 
• Utilizing a Gonzo air magnet that contains activated charcoal for its odor-neutralizing benefits. 
• Sprinkle cornstarch or even baking soda on the affected area, let it sit for 20 minutes or overnight, and then vacuum it up. 

What neutralizes the smell of vomit?

Baking soda and white vinegar are the top two odor neutralizers for removing the vomit smell from your car. The acetic acid in white vinegar and the chemical makeup of sodium bicarbonate remove the odors, leaving you with a fresh-smelling car. 

How long does it take for the vomit to go away in the car?

It can take many days for the vomit smell to dissipate from your car. Repeat steam clean treatments and, if the weather allows, crack your windows for air circulation while not in the car. When you’re driving around, keep the fans on the windows cracked to further ventilate the smell out of the vehicle. 

How do you get the vomit smell out of car seat straps?

All you need is some water and about three drops of Dawn dish soap mixed into a bowl. The gentle cleaning of the Dawn dish soap seamlessly removes the vomit smell. 

Does Febreze get rid of the vomit smell?

Febreze does not get rid of the vomit smell in your car. It only masks the odors. Use one of the other methods above to remove the odor. 

Conclusion

If you ever have an episode of your child, pet, or carsick passenger vomiting in your vehicle, you are now armed with the tips and tools you need to remove it. Happy driving!