Yes, you heard me right! When we are done with car seats and would like to declutter it from our homes, the obvious choice is to sell it, so other parents can get a good deal, while keeping their children safe.
I adore the preloved buy and sell market, because it’s so good for the environment, BUT car seats are tricky and I recommend parents be highly cautious. Ask lots of questions, when buying a preloved car seat.
Has this ever been in an accident – even a minor one?
Even minor accidents can dislodge important car seat parts, that aren’t immediately visible externally. Car seats that were present in any type of crash, no matter how minor, should never be used again.
How was it stored?
Car seats should be in climate controlled storage – must not be humid or warm, and must have fresh circulating fresh
Are all parts are complete and good working order?
Check for the manual online and compare to see if parts are complete. Better yet, when you view the car seat, print out and bring the manual so you can compare.
Is it a recalled model?
See list of recalls here
When is it expiring?
Expired plastic is brittle and can give a false sense of security. Average expiration is 6 years after MANUFACTURING DATE, not date of purchase.
HOW TO CHECK CAR SEAT EXPIRATION?
Simply google “(BRAND NAME) car seat + expiration” to get instructions. In the screenshot below I googled GRACO CAR SEAT EXPIRATION and I got so much information, from the brand itself and youtube videos. However some really high quality car seats are good up to 10 years. Do your research.
WHAT TO DO WITH EXPIRED CAR SEATS?
If you can’t recycle the car seat, cut the straps, remove any foam and padding from the shell, then write with permanent marker in big bold letters
“THIS CAR SEAT IS NOT SAFE TO USE, IT’S EXPIRED. ”
Never throw an expired car seat whole, coz someone might pick it up and use it. For more complete instructions and answer you may have about preloved car seats and how to safely buy them, head over to http://thecarseatlady.com/used-and-borrowed-car-seats/. All this useful info is care of her super informative website.
Please do share this post with other parents who are thinking of disposing of a car seat OR buying one second hand. It could save a life!
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