If you have done with your baby car seat but do not want to waste it, then you must be thinking that what to do with old car seats?
A lot of things that you can do with your old car seats depending upon their physical condition and expiration date.
There are 2 possible ways to use old car sets:
- Recycle it if get expired
- Donate it if it is not expired but not in your use
Based on its present condition, you will decide what to do with it.
Table of Contents
What to Do With Old Car Seats?
Do you want to get rid of an old car seat but don’t know what to do with old car seats?
Although old and useless for you but still can be reused and donated if it is in a good state and it would not be harmful to the user in any condition.
PS: To be honest, we don’t recommend using an already used car seat because we cannot be 100% sure that it would be as safe as a new car seat or not.
However, if an old car seat doesn’t have the following faults, it can be reused:
What to do with old car seats if It’s not torn:
A torn car seat means that its most essential parts like the reclining headrest, metal parts, canopy, etc. cannot be utilized by the user.
The best way to get rid of such a type of car seat is to give it to the companies which recycle car seats.
It’s not expired:
An expired car seat is the obvious indicator of its uselessness. It can never be recommended to either donate or reuse it by your relatives or family members.
The reason behind mentioning the expiry dates is that their parts are no longer guaranteed the same function and security as they were when at the time of manufacture.
It hasn’t been in an accident:
Either your car seat never met any serious accident, still, the minor accidents and the frequent use of it could make it unsafe for the next user. Some car seat manufacturers have the replacement option after it gets broken or injured in a car crash.
Its harness system is functional:
A harness system is a basic system in any car seat that is going to protect your child in it. If it is not as secure as a new car seat would have, it will make the whole car seat useless.
In such a situation, you may have 2 options: you can either replace the harness system with a new one, or you can donate it to the companies willing to take and recycle the old car seats.
Related: Car Seat Weight Chart
What to Do with An Expired Car Seat?
Because baby car seats are made up of petroleum-based plastic that is degradable. All best car seat brands have car seat expiration period after or between 6-10 years. Once your car seat gets expired, you can still take benefit from it.
Before talking about what to do with an expired car seat, we will learn how to check your car seat expiry date?
How to check if your car seat is expired?
How to check whether your car seat is expired or not? For most companies, the expiry date is mentioned on the car seat back or on the side of the frame.
Generally, the car seat expires in between 6-10 years of their manufacture date, for example, Britax Car Seat Expiry lies between 8-10 years of its manufacturing date. If a car seat is expired, it should not be used and donated to someone else for use.
1. You can Trade-in:
There are many online stores which used to organize trade-in events. One of the most famous ones is “Walmart.com, ebay.com, and Target.com”. It offers 20% off on new baby car seats, strollers, etc. Its famous events include:
- Target car seat recycling 2020
- Target donate car seat
- Target car seat recycle program
- Target plastics salem oregon
- target car seat donation
2. You can donate it:
If you sincerely feel that your child’s car seat is in an excellent position and by donating t you are not compromising anyone else child’s life, you must donate it.
Following are the places where can you donate car seats:
- Church Organizations
- Women’s Shelters
- Local Charities
- Local CPSTs
3. Recycle it through proper Recycling Protocol:
What to do with old car seats when you cannot trade-in or donate it?
Recycle your old car seats when you do not have the above two options. Recycling is a healthy practice that benefits our environment too.
To give it for recycling, you can contact your nearest recycling plant. Some will agree to take the whole car seat while others will demand its frame only. For that, you will have to follow the proper trash protocol i.e.:
- Remove or cut all extra padding and foam
- Mark the car seat as “expired” or “unusable”
- Separate all metal parts of car seat
Conclusion
If you do not want to keep your child’s used car seat to get it rusted, then what to do with old car seats?
The best way is to either donate it to the recycling or charity companies or gift it to your relatives or friends if it is in very good condition.
It is for the receivers of old car seats that you should take extra care of and make sure that the cars eat you are using is not expired and 100% safe for your child.
Note: If the old car seat bothers you or your child even a little bit, you should obviously not use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best car seats for older child?
For children of age 4-10 years, convertible or booster car seats i.e. Exec Booster Car Seat by Nuna, Graco Tranzitions 3-in-1 Harness Booster Seat, and Chicco MyFit Zip Air 2-in-1 Harness + Booster Car Seat, are among the best sellers for older children.
What to do with old car seats?
If your old car seat is not expired or broken, you can either donate it, sell it on online stores, or recycle it.
Does your car seat is expired?
The baby car seats generally expire between 6-10 years of their manufacture date. Check your car seat expiry date on a white label glued either on the back or right side of the frame.
Where to sell used strollers?
There are several reputable online stores that buy and sell baby strollers, e.g. Target.com, ebay.com, and Goodbuygear.com. threadUP.com, etc. You can post an online ad if you want to sell your used stroller.
Where to donate baby strollers?
You can donate your baby stroller to either the local charity organizations or online stores e.g. babygoround.com, etc.
Does target take old car seats?
Yes, Target takes old car seats, new baby car seats, and strollers too.
Where to sell old school car seats?
There are several online stores that are functional for receiving old-school car seats. A few of them are ebay.com, Alibab.com, Target.com, etc.
Where to find a used booster car seat for sale?
You can find a used booster car seat on many well-reputed online stores e.g. ebay.com, target.com, carseatlady.com, and Walmart.com, etc.
