I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Recently we went to a kids birthday party. The mother fed her DD in the regular high chair. When she was done she said food was ready. She said we could use the high chair , she took off the top tray that her DD was eating on and moved it to where we were sitting. I am usually particular about stuff like that and like to use our own. I didn’t want to be rude and said was she sure that no one else needed it because we have our seat in the car. She stated no. We got food and came back and felt funny not using the high chair that she was offering. We took one look at it the tray was filthy. DH wiped it all down with wipes. As I put DS in the seat I could see the FILTH!!! The seat was covered in pieces of dried food, dried caked on food in all the creases, on the straps, along the tray, it had a toy, kind of like on the Rainforest Jumperoo with the rubber stick and a toy on the end and it kind of hangs over the side, it was caked with food and had dust and fur stuck to it. It was disgusting. We put DS in it for a minute and he stated to whine (THANK GOD!) so we took him out and fed him on our laps.

First off, we couldn’t believe that she offered us to use this high chair as dirty as it was, how are you not embarrassed. Secondly, we couldn’t believe she even leaves it that dirty and lets her DD eat in it. It was definitely not cleaned or thoroughly cleaned in MONTHS.

DSs high chair is cleaned after every meal and snack. We clean the tray with soap and water and spray the seat (which is vinyl) with fantastic and wipe it down. The top tray is put in the dishwasher EVERY night.

So I’m just wondering, do you keep your high chair clean or is it dirty and would you offer it to someone to use if it was dirty?

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I wipe down the tray- or wash it down in the sink with hot, soapy water- depending how messy the meal was.

I will wipe the sides/arms if I see any food on it.

Sometimes I find crumbs, food, etc in the seat or under the seat cover later though- stuff I missed

Most of the time my DD is screaming to get out of the chair after eating so I just grab her, take off her bib, wipe HER down and that's it.
I don't go giving the chair a total scrub down in every nook, cranny and crevice after every meal. Plus the seat is fabric so it has to be removed and washed...you can't really spray it or get it too wet.

The straps tend to get messy too- and I try to wipe them down now and then but some of the food leaves stains and I can't get the stains out. (ex: red sauce, orange veges) It's not like I can throw the straps in the wash either.

As long as her tray is clean and sterile, I feel I am doing ok!

ETA- BUT if I knew I was having a party and going to be offering use of the high chair to others I would have made sure it was scrubbed down and spotless!
I'd be too embarrased not to!!

Message edited 8/22/2011 11:54:16 AM.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I keep mine spotless, I actually got ride of my regular high chair and got the Keekaroo wooden one because there's no cracks or crevices and it's easy to clean. I think a dirty high chair is disgusting

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I'm somewhere between you and your friend- I don't clean it after every meal but I do at least 1-2 x a week- we are still on purees though so that may be why too- it doesnt get that messy

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

It gets a good wipe down after every meal or snack but I only do a thorough cleaning 1x a day. Usually after I put DD to bed. I'll clean the tray in the sink, get anything out stuck in the crevices, take off the seat pad(s) and get in the nooks and crannies. Thankfully our high chair is pretty easy to clean (vinyl seat pad and pads come off very easily).

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Don't come to my house!

DH gets on my case about this all the time.

Our high clairs are always dirty, especially now that I am trying to get the boys to use utensils.

We clean the trays after each meal and I use a paper towel to wipe out the crumbs.

Once I week, I put the cover and straps in the washing machine.

The straps are constantly filthy. I just don't have time or energy to do a more thorough cleaning.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

The tray part is cleaned daily. We wipe it down with clorox wipes and/or rinse it in the sink. We also run it through the dishwasher. I should do it more but probably 1-2x per week.

We wipe down the chair and seat when we see food and crmbs. I admit there are a few days we miss it if we are in a rush or busy catering to #2. I think the seat is gross and clean it.

I cant believe she offered it to you in that condition. That is really gross.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I always wipe it down with wipes after each use, but only give it a good cleaning maybe once a week.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I used to clean the tray after every meal because my kids always made a mess. The seat I always wiped down with a clorox wipe. If my high chair was clean and I offered it to someone I would try and wipe it down one more time with a wipe.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

that sounds gross!

I am not a clean freak by any means, and I take the tray off and clean it after every meal, wipe down the rest of it everyday..it's vinyl, so it's easy. I purposely got vinyl for easy cleaning.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I wipe it down after every meal, spray and all. In the end it will keep it cleaner longer.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

We keep it pretty clean. We wash the tray or the tray cover after every meal (since DS makes a mess).

I wipe down the rest of the high chair as well but, like a pp said - sometimes I miss some crumbs.

We removed the straps because DS used to be a good sitter so we don't have to worry about them getting nasty but, now he likes to climb out.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

The tray is cleaned after every meal (or before she uses it again )

I try to wipe down the seat itself (I never use the cover anymore) as often as possible- but I feel like it needs a good powerwashing.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Wow I'm glad I read first before clicking. To me clean is not just the tray but the padding and under the padding in between the joints and the legs and rollers. So I was gonna say "monthly"


When AJ used her highchair we had a semi transparent try on top of a white base tray. she NEVER ate off the white part. hahaha the top part comes off and is dishwasher safe. We washed that each and every time she ate. Once she got old enough to figure out the bottom tray area was accessable with little holes to shove food down then we washed that area with soap and water, before that it was a wipe until the monthly clean. The padded area was vacuumed as needed. By that I mean if it had crumbs or if we fed her stuff I thought would be crumby then it got vacuumed.

I dont like to sit on crumbs why would she? I would ate to sit and eat at a sticky table, why would she? haha

Now once a month that thing got taken apart completely, padding was washed toothpicks were brought out to get anything that somehow crept into the cracks and joints (cheerios were notorious). The legs and rollers were wiped down and it was sat outside to dry.

If I had guest coming over, regardless if they had kids who could use the hairchair or not.. that is just disgusting to even show to people! ick.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I get so skeeved out by a dirty high chair.

I wash the tray under the sink after every use. I brush out the crumbs/food bits out of the seat area as well.

Once a week the cover gets thrown into the wash. The straps to one of my portable ones got dirty this weekend (DS put them in his mouth while he was eating pasta ). I have to figure out of to get them off so I can wash them. They look horrible!!

I would NEVER offer the chair in the conditions that you were offered. However, I know a few people who keep their chairs like that...thats why we keep a portable one in our trunk. No execuse.

ETS: We don't have full size high chairs. Both are portable ones that strap onto chairs, so there are not so many crevices or tight spots food can get into.

Message edited 8/22/2011 12:19:15 PM.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

I have been disgusted by my own high chair, because my DH will feed my DS in it and not notice the yuck.

But that was in my last apartment, where the kitchen was small and off to the side so I could come and go without ever setting foot in there. (the kids ate in the dining room or living room, and DH would put the highchair away when they were done).

In our new house that doesn't happen because the kitchen is centrally located so I'm always in there. I wipe down DS's booster seat daily with clorox wipes. He's such a messy little boy the whole kitchen needs to be cleaned after he eats a meal.

I would NEVER offer a filthy highchair to someone EVER. I scrub my house like a lunatic before anyone comes over, especially the kids' gear.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Our dog cleans it after every meal!

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

Blech I would never let anyone else use it the way you described! And I'm not germophobic at all, but that is GROSS!

I was spending SO much time cleaning DS's high chair, tray, seat, legs, wheels yaddayadda, after every meal I suspected there just had to be a better way.

It dawned on me that my handy dandy steam cleaner would be the PERFECT tool for getting rid of the crud!!! It worked great on the highchair, I would just powersteam all the nooks and crannies, and wash the tray and seat cover separately.

Plus I liked that I wasn't pouring chemicals all over the seat/tray/arms etc. If you have a steam cleaner thing I highly recommend it

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

the tray gets wiped down after every meal and crumbs dustbusted in the chair / outside area if he makes a mess after each meal as needed. I give it a thorough scrub down though once a week.

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

EVERY meal/snack!
I have the FP healthy high chair, so the insert to the tray comes off. That gets washed, along with their plastic bibs.

Anything on tray base, seat, etc gets sprayed down with a vinegar:water mixture I have.

I can also wash the straps and cushion....but luckily DD2 is not a very messy eatter

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

oh HELLL NOO!!

yes, we cleaned his high chair and his booster seat pretty much after every meal.

that is so frigging gross and unsanitary, the situation you described

Re: I have to know... Do you keep your high chair clean? (POLL)

that's just gross.

I feel like a filthy animal if I wake up and see crusted food on my daughter's booster seat because I forgot to clean it after dinner.


Booster seat & high chair are cleaned after every meal.