Water broke in car. Washing Car seats? Help!

[Yaribeth]

I was escorting a very pregnant family member around town when her water broke in my car (front seat passenger). It wasn't pretty at all. I can't afford to reupholster at this time so I want to know how to wash the interior car seats. I don't want to take it to a car wash because they'll have to use the same equipment to clean someone else's car. I plan on disposing whatever I use to clean it.


P.S. Where can I find some nice car seat covers to avoid this in the future? I tried some sites but apparently there were none for 2007 sedan. Is the interior for 2008-2009 the same as 2007?

[tomato]

Sorry, I don't know, that's a tough one! :frown:

Have you thought of asking people at the hospital? This must happen all the time and they may have some ideas as to what to use in the immediate future, until you get the car professionally cleaned.

:iono:

[supmet]

^^ I would talk to a hospital cleaning crew for sure. If they aren't helpful you could probably look in the phone book for a midwife and ask them?? You probably need a specialized cleaner that breaks down enzymes and proteins, followed by a thorough steam cleaning.

[KCALB SIRAY]

Yeah, I ask the hospital what cleaning items to use, as you don't want a potential bio-hazard zone growing in your car. If not

http://www.llr.state.sc.us/images/matches3.jpg

[YarisSedan]

The car seat is very simple enough to remove. Just 4 basic bolts. You can rent a shampoo carpet cleaner from lot of places now like safeway i think only like 15 bucks or some small amount for the day. Shampoo the entire thing.. YOu can also use it to shampoo around the carpet area of the seat since now it is out. The carpet machine has a suction portion where it sucks out all the water after its done shampooing. Then set the seat out int he sun to dry all day. Once you are done with that purchase febreeze antimicrobial for fabrics. And spray down the entire car seat till it is slightly damp. once it drys all smells will be gone and should look as good as new again. Hope this helps.

If that seems like too much work for you, there are many places that shampoo and detail your interior for you. But they charge about 100 dollars.

Yellopages.com type in auto shampoo or detail something of that manner and enter in your zip code it will find locations closest to you.

[YarisSedan]

"P.S. Where can I find some nice car seat covers to avoid this in the future? I tried some sites but apparently there were none for 2007 sedan. Is the interior for 2008-2009 the same as 2"

I mean do you expect to have womens water breaking in your car more times in the future????

[Yaribeth]

Thank you all for the advice. I'm going to try the hospital first if that doesn't help. I guess I'm shelling out for professionals.

[Yaribeth]

"I mean do you expect to have womens water breaking in your car more times in the future????

Well, sorta. All of my family lives in the islands and they usually come to live with me when they're due:tongue:. This is the first car incident though. But it's just so I don't have to go through a big hassle of cleaning the seats, just the covers.

[Yaribeth]

The car seat is very simple enough to remove. Just 4 basic bolts....

You wouldn't happen to have a video would you?

[CTScott]

At least it was just the amniotic fluid, as opposed to her actually giving birth in the Yaris.

Amniotic fluid contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and phospholipids, urea and electrolytes, so a product used for cleaning dog/cat urine off carpet would be a good option.

Getting the moisture out is key as well. When I accidentally leave a window down on one of my cars during a rain storm, I put a household dehumidifier in the car and run it overnight to remove as much moisture as possible.

[CTScott]

Here are some excerpts from a hospital infection control manual:

PROTECTION AGAINST INFECTION WITH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUSES, HEPATITIS B AND C AND OTHER BLOOD BORNE VIRUSES

1 The blood-borne viruses (BBV) can be transferred from one person to another and give rise to infection in the recipient.

The following in addition to blood may present a risk:
• Cerebrospinal fluid
• Pleural fluid
• Breast milk
• Amniotic fluid
• Vaginal secretions
• All unfixed tissues, organs and parts of bodies
• Peritoneal fluid
• Pericardial fluid
• Synovial fluid
• Semen
• Any other body fluid containing visible blood

.
.
.

Carpets and upholstery

30 Where there are likely to be blood or body fluid spills, carpets and soft furnishings should be avoided as they will be damaged by most chemical disinfectants suitable for routine use. Washable chair covers should be considered if necessary.

31 If contamination does occur, detergent cleaning should be followed by steam cleaning (carpets) or laundering or dry cleaning and hot pressing (curtains, loose covers, etc). Failing this, it will be necessary to incinerate soft furnishings if there are grounds for believing that the contaminating material is infectious.

[Altitude]

Take this as an opportunity to develop and market 'Preggers' like Pampers only for women with child.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure as they say.

[tomato]

At least it was just the amniotic fluid, as opposed to her actually giving birth in the Yaris.
.

Good point! :)

And I hope the delivery was succesful and the baby and mom are healthy!

[HTM Yaris]

Unless she has one of the blood borne viruses , the amniotic fluid is sterile . A simple can of carpet cleaner will suffice .

[firebob]

Like HTM Yaris said you should be fine unless she was sick. But I think you should get a stack of old beach towels and a trash bag or 5 for the next one.

One a side note you might want to carry your catchers mitt and something to tie off the cord just in case.

Edit
I forgot about the seat covers…

I’m not sure about the 07 and side air bag’s but if you do not have then you can get them off eBay or even an auto parts store. But if you have the side air bags and use a seat cover your asking for the airbag to deploy in an unexpected way and could kill someone.

[supmet]

Unless she has one of the blood borne viruses , the amniotic fluid is sterile . A simple can of carpet cleaner will suffice .

Urine is sterile, and carpet cleaner won't do anything.

[Split]

no offense to anyone, but am i the only one that finds this pretty gross?

[wiirenet]

Eweweweweweww! If I was pregnant and due soon I would just sit in the bathtub or something lol. I would have some courtesy for the cars or houses I might.. uh, dirty. Ew.. never having kids though..... and no offense to anyone, just agreeing with the above post lol. Ew!

[MadMax]

Wow, I guess some people live sheltered lives if they have never been exposed to bodily fluids like this. Sure, no one wants it to happen; but it is natural after all.

Personally, I would opt for a professional cleaning. I've worked in a hospital and have seen these kinds of "spills" before. I wouldn't expect the hospital janitorial staff to know how to deal with a car upholstery; I would go to someone who specializes in that. Most likely they’ve cleaned up vomit out of cars, and if they can get rid of that, they can get rid of embryonic fluid!

And congrats on the new addition to the extended family! Are you the aunt or what?

Cheers! M2

[tomato]

Eweweweweweww! If I was pregnant and due soon I would just sit in the bathtub or something lol. I would have some courtesy for the cars or houses I might.. uh, dirty. . Ew!

:bellyroll:

Er... you do know that pregnant women can give birth anytime, and that the delivery date is just an estimated date, right? :wink:

The thought of having all pregnant women sit in a bathtub for the last 2 months of their pregnancy "just in case" made me laugh so hard, thanks for that, I really needed the laugh today :biggrin:

(I'm just messing with you, don't worry :smile:)

[wiirenet]

Haha I know I know. I'm sure many pregnant women would love if there was a set date the baby popped out right? Still, I can't help feeling if I was present at a waterbreak there would be much ewing involved. Especially is it was MY baby, my car. Poor car!

[SilverBack]

That's it, I'm off these forums for good :barf:

[eTiMaGo]

lol, were you guys never born? just dropped on the doorstep by a stork?

[AlexNet0]

lol, i find nothing gross about this thread.

[auxmike]

Can't lie, I'd throw that seat out. Rather sit on a milk crate instead.
Yeah, that is pretty goss.....:barf:
Glad mother and child are doing well though....:thumbup:

[CTScott]

I think I'd rather have amniotic fluid on my seat than service dude sweat and BO...

[tomato]

lol, were you guys never born? just dropped on the doorstep by a stork?

:bellyroll:

Well, yeah, actually, that's what my parents told me! :wink:

[jlbm2004]

hey I am new here and I just stumbled across this site. I clean carpets for my summer job, and I get quite a few blood/bodily fluid stains. An experienced carpet cleaner/upholstery cleaner will know what to do. A peroxide base cleaner seems to work best. And as others had said it will cost you some money, but it should be clean when all is done. I would also ask if they guarantee their work..just an idea.

[CtrlAltDefeat]

hey I am new here and I just stumbled across this site. I clean carpets for my summer job, and I get quite a few blood/bodily fluid stains. An experienced carpet cleaner/upholstery cleaner will know what to do. A peroxide base cleaner seems to work best. And as others had said it will cost you some money, but it should be clean when all is done. I would also ask if they guarantee their work..just an idea.

Wouldn't the peroxide bleach the black fabric? As far as the rest it wouldn't bother me at all to sit in it after it was cleaned... I'm sure I've touched worse having dogs and cats around and a child who gets sick sometimes... (oh yea not to mention the few times I've slept in sleazy motels... God knows what's in those mattresses :barf:)

[jlbm2004]

Wouldn't the peroxide bleach the black fabric? As far as the rest it wouldn't bother me at all to sit in it after it was cleaned... I'm sure I've touched worse having dogs and cats around and a child who gets sick sometimes... (oh yea not to mention the few times I've slept it sleazy motels... God knows what's in those mattresses :barf:)

Haha...ya mattresses can be bad. No, peroxide based cleaners normally dont bleach fabrics, but it is important to test it first in an inconspicuous spot. I use simple hydrogen peroxide to get blood out of my clothes, but then again it gets rinsed quickly and I only normally do it on white clothes. As for the Yaris I have never tested peroxide cleaners. But I have cleaned other cars with a strong 2 stage cleaner called "stain-magic". It works on biological stains/organic stains really well such as blood.

[blktiger60]

It might be prudent, although probably a bit off putting for the female, to put a large bath towel down for her to sit on if she's that close to term.

If you had a $5000 leather sofa would you not do that for it ?
Seriously, when the kids come in from running thru the sprinkler what do you tell them ? And thats just plain ole clean water.