Children are notorious for making messes especially when sitting in their car seat.  And if you're planning on reusing a car seat for another child keeping it manageably clean is a must.  This easy wash children’s car seat cover by Niko is a great option for protecting the car seat from unwanted dirt, mud, food, diaper blowouts, barf, mold, germs, and the occasional potty training accident.  Retailing for $39.00 and fits most toddler upright car seats, this product is complete in itself.  It is really easy to use, simple to take on and off in just seconds, as well as having a waterproof lining on the seat bottom.  There are four pockets for storing toys, food, drinks, pacifiers or anything else a child may need, as well as an opening for allowing a cup holder to hold any type of cup.  The super soft fabric makes any child feel cozy and is completely machine washable.

This product is intended to be used for car seats that are in an upright position, and for children who are toddler thru preschool age.  Type of car seat or car makes no difference when using this car seat, as this is a very versatile product and can be used virtually anywhere.  

After taking it out of the bag I had this cover fitted onto our car seat in less than a minute.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to install, and when testing it out with our eighteen-month-old she seemed to approve with a rather big smile.  It makes the car seat very cozy for her, as well as being able to access the pockets to find her pacifier, drink, and toys is a bonus.  This cover makes for very easy clean-up with food collecting on the sides of her, and when she is removed from the car seat we can easily discard any leftover snacks.

A few aspects about this cover that I feel need improvement.  One being it does not fit completely tight on the car seat, so there is leftover fabric that can get bunched up making it difficult to strap the child in after awhile.  Another aspect is the fabric, which is made out of polyester, spandex, and rayon, and unfortunately these materials are not breathable causing the child to sweat even when the air conditioner is on in the car.  An important fact I did read on the Niko website is that this fabric is free of any flame-retardant chemicals, which I was very surprised because the testing performed on this product met durability and flammability requirements.  Another aspect, which is a personal choice, is where the product is made, and this cover was made in China.  

Even though this product is an ingenious invention, the lack of breathable fabric material and where the product is made deters me greatly. On the plus side, per the website, “the NIKO Children's Car Seat Cover has undergone extensive safety crash testing by Calspan Laboratory to ensure it does not interfere in any way with the safety features of the seat.”

It is imperative to keep areas that children frequent often, such as car seats, clean. Using an easy wash children’s car seat cover by Niko is great way to do that!

-Product review by Pam Havens, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, September, 2018