So here’s the deal… I thought these seat rails were bad because of crumbs and snacks falling into them. But then my kid decided to throw up and aim right for them. I haven’t been this angry in a while. We were stuck in a 14-hour road trip with four kids under 9, and just when we thought we were going to get the sick one out of the car… well, you can guess what happened. Thankfully, I bought a vacuum for $20 before we left, and it helped clean up most (not all) of the vomit. We’re definitely tossing that vacuum after this trip and thanking it for its service.
@EvansBrown
Oh man. That sounds rough.
@EvansBrown
I love that you thanked the vacuum for its service. Classic move.
@EvansBrown
I feel for you, but we had a similar issue. We ended up buying a steam cleaner from Harbor Freight. I aimed the steamer into the track and used a shop vac to collect the debris. It worked pretty well and helped get rid of the smell a bit faster.
This is exactly why we travel with barf bags and all-weather mats. We’ve got a couple of kids who get motion sick, so they always have a barf bag with them, just in case.
Time for those all-weather mats.
I’ve been through something similar, and you’ll get through it. I had to deal with vomit and pee in the car seat while stuck on the busy NYS Thruway one Sunday evening. It doesn’t get easier, trust me. My tip for cleaning up the mess after kids leave candy wrappers, lollipop sticks, and trash behind is using an electric leaf blower. I open all the doors of my car and blow everything out. If it’s not nailed down, it’s gone. Then I can vacuum properly like a civilized dad.
@OptimaEnthusiast
Haha, I never thought about using a blower. I’m about to take the seat track out to clean all the vomit from the tiny holes that are impossible to reach.
@OptimaEnthusiast
Where do you aim the blower when using it? Do you point it towards the open trunk?
MatthewGonzalez said:
@OptimaEnthusiast
Where do you aim the blower when using it? Do you point it towards the open trunk?
If I’m cleaning the second row, I stand on one side and blow it out the other. It’s like the stuff just wants to go out the door. If I’m cleaning the third row, I keep the trunk open. If you hit the floor mats just right, they’ll flap, and you can blow debris out from under them too. Found a few hidden Skittles that way.
Don’t forget to grab some motion sickness meds. Our doctor actually recommends Benadryl. I know how painful it is—especially when we were driving through the boot hills of Missouri with two sick kids. Glad the vacuum helped out for you though. Good luck with the rest of your trip.
Update: I got the seat track out and there was so much junk in there. I sprayed it down with water, blew it dry with a blower, and then put it back. I wish I could share pictures, but I can’t figure out how to do it from my phone’s browser. Thanks for all the support and suggestions!
I got the weather mats, but the rails are still uncovered. Any ideas on how to cover the rails?
Sadie said:
I got the weather mats, but the rails are still uncovered. Any ideas on how to cover the rails?
I have the same issue. My mats are coming in a week, and I’m doing my best to keep these carpet mats clean until then. It’s definitely not easy.
@MatthewGonzalez
I’ve read people using scotch tape, but I don’t think that’s the real solution.
Sadie said:
@MatthewGonzalez
I’ve read people using scotch tape, but I don’t think that’s the real solution.
You could try covering the open rails with 2" black gaffer tape. It’s a bit pricey, but it sticks well and comes off without leaving residue.
Here are some ideas for floor mats and rail covers.
Stella said:
Here are some ideas for floor mats and rail covers. [link to image gallery]
What’s the fourth image? It looks like the mats are just regular all-weather mats, but what’s covering the rails?
@MatthewGonzalez
Those are rail covers like these. Trim them to fit.