In one case your child has hit the maximum height or weight for her current car seat (whichever comes first), information technology's time for a new one. A seat that's likewise small won't adequately protect her in the effect of a crash.

But that'due south non the only reason why you might demand to swap out her seat at some point or another. You may as well demand to upgrade or replace a car seat if it's expired, has been recalled, is damaged or has been in a crash. Or, mayhap you lot simply don't like your current car seat! A auto seat is i of the well-nigh important pieces of baby and toddler gear y'all'll own, so if yours doesn't work for your family and lifestyle, trying something different could make car trips a little easier.

Whatever the reason, when the 24-hour interval comes to upgrade your model, you lot'll have to decide what to practise with your child'south onetime auto seat.

What should you do with quondam or expired auto seats?

Finding a new dwelling for items similar babe clothes and toys is pretty easy. (The real problem is etching out the fourth dimension to round everything up!)

But getting rid of a used car seat safely and responsibly isn't commonly every bit simple as dropping it in a donation bin or leaving it on the adjourn with the trash. Hither's a look at your options.

Auto seat trade-in programs

Big-box stores including Target or Walmart volition take an one-time machine seat off your hands, and in exchange, offer you gift cards or shop credit that can be put towards a new car seat or other baby gear.

These programs only run periodically for limited times each year, so check the store's website or call your local outpost to find out when their next trade-in event is happening.

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Recycle it

Some city recycling programs or local recycling plants may have used or expired car seats, but call to confirm before dropping yours off. If your seat is recyclable, you'll likely have to have off the seat cover and harness to go far easier for the plant to dismantle the plastic and metal pieces.

Car seats not recyclable in your area? Mail-in programs are some other option. You can order a machine seat recycling kit from CarSeatRecycling.com, or try TerraCycle's Baby Gear Zero Waste Box, which allows parents to send in a box filled with most used baby gear items for recycling, including motorcar seats. In both cases, y'all'll take to pay to receive a recycling kit or box and take the car seat shipped out.

What to do if yous can't recycle it

It's possible to dispose of seats that can't exist reused or in situations where recycling isn't feasible. But you lot'll need to take steps to ensure that the auto seat isn't usable if it happened to be pulled out of a dumpster or trash tin can, since the seat may be unsafe.

There's no one right way to practice this, but ultimately, your goal should be to dismantle the car seat to the indicate where a infant or kid couldn't ride in it. Take out the seat cover, cutting off the straps, or even utilise a hammer or mallet to nail the seat shell (it could be a fun stress reliever!). Use a permanent marker to write "Do Non USE," "EXPIRED" or something forth those lines to point that the seat should be off limits.

It might seem a piddling farthermost, but it'southward worth making sure that a baby or toddler doesn't finish upward in an unsafe seat.

Can you reuse an old automobile seat?

You can salve a car seat for a younger sibling or pass it on to another family unit if information technology isn't expired, damaged, recalled or missing whatsoever of its original parts. Before reusing the seat or giving information technology abroad, e'er exist certain to:

  • Check the expiration date. Just like food and medicines, car seats have expiration dates. The plastic used to brand seats tin can degrade over time and become brittle, potentially making the seat less effective. To observe the expiration date, cheque the seat'southward label or the manufacturer instructions (or if yous tin't observe the engagement, give the manufacturer a telephone call). When in doubt, use six years from the manufacture appointment, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says.
  • Make sure information technology hasn't been recalled. Recalled seats have defects that have been adamant to be unsafe, and so if your seat is affected by a recollect, stop using it right abroad and follow the manufacturer'southward instructions for repairing or replacing the seat (and don't pass it downwards to another family). You can find the latest recalls at NHTSA.gov/recalls, or sign upward for recollect alerts on your phone. Confirm, too, that the seat yet has a label with the date of industry and model number, which allows the next user to bank check for future recalls.
  • Inspect it. Hand-me-down automobile seats should exist in fantabulous condition. We're not talking about stubborn juice or yogurt stains, of course. But if you notice any cracking in the plastic or other signs of clothing and tear, get rid of it ASAP. Both indicate that the seat might not provide acceptable protection in the result of a crash. Audit the seat for visible cracks or missing parts, as well. If the seat has either, it's no longer usable.
  • Ostend that it hasn't been in a crash. If it has, it should be discarded. Moderate and astringent crashes can damage the structure and integrity of a car seat, meaning it may not provide enough protection in the event of another crash. According to the AAP, seats that have been in a pocket-size crash — the car could exist driven away, no one was injured, the airbags didn't go off, the door closest to the car seat wasn't damaged and in that location was no visible impairment to the automobile seat — may withal exist usable, but ask a Child Rider Safety Technician (CPST) if yous're unsure.
  • Pass along the manual. Finally, make certain to share a copy of the seat'southward instruction transmission and so the next user can install it correctly. If y'all don't have the original manual, see if you can download a copy on the manufacturer's website.

Getting rid of a used car seat can take a little bit of planning. Only if the extra endeavor keeps other pint-sized passengers protected, it'due south well worth it.