Once your child has hit the maximum height or weight for her current auto seat (whichever comes first), information technology's time for a new one. A seat that'south too small won't adequately protect her in the upshot of a crash.

But that'south not the but reason why you might demand to swap out her seat at some point or another. You may also need to upgrade or replace a machine seat if it'south expired, has been recalled, is damaged or has been in a crash. Or, possibly you merely don't like your current car seat! A machine seat is one of the most important pieces of baby and toddler gear you'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 solar day comes to upgrade your model, you'll have to determine what to do with your child'due south erstwhile car seat.

What should you do with old or expired car seats?

Finding a new home for items like baby clothes and toys is pretty easy. (The existent problem is carving out the time to round everything upwardly!)

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

Automobile seat trade-in programs

Big-box stores including Target or Walmart will take an old car seat off your easily, and in exchange, offer you souvenir cards or shop credit that can be put towards a new machine seat or other baby gear.

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

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Recycle information technology

Some city recycling programs or local recycling plants may accept used or expired motorcar seats, but call to confirm before dropping yours off. If your seat is recyclable, y'all'll likely take to accept off the seat embrace and harness to arrive easier for the establish to dismantle the plastic and metallic pieces.

Car seats not recyclable in your area? Post-in programs are another option. Yous tin order a car seat recycling kit from CarSeatRecycling.com, or effort TerraCycle's Baby Gear Zip Waste Box, which allows parents to ship in a box filled with most used baby gear items for recycling, including car seats. In both cases, y'all'll have to pay to receive a recycling kit or box and accept the car seat shipped out.

What to exercise if yous can't recycle it

It'south possible to dispose of seats that tin can't be reused or in situations where recycling isn't viable. Only y'all'll demand to take steps to ensure that the machine seat isn't usable if it happened to exist pulled out of a dumpster or trash can, since the seat may be unsafe.

There's no i right way to do this, just ultimately, your goal should be to dismantle the car seat to the point where a baby or child couldn't ride in it. Take out the seat encompass, cut off the straps, or even use a hammer or mallet to smash the seat shell (information technology could be a fun stress reliever!). Use a permanent marker to write "Do Non Employ," "EXPIRED" or something along those lines to indicate that the seat should be off limits.

It might seem a little extreme, only it'south worth making sure that a infant or toddler doesn't end upwards in an unsafe seat.

Tin you reuse an sometime car seat?

You lot can salve a car seat for a younger sibling or laissez passer information technology on to another family if it isn't expired, damaged, recalled or missing whatever of its original parts. Before reusing the seat or giving it abroad, always be certain to:

  • Cheque the expiration date. Just like food and medicines, auto seats accept expiration dates. The plastic used to brand seats can degrade over fourth dimension and get breakable, potentially making the seat less effective. To find the expiration date, check the seat's characterization or the manufacturer instructions (or if y'all can't find the date, give the manufacturer a call). When in doubt, use half dozen years from the industry date, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says.
  • Brand sure information technology hasn't been recalled. Recalled seats have defects that have been determined to be unsafe, so if your seat is affected past a remember, stop using information technology correct away and follow the manufacturer's instructions for repairing or replacing the seat (and don't laissez passer it down to another family). You can detect the latest recalls at NHTSA.gov/recalls, or sign up for recall alerts on your phone. Confirm, too, that the seat still has a characterization with the date of manufacture and model number, which allows the next user to check for future recalls.
  • Inspect information technology. Manus-me-down car seats should be in first-class condition. We're not talking about stubborn juice or yogurt stains, of form. But if yous notice any groovy in the plastic or other signs of article of clothing and tear, get rid of it ASAP. Both signal that the seat might not provide adequate protection in the event of a crash. Audit the seat for visible cracks or missing parts, too. If the seat has either, it'southward no longer usable.
  • Ostend that information technology hasn't been in a crash. If it has, it should be discarded. Moderate and severe crashes tin damage the structure and integrity of a auto seat, pregnant it may not provide enough protection in the event of another crash. Co-ordinate to the AAP, seats that have been in a modest crash — the machine could be driven away, no one was injured, the airbags didn't get off, the door closest to the car seat wasn't damaged and there was no visible damage to the car seat — may withal be usable, but ask a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) if y'all're unsure.
  • Laissez passer along the transmission. Finally, make sure to share a copy of the seat'southward instruction transmission then the next user can install it correctly. If you don't take the original manual, see if y'all can download a re-create on the manufacturer'southward website.

Getting rid of a used auto seat can accept a little bit of planning. But if the extra effort keeps other pint-sized passengers protected, it's well worth information technology.