How to Clean Vomit From a Car and Car Seat (A Parent’s Step-by-Step Guide)

If your child just threw up in the car, you are not alone, and it is fixable.

Car sickness, a stomach bug or one too many snacks: sooner or later, most parents find themselves cleaning vomit out of a car. The right method gets rid of the mess and the smell, and it protects the parts of your child’s car seat that keep them safe.

This guide covers what to do in the first few minutes, how to clean vomit from car upholstery, carpet and leather, how to clean a car seat and harness without damaging it, how to get rid of the smell, how to prevent car sickness in kids, and what to keep in a car sickness kit.

First: Take Care of Your Child

Pull over when it is safe. Check that your child is okay, breathing comfortably and not choking, then get them out of the car seat and into fresh air. Wipe their face and hands, offer small sips of water once the nausea settles, and change their clothes if you can. Keeping a small car sickness kit in the trunk makes this step much faster (see the checklist below).

If your child is buckled in a car seat, do not just wipe around them and keep driving with a soaked harness if you can avoid it. Wet straps can loosen as you adjust them, and your child will be more comfortable in clean clothes. When you get home, clean the seat properly before the next ride.

How to Clean Vomit From a Car, Step by Step

• 1. Act fast: The sooner you clean, the less vomit soaks into foam and fibers, and the less smell you will fight later.
• 2. Remove the solids: Wearing gloves, scoop up solids with paper towels, a plastic scraper or an old gift card. Lift, do not smear.
• 3. Blot, do not scrub: Press paper towels or an old towel into the wet area to soak up as much liquid as possible. Scrubbing pushes it deeper.
• 4. Cover with baking soda: Sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda (or cornstarch) over upholstery and carpet. It absorbs moisture and odor. Leave it at least 30 minutes, or several hours if you can, then vacuum.
• 5. Clean with an enzyme cleaner: Enzyme cleaners break down the proteins in vomit that cause lingering smells. Test on a hidden spot first, follow the label, then blot with a clean damp cloth.
• 6. Treat hard surfaces: Wipe plastic, vinyl and seat belt buckles with warm soapy water, then dry. Use a disinfectant on hard surfaces if the vomit came from a stomach bug.
• 7. Leather seats: Wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap, dry right away, and finish with a leather conditioner. Avoid soaking leather.
• 8. Dry and air out: Open the doors or windows and let the car dry completely, in the sun if possible. Trapped moisture leads to mildew smells.

How to Clean Vomit From a Car Seat

Car seats need a little more care than regular upholstery, because using the wrong cleaning method can weaken parts that protect your child in a crash. Always check your car seat’s manual first. Most manufacturers give instructions along these lines:

Take photos of how the cover and harness are threaded before you remove anything, so you can reassemble it correctly. After cleaning, re-thread the harness exactly as the manual shows, with no twists, and do the pinch test at the collarbone once your child is buckled in. If the harness straps cannot be cleaned or look damaged, contact the manufacturer for replacement straps rather than using a substitute.

If your child is still in an infant or convertible seat, our guides to what car seat comes after the infant seat and booster seat age cover correct fit at every stage.

How to Get the Vomit Smell Out of a Car

• Repeat the baking soda step overnight on the affected area, then vacuum.
• Leave an open box of baking soda, a bowl of activated charcoal, or dry coffee grounds in the car for a day or two.
• Air the car out with windows open on a dry, sunny day.
• Check hidden spots: seat tracks, the gap between cushions, seat belt webbing, floor mats and the car seat base.
• If the smell remains after a week, the vomit may have soaked into the seat foam. A professional interior detailer can deep clean with extraction equipment.

Air fresheners only cover the smell. Removing the source with enzyme cleaner is what actually gets rid of it.

How to Prevent Car Sickness in Kids

Motion sickness happens when the eyes and inner ear send the brain mixed signals about movement. It is uncommon in babies and most common in children from about age 2 through the preteen years. Some kids are simply more prone to it, but these tips help many:

• Look outside: Encourage your child to look out the window at the horizon or distant objects, not down.
• Skip screens and books: Reading or watching a tablet makes motion sickness worse for many kids. Audiobooks, music and I-spy games are better options.
• Keep the air fresh and cool: Open a window a crack or aim a vent toward your child.
• Eat light: Offer a small, bland snack before the trip, like crackers, and avoid heavy, greasy or large meals right before and during the drive.
• Plan breaks: On longer trips, stop every hour or two for fresh air.
• Time trips with sleep: Driving during naps can help, since sleeping children rarely get car sick.
• Drive smoothly: Gentle braking and fewer sharp turns help.

Never turn a child forward-facing early, or move them to the front seat, to prevent car sickness. The safety cost is far greater than the benefit. Ask your pediatrician before giving any motion sickness medicine; some are not recommended for young children, and dosing depends on age and weight.

The Car Sickness Kit Every Parent Should Pack

• Leak-proof sick bags or a small bucket with a lid
• A roll of paper towels and a pack of wipes
• Disposable gloves and plastic bags for soiled clothes
• A full change of clothes for each child (and a spare shirt for you)
• A small container of baking soda
• An old towel to lay over the car seat
• Water and plain crackers

Traveling farther than usual? Our guide to the best places to travel with a baby or toddler has more road-trip planning ideas.

Related Betteroo Guides

• Booster seat age
• What car seat comes after the infant seat
• Baby sleep when sick
• Best places to travel with a baby or toddler

When Vomiting Needs a Doctor

Car sickness should stop soon after the car does. Call your pediatrician if vomiting continues after you are out of the car, happens with fever, diarrhea, a stiff neck, severe belly pain, or a rash, or if your child shows signs of dehydration (fewer wet diapers or trips to the bathroom, dry mouth, no tears, unusual sleepiness). Get urgent care for vomiting after a head injury, green or bloody vomit, or a baby who vomits forcefully and repeatedly. Frequent car sickness, headaches or dizziness between trips are also worth mentioning at a checkup.

Frequently Asked Questions