Car seat protector for rearfacing

[Zimbah]

Hi,

We've got a Britax two-way elite in our Renault Scenic, which has three individual seats in the back (rather than seats all joined together). We had a seat protector in the old car that went round all three seats but it won't work with the individual ones. I need something that will cover the whole of the seat, including the headrest, as DD's feet go all over the headrest and seatback, as well as dropping biscuit crumbs etc onto the base of the seat. Also if possible something that wraps right around the sides of the seat (probably asking too much) as when DD climbs in she has to step on the side of the actual car seat with her shoes.

Any recommendations? Everything I've seen online goes under the headrest instead of over it, which is no good. And yes I know that taking her shoes off would avoid the mud problem (although still have a crumb issue) but I'm 33 weeks pg and she's too heavy for me to lift in, she has to climb and I can't take her shoes off before she's in the seat by which point it's too late.

Have you looked at front seat covers? DH has covers on both the drivers and front passenger seat in his pickup as being a farmer he is usualy coverd in crap mud. The ones he has are green with red trim and cover the seat completely (including headrest).

It's not safe to install a car seat on top of anything (and yes I am aware they sell car seat protectors but they sell cigarettes too and they aren't safe) as in an accident the protector could slip/ruck up causing the seat to slip/not perform as designed to.

Sunshine Kids sell something called a 'Scuff'n'Stuff' which can be used to protect the seat back from foot marks but there is nothing safe to protect the seat cushion/fabric.

Maybe have the car valeted once a month to keep the crud to a minimum?

Thanks for replies. I'm not sure I agree that it's not safe to install the carseat on top of a protector, the seat is held in place by the seatbelt, by the back of the front seat (which it leans against - rearfacing carseat), and by two tethers that go from the back of the carseat to the metal fixings underneath the front seat. Quite hard for it to slip with all that going on.

The trouble is the kind of materials usually used to manufacture seat protectors are rubbery/thick/silicon-y which can make it feel like the seat is installed properly when in fact it's just not tight enough (the seat 'sticks' to the mat and doesn't move even when there would be movement without the mat). A thin towel will do just a good a job at catching crumbs with out interfering with the installation.

This article explains well the drabacks of seat protecters. It was written by a US CPST (Child Passenger Safety Technician - specialist trained in installing car seats and car seat safety).

I see your point TruthSweet. We ended up finding a set of individual seat protectors online that cover the whole seat, plus separate headrest covers. They're made of normal fabric, not the thick rubbery stuff, but will keep off the dirt and crumbs and won't interfere with the child seat attachment.