What is better for car seats, cloth or leather, when you have kids?

Question

We live in the Midwest and have always prefered heated leather seats. But with a baby on the way, we were wondering if we should switch to cloth seats on our next car to ease clean-up. Any experienced parents with suggestions? Thx!

Answer 1

Leather is the best choice for easy clean-up! Spills simply wipe off, where as with cloth, any spill soaks into the fabric...possibly staining, and making it tougher to get out! I live in the midwest too (Northern Indiana), and will not do without my heated leather seats! :) I have 3 children, youngest being 3, and am 20 wks.pregnant w/ #4. My personal experience is that leather is the best material for a family vehicle. By the way, here is a secret i'll pass along...buy a seat protector to slip under the carseat. That way, if there are any spills, that will catch alot of it, and secondly, the seat protectors keep the leather from getting scratches, scuffs, and indents in it. Greatest product! You can get one for under $20 at babie's R us, or toys' R us. Good luck to you!

Answer 2

I have leather seats, with 3 children. I like that no matter what they spill on it, I can wipe it off an it doesn't leave a stain. However, when putting in the base of your infant seat, you will want your local police station to put it in properly, with leather you literally need to kneel in the base of the seat while pulling the strap out and into the proper holes in the car seat base. For this reason, we have NEVER taken out the infant base out of our car, watching the cop struggle with putting it in and making sure it was in properly, I know I couldn't ever get the seat belt that tight. That is the negative with leather, it doesn't have as much give as the cloth does so car seats are tough to get in and in right. I'd still go with the leather, and have the police check the car seat before the baby is born, the leather will stay nicer longer.

Answer 3

I always hated leather because I don't like to stick to it in the hot summer. However, I was never so grateful for it when I had my little boy. It's unreal what a mess he can make, even with a protective mat underneath the car seat. I'd definitely stay with leather - cloth is going to be much harder to deal with, and the smell of spit-up and other baby projectiles :) is going to to be nearly impossible to get out of cloth seats.

Answer 4

I buy nothing but leather. My kids are 15 and 6. and one on the way. Leather is so easy to clean. If the cloth seats get wet or spilled on it soaks it in and retains the mositure GROSS. I got cloth one time, because the car dealer messed up, i tried to deal with it, but traded it off after 6 months and got a different one.

Answer 5

baby spew is easier to clean off leather but it can still stain it. The smell wont last as long on leather as it wont soak in so much. Get car seat covers. Don't buy a new car. Leather will get scratched up and scarred by kids.

Answer 6

I would get leather. Put a cover on the part where the baby seat will be so avoid scratches from the carseat. Messes are soooo much easier to wipe up from leather, it soaks into the cloth.

Answer 7

Leather-I will never have another car with cloth seats. Leather is so much easier to keep clean.

Answer 8

We have a child w bad motion sickness...definitely leather seat...easier to clean up and to dry. Also smells lingers on cloth seats, which is another problem as that makes our son sick too.

Answer 9

If you want to fry your baby in the summer!! ....Cloth might be harder to clean, but leather gets hot and cold...