Shopping cart covers are a blessing to all parents, but especially to those of us who are germaphobes. They provide a protective layer of fabric that prevents your baby from coming into direct contact with all the germs and bacteria found on shopping carts. A shopping cart cover helps lessen the chances of your baby getting sick, and it also keeps your baby comfortable and safe while riding in a shopping cart.

So, a shopping cart cover keeps your baby clean, but how do you keep the cover clean so it can do its job of being a 360-degree germ barrier?

Wipe down the cart before putting the grocery cart cover on.

Grocery store shopping carts are dirty. That’s why you bought a baby grocery cart cover, right? So it would protect your baby from all the germs lurking on the cart and handle? Well before you even put your cover on the shopping cart, grab one of the store’s sanitizing wipes and wipe down the cart. This will help keep your grocery cart cover clean from some of those germs.

Wash the cover after each use.

Notice in the last paragraph how we said “some of those germs.” Even if you use two or three sanitizing wipes, you won’t get rid of all the germs. After using a disinfectant wipe, the surface needs to remain wet for 5-10 minutes before it can effectively disinfect the surface it was used on. How many of us actually wait that long before we put our kid in the shopping cart and start pushing it? None of us. We don’t have time. So to clean those leftover germs off the bottom of your cover, toss it in the washing machine after each shopping trip. You may not want to take the time to wash it, but really it only takes you a few minutes. The washer does all the work. Plus, if your baby is like most babies and drools, spits, or chews on the grocery cart cover, or even worse has a leaky diaper, then it’s a good idea to wash it once you get home.

While we’re on the subject of washing, be sure to put your baby grocery cart cover in a clean washing machine. You may think after all those wash cycles that it’s always clean, but it’s not. Your dirty laundry can leave behind odor-causing residue. If you want your cover to come out smelling fresh and clean, consider first running your washing machine on a hot cycle with an Odor Crush washing machine cleaner tablet. But don’t worry, we’re not trying to make you spend more time in the laundry room. Typically, you only need to clean your washing machine once a month.

Keep your hands clean.

Another way to keep your shopping cart cover clean is by keeping your hands and your baby’s hands clean while shopping. We know it’s not practical to use hand sanitizer after each item you put into the shopping cart, but there are certain things in a grocery store dirtier than others. You should really clean your hands before touching your baby or the cart cover if you’ve touched items such as produce, meat, and the self-check or credit card machines.

A great baby product is one that prevents injury and illness, and that’s exactly the purpose of a baby grocery cart cover. What other tips do you have to keep babies clean on the go?