Article: Unless you happen to have a backup car seat, it is important to start the cleaning process when you are sure you will not need it for awhile. Assuming the seat isn't so dirty as to need immediate attention, wait until you feel comfortable doing without the seat for at least several hours. An ideal time might be after your infant has been put to bed for the night. If, however, you're dealing with vomit, a blown-out diaper, or some other big mess, immediate "triage" cleaning is the best way to salvage the seat. Using baby wipes or damp rags or paper towels, wipe and scoop away any loose, sloppy, sticky, chunky, etc. debris. (We'll leave the details of the types of messes you can face to the imagination.) Clearing away this gunk will make the remaining cleaning portion easier to manage. Untie all the straps, and uninstall the seat. Doing so will allow you to wash the seat thoroughly without climbing into the car and getting everything wet. You'll also be able to easily reach all the parts of the infant seat. Take note of the de-installation to help you with the re-installation. Take pictures if necessary. Brush crumbs and debris off the car seat. Give the seat a shake to remove any hidden crumbs or other debris that has accumulated. If you have a vacuum cleaner with a small attachment, use it to remove any additional debris that may be stuck in partition walls and corners. Most infant car seats have removable fabric covers. If you have your manual handy, consult it. If not, you can generally start from the top, unfastening clips, snaps, and buttons until you reach the bottom of the seat. Once you have taken the cover off, you should also take off the straps. Try to memorize their location (or take a picture) so that you know how to put them back into place (this is especially important if you do not have your manual). For safety reasons, harness straps (and buckles, to a lesser extent) require special and gentle cleaning. See the relevant section of this article for more information, and always consult your owner's manual.

What is a summary?
Choose a good time to wash the seat. Wipe away any major messes. Remove the infant seat. Shake, brush, or vacuum the surface. Remove the cover and straps.