In this post:
We’ve cleaned thousands of prams. Genuinely thousands. So we’ve heard every version of these questions, usually from a slightly panicked parent standing over a pram that smells worse than expected and wondering where it all went wrong.
- Is it safe to put my baby in a dirty pram?
- How often should I actually clean my pram?
- What’s the difference between a quick wipe down and a proper deep clean?
- My pram’s fabric won’t come off. How do I clean it if I can’t remove the cover?
- Can I pressure wash the wheels and chassis?
- Can a badly stained or smelly second hand pram actually be saved?
- My pram’s been discontinued. Where can I still get it cleaned, repaired or find parts?
- How much does professional pram cleaning cost vs doing it myself?
- Where can I get my buggy cleaned?
- Can I get my pram professionally cleaned without leaving the house?
1. Is it safe to put my baby in a dirty pram?
Honestly, not really. We open prams that have been used daily for a year and find mould growing in the frame joints, food from three meals ago wedged under the seat and fabric that’s gone slightly stiff with old spills. Your baby’s face sits inches from all of that for hours a day.
2. How often should I actually clean my pram?
Give it a quick wipe down weekly if you’re using it daily and a proper full clean once a month. Then a genuine deep clean, the kind that gets into the seams and under the frame, every few months. If you’re doing the school run or living somewhere muddy, push that up a bit. We’d always rather you over clean than under clean. If it’s been a while, book a collection and we’ll sort it for you.
3. What’s the difference between a quick wipe down and a proper deep clean?
A wipe down is what you do at home with a cloth and some warm soapy water. It’s great for keeping on top of things day to day. A deep clean is what we do, stripping the pram down to its component parts where possible, steam cleaning fabric to lift bacteria you can’t see and checking mechanical parts like brakes and folding hinges while we’re at it. All done properly at our workshop rather than on a driveway.
4. My pram’s fabric won’t come off. How do I clean it if I can’t remove the cover?
This is the one we get asked most. A lot of newer pram models have fabric that’s stitched, riveted or clipped into the frame in ways that were never meant to come apart easily and trying to force it can snap a clip you’ll never find a replacement for. Our approach is to clean it in situ using steam and the right products for the fabric type without dismantling anything that isn’t designed to be dismantled. If you’ve already tried and given up, you’re not doing it wrong. Some prams just aren’t built for a home clean.
5. Can I pressure wash the wheels and chassis?
You can, but only on a low setting and never anywhere near bearings, brake cables or electronics if your pram has any. We see a lot of damage from well meaning pressure washing at home where water gets forced into places it was never meant to go, which leads to rust and stiff sticky wheels down the line. If your chassis is properly caked in mud, it’s often safer to let us handle it with the right pressure and the right distance.
6. Can a badly stained or smelly second hand pram actually be saved?
Almost always, and this is genuinely one of our favourite things to do. We regularly take on prams that look completely written off with milk stains gone grey, a smell that won’t shift or mystery marks nobody wants to think too hard about, and hand them back looking close to new. That kind of turnaround only really happens with the right equipment, which is exactly why we do it at our workshop rather than trying to manage it on the go. Buying second hand shouldn’t mean settling for grubby. It just needs the right attention first.
7. My pram’s been discontinued. Where can I still get it cleaned, repaired or find parts?
This is where we really come into our own. We work on all brands and models, including ones that have been out of production for years, and where parts aren’t available new, we can often repair, adapt or source what’s needed rather than telling you to buy a new pram entirely. If a shop or manufacturer has told you there’s nothing they can do, email us at joanna@pramshed.co.uk with your pram model and we’ll let you know what’s possible.
8. How much does professional pram cleaning cost vs doing it myself?
Doing it yourself costs your time and whatever cleaning products you already own plus the risk of getting it wrong on fabric or mechanisms you’re not sure about. Taking the fabric off is often the easy part. Getting it back on properly so the seat still reclines and every clip is back where it should be is where a lot of people come unstuck. Professional cleaning costs more upfront but includes a proper deep clean, an inspection of moving parts and the peace of mind that nothing’s been damaged or put back wrong. For a lot of busy families, that peace of mind alone makes the decision easy.
9. Where can I get my buggy cleaned?
That’s us, and we’re not just limited to London. We collect, deep clean and return prams and buggies from families across Hackney, Clapham, Richmond, Notting Hill, Walthamstow, Ilford, Croydon, Chelsea and Kingston upon Thames, to name just a few. See our full list of areas if you’re not sure whether we cover you. We’ve even collected as far as the Cotswolds.
10. Can I get my pram professionally cleaned without leaving the house?
Yes. We collect your pram from your door and bring it back to our workshop in East London where it gets a proper deep clean on our own equipment. Once it’s done we bring it straight back to you, or you’re welcome to visit us in person at Unit 50, Containerville, 38-40 The Oval if you’d rather drop it off and see the workshop for yourself. Book a collection and we’ll take it from there.
Still need help? We’re always happy to offer advice, just message us on WhatsApp or email joanna@pramshed.co.uk xx