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Road salt is the hardest thing your stroller faces all winter. It gets into the wheels, the brake and the fold joints, and left there it can cause rust and stiff, gritty parts. The fix is simple: wipe the salt off the same day, dry the stroller before you fold it, and lubricate only with what your manual recommends.
After a salty walk: the two-minute routine
- Knock off the snow at the door. Tap the wheels on the step and brush slush off the basket before you bring it inside.
- Wipe the frame, wheels and brake. Use a cloth dampened with plain water. Pay attention to the lower frame, the brake pedal and the fold joints, where salty spray collects. UPPAbaby, for example, advises rinsing salt-exposed parts with fresh water as soon as you can to prevent corrosion.
- Dry it. Go over the same spots with a dry towel.
- Leave it open. Let the stroller dry unfolded, with the canopy open and the footmuff unzipped. Folding it wet traps moisture in the fabric and joints.
Keep an old towel and a cloth by the door through the winter. It makes the routine easy enough to do every time.
Avoid drying the stroller right next to a heater or fireplace. Direct heat can be hard on fabrics and plastic parts. Room temperature overnight is enough.
Once a week in salt season
Salt and grit work their way into places a quick wipe doesn't reach.
- Take the wheels off, if your stroller has quick-release wheels. Brush grit out of the axles and wheel housings, wipe them with a damp cloth and let them dry.
- Clean around the brake. Salt build-up can make a brake feel stiff or stop it from locking fully. After cleaning, check that the brake locks both sides firmly.
- Work the fold. Open and close the stroller a few times. If it feels gritty, wipe the joints and let them dry.
- Lubricate only if your manual says to, and only with what it names.
Lubricant: follow your brand, not a general tip
This is where advice online goes wrong, because stroller brands don't agree. UPPAbaby suggests petroleum jelly or a stroller-specific oil on the axles. Some brands recommend a silicone spray. Others say to use only silicone-free oils. The wrong product can attract more grit or damage plastic parts.
Check the care section of your stroller's manual. If you've lost it, most brands post manuals on their websites. If it doesn't mention lubricant, clean and dry the parts and leave it there.
Salt stains on fabric
White salt lines on the canopy, seat or footmuff usually come off once they're dry.
- Let the fabric dry, then brush the dried salt off with a soft brush.
- Sponge what's left with lukewarm water and a little mild soap.
- Check the care label before you put anything in the washing machine. Some fabrics are machine-washable, and others are sponge-clean only. Bugaboo, for example, says most of its stroller fabrics can be machine washed, but not the basket or the rain cover.
- Always air-dry. Make sure footmuffs and seat liners are completely dry before they go back on, especially in Vancouver, where damp fabric can get musty fast.
Air-filled tires need more attention in the cold
If your stroller has air-filled tires, cold weather lowers the pressure. Soft tires make the stroller harder to push in slush and wear faster. Check them more often in winter and pump them to the pressure printed on the tire, no higher.
Foam-filled and solid wheels don't need pumping, but they still need the salt cleaned off.
Rain covers and footmuffs
A rain cover that's folded away wet can get mouldy in a few days. Shake it off, open it fully to dry, then fold it. The same goes for a footmuff that's been rained or snowed on. If your rain cover is cracked or cloudy after a few winters, it's worth replacing before the next wet season. Rain covers are model-specific, so check the fit when you browse rain covers.
Before you put it away in spring
- Do one full clean: wheels off, frame wiped, fabrics washed or sponged according to their labels.
- Check for rust spots, especially on the lower frame and axles.
- Test the brake, the fold and the harness buckle.
- Store it dry, unfolded if you have space, and away from a damp basement wall.
If a wheel grinds, the brake slips or the fold stays stiff after cleaning, stop using it and contact the manufacturer's customer support. Don't force a fold that won't latch.
Still choosing a winter stroller?
Wheels and suspension make a big difference on salty, rutted sidewalks. Our guide to choosing a stroller for Canadian winter covers what to look for, and our guide to dressing a baby for a winter stroller walk covers the passenger. Call our Richmond, Burnaby or Ottawa store ahead of your visit and we'll let you know which models we have on the floor, or browse stroller accessories.
