As a parent, safety is a number one priority for your children. Car seats are an item that fall high on that list, an item
that does not get skimped on budget wise. Clothing, blankets and toys are easy to come across, often as gifts or
hand me downs from fellow friends whose babies just out grew them. While these things are necessities, the safety
of your baby or young toddler riding in a car, overrides those other items. Driving, while an essential part of every
one’s life also imposes certain dangers for your precious one, that is why doing research and discovering the best
available convertible car seat available is imperative.
When shopping for a great car seat there are a few features to keep your eye out for. After reviewing these safety
features, finding the best convertible car seats of 2011 will be a far easier task.
Buckling in your child – The car seat should have a 5-point harness, wide, twist-free straps and a two piece chest
clip. Studies show that the 5-point harness is the safest, holding the child firmly in place, avoid straps that twist as
they can cause burns and severe injuries, a two piece chest clip reduces the straps from twisting and are more
difficult for children to undo.
Strapping Down the Car Seat – The two important features to look for here are seat belt routing path and built in
locking clips. The route needs to be easily accessible to ensure it is in tightly, built in clips reinforce this allowing you
to clamp the belt down on either side of the car seat.
Head Impact Protection and Wings – These are imperative to the safety of your child, any and all features that
reduce head injuries are important. The car seat needs to have extra padding around the head area made of EPS
foam or the same material used for bicycle helmets. This will help protect your child’s head for the rebound action of
an impact. Wings serve the same purpose for the sides of their heads; also they are great for when your child falls
asleep in the car keeping their neck upright.
Two convertible car seats that have all these features and more are the Safety 1st Complete Convertible Car Seat
and The Priori; both of these models were voted best by professionals and parents alike. Please keep in mind when
picking a car seat, size matters. Some car seats are bigger and well suited for larger vehicles such as SUVs, while
others are made for more compact cars. It is also important to note that car seats for infants are different than for an
older baby. Once you have found the best convertible car seat with all of the important safety features you can
choose a model that has other conveniences that suit your needs.

While vacuuming keeps your floors clean on a regular basis, sometimes your floors need some deep cleaning to
sanitize and freshen up your carpets. The good news is that you don’t have to purchase your own steam cleaner or
hire someone to come do the cleaning for you. It’s easy to rent a steam cleaner for a day or two so you can get that
deep clean you want. If you’ve never done a steam cleaner rental before, here are some important tips for renting
you should keep in mind.
Tip #1 – Know When It’s Time to Steam Clean Your Floors
The first tip to remember is to know when it’s time to steam clean your floors. Usually it’s a good rule of thumb to
steam clean carpets at least twice annually. However, if you have children or pets, you may need to do this every
three months instead. Just don’t let your floors go too long between cleanings or they will be more difficult to clean.
Tip #2 – Choose the Right Steam Cleaner for Your Needs
When you’re ready to rent a steam cleaner, make sure you choose one that will work for your needs. If you have tile
and carpet, make sure that the rental you go with will clean carpets and your tile. You want to ensure that you
choose a steam cleaner that will get the job done for you, so know what you need before you rent.
Tip #3 – Know Where to Rent
It’s important to know where to get a steam cleaner rental as well. In many cases, you’ll find that chain grocery
stores, larger department stores and hardware stores will rent out steam cleaners. Sometimes DIY moving locations
may provide them as well. Before you go to rent a machine, it’s a good idea to call ahead of time to find out what is
available and the availability of the machines.
Tip #4 – Carefully Check Out the Steam Cleaner
Once you are ready to rent, make sure you carefully check out the steam cleaner before you make the actual rental.
You want to ensure that the appliance is not damaged in any way. Ask for another machine if you see standing
water, pet hair, dents, or loose wheels on the machine. A rental in bad shape won’t give you the deep cleaning that
you need.
Tip #5 – Don’t Forget the Cleaning Supplies
In many cases, steam cleaners require certain cleaning supplies, such as solutions. Ask about the cleaning supplies
needed to go with the machine. Usually the stores that rent the machines will also have the cleaning supplies
available for you to purchase without a problem.
Tip #6 – Consider Attachments
It’s a good idea to consider any attachments for the machine before you fill out the rental agreement. Usually you
can get a furniture attachment to use with the machine for a small fee. If cleaning your furniture is important, make
sure you get the attachment for the best results.
Tip #7 – Check Out the Rental Agreement
Before you sign your name to the rental agreement, check the agreement out carefully. Look at the terms of the
agreement and ensure that they have written the right time of return on the agreement. In most cases, you can put
down a credit card as a deposit, while other stores may require a cash deposit.