Highchair Cleaning Test: Weaning Food Stains on 12 Tray Materials

Furniture in Fashion reports that whether a highchair tray stains during weaning is governed by surface porosity and texture rather than by material quality or price, and publishes no stain scores or rankings because no controlled testing underpins the analysis. Our assessment identifies the short list of pigments responsible for almost all persistent marking: curcumin in turmeric, lycopene in tomato and beta carotene in carrot and sweet potato are fat soluble and respond to detergent rather than water, while betalains in beetroot are water soluble but bind rapidly. Matt textured plastics hold pigment mechanically where gloss versions of the same polymer release it, lacquered timber performs well until the coating is scratched, and silicone develops a cosmetic orange cast because it is permeable to oils. The report argues that tray geometry, removable inserts, washable pads and detachable harness straps matter more in daily use than the choice of surface....