cleaning seat belts

[Jon S.]

I wanted to remove some lightly soiled areas as well as minor rust stains from my seat belts before spring arrives. Naturally I don't want to lift any color. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance! Jon

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: cleaning seat belts

------I usually mix up a bucket of "Bissel" carpet shampoo and drop the belts in over night. Pull em out, rinse em, hang em up to dry and usually they look beautiful. I have never had a color-bleed problem but that doesnt mean it couldnt happen, I guess.........Bill S

[Pat K.]

Re: cleaning seat belts

Is it a good/bad idea to armorall the belts once they've been cleaned up?

[Wayne K.]

I wouldn't, you might slip out. *NM*

[Duke W.]

Scotchguard! *NM*

[Pat K.]

Re: Scotchguard!

Duke,

I assume you mean Scotchguard that's normally used on carpets?

Pat

[Gerard F.]

Simple Green also works.....

but don't soak the buckle.

After they dryed, I used amorall low sheen protectant on them (for my 67 belts).
Came out nice and soft with a low sheen.

Also used Bill S's buckle tops. Thanks again Bill.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Duke W.]

Re: Scotchguard!

I guess you can use it on carpet. It's basically a fabric protectant. Liquid spills will usually bead and not soak in. Years ago I sprayed my jeans with it when I went skiing.

Duke

[Rick S.]

Re: Scotchguard!

Duke,
Let the masses guess.............you haven't washed them since and you have been skiing every week in them!!!!

[Gary S.]

Re: cleaning seat belts

Simple Green. Pull your seat belts out, extend them to their full length and wedge something like a screwdriver into the mechanism to keep it from retracting. Spray Simple Green into the webbing and brush it with your wife's tooth brush. Rinse thoroughly (it will take multiple applications of clean water to ensure that the soap is remove. Keep the belt fully extended until the webbing dries. If your belt has minor rust embedded into the fabric the Simple Green may still work. If not, use a very mild steel wool, like 000 or 0000 to work the webbing. When you are ready to reinstall the belts, return your wife's tooth brush back to the bathroom and don't say a word.

Gary

[Rick S.]

Re: cleaning seat belts

I bet your wife has the cleanest teeth in town and a very unique breath odor. Your idea wouldn't work with my better-half, her dad was a dentist.

[Terry F.]

Re: cleaning seat belts

I have used Woolite to clean them. Just soak the belts and keep soaking them for a week or so. They will be ultra clean. When finished rinse and stretch them out and let them dry. After they dry, spray them with silicone spray. That will make them soft and not attrack dirt. If you use armoral you will have dirt problems. Silicone spray is probably the same as scotch guard to some extent. Alway go slowly to ensure color fastness. I have attacked real greasy spots with laqure thinner with out color fade or other problems. Don't soak them in it though. If you can find some trichloralethane or ethene I have found it to work very well at taking out stains also. Those chemicals were used in the dry cleaning industry at one time. I am not sure what they use today. I may be corrected on this. Silicone spray makes them slide nice and feel like new. Just my personal experience. Terry

[Duke W.]

Re: Scotchguard!

I quit skiing back in the mid-seventies when I started SCCA racing, so I think those old skiing jeans (and overalls) are long gone.

Duke

[Gerard F.]

Was that snow or water skiing? *NM*

[Duke W.]

Re: Was that snow or water skiing?

Snow skiing, of course. I used to water ski, too but didn't wear scotchgarded jeans and overall when water skiing. A few times waterskiing I didn't wear anything at all!!!

Duke