cleaning seatbelts?

[shaunls1]

Hey guys I got a question for ya.

I got a 04 escalade ext with the tan/shale interior

and when I got my truck the seat belts are dirty in some spots and they

Don`t come out there mounted in the seat so what`s the best way to get

Them like new?

my Camaro also has the same problem but.im redoing the whole inside

but the.truck is the one that bothers me.



Thanks

[Lonnie]

Some detailing/cleaning pros use steam or a high-pressure washer on them. Pull them out as far as possible, close the door, and let `em have it. Sounds "stupid" until you see the results.

I`ve tried Meg`s AP and Oxy-Clean mixture on some dirty ones, using a tooth brush to aggitate the really dirty areas, with limited success. Once you do get a belt wet, common sense would dictate leaving them pulled out to dry rather than letting them retract into the side-post and become moldy/mildewy or rust (or corrode) the retracting mechanism and reel. Some people are a little leary about using cleaning chemicals on belts and the effect they have on the fabric webbing and sewing thread. Again, I would use common sense and rule out using something that is caustic to aluminum (Like OTC Simple Green) or REAL bleach.

A more serious threat to the integrety of a belt is the everyday wear-and-tear belts are subjected to. A visual inspection is all one needs determine the condition of a belt. This tends to be an over-looked area on high-mileage used cars that are sold.

[Accumulator]

Hey guys I got a question for ya.

I got a 04 escalade ext with the tan/shale interior

and when I got my truck the seat belts are dirty in some spots and they

Don`t come out there mounted in the seat so what`s the best way to get

Them like new?

The belts in my `04 Yukon XLD came clean with some soaking in, IIRC, APC. I pulled `em out, put some clips on them to keep them from retracting, and soaked them for a good long time. Also used the steamer. Heh heh, what I remember being the PIA was rinsing out all the suds!



The ones on my beater-Tahoe (also light gray, but much worse) are resisting my efforts, so I might just eat the ~$250 and get new ones. Yeah, the belts *do* come out, it`s just a hassle on some vehicles. I weigh the cost against my time/hassle and think about how I`ll feel a year or two down the road...I usually forget the expense and appreciate the nice new stuff.