How to clean seatbelts? AND tip for cleaning interior panels!

QUICK305
01-28-2002, 04:17 PM
The rear seatbelts in my car are filthy. They have a brownish tint to them, and they look pretty nasty. The people I bought my car from were smokers, so maybe it's something in the cigarettes that discolored them. The rear driverside seatbelt is especially nasty. If I pull the seat belt out the entire way, they look brand new. It's just the part that was been exposed for all this time. I sprayed a tiny bit of 409 on one, and then rubbed the belt with a clean cloth. Some brown/tan came off on the rag, but the stain basically just spread. What would be the best way to clean my seatbelts? Is the easiest way probably going to be taking them out of the car and scrubbing them with soap and water? I don't want to do anything that's going to weaken the belts, though. Should I just ditch them and look for some in better condition?

Also, if anyone out there has the very light gray interior like me, and your panels are stained, listen up. Last weekend I tried to clean up my doorpanels and armrests a bit, as they a had coat of dirt/grime all in the texture of the pieces. I used an old tooth brush and some 409, while scrubbing in a circular motion. After wiping the 409 off with a clean rag, the section of the armrest I cleaned looked brand new. I went ahead and did both armrests and doorpanels, and the results are well worth it! Now I have to clean all the rest of the trim in the car, because it really is a night and day difference. The rear panels next to the back seats are also pretty dirty (haven't cleaned them yet), especially the driverside one. They've got noticable black stains on them, which makes me further think that smoking in the car did infact discolor them. (Seems like maybe the smoke would drift to that area of the car if the driver was the primary smoker http://web.camaross.com/bb/confused.gif ) At any rate, if your panels are discolored or stained like mine, try the 409.

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1993 Camaro Z28
A4, 3.23, K&N FIPK, 1LE elbow, Accel Extreme 9000 wires, NGK TR55s, Borla exhaust, 1997 5-spoke wheels

[This message has been edited by QUICK305 (edited January 28, 2002).]

HTWLSS
01-28-2002, 06:32 PM
It might be worth buying new ones.

Don't use bleach...it'll weaken the fibers.

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ThePolisher
01-28-2002, 07:54 PM
Try this, Pull the belts out till it is extended fully. Put a clothes pin on the top so it won't retract. Use you favorite carpet cleaner/spot remover on the belt with a towel underneath it. Hope this helps

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***Authorized Zaino Bros' Show car Polish distributor***
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jkayner
01-29-2002, 12:52 PM
Just get a small shop vac. You should probably take the belts out, and use a cleaning solution, scrub the belt, and then use the shop vac to suck all the liquid/stains up.

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QUICK305
01-29-2002, 01:04 PM
Thanks for the replies. All good ideas so far; Keep them coming. I'd like to leave the belts in the car if possible, but if not they can be taken out.