diandave
Active Member
Any tips on a good product to use, have tried ordinary upholstery cleaner with not much success.....
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tpwuk
MB Enthusiast
I gave mine a spray with 1001 carpet cleaner, gave them a scrub with a nail brush and then soaked over night in a bucket of hot water with regular washing powder it. Next day, rinsed and left to dry in the sun, result was like new!
lakelord
Member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2010
- Messages
- 32
- Location
- Thames Valley
- Car
- CL600 biturbo; CLK430 Cab; NOBLE GT03;SAAB 9000 Turbo
Just use some APC (all purpose cleaner) diluted. Don't get the belts too wet.
Should do the trick.
Should do the trick.
Nicensleazy
Active Member
When I bought my CLK a few months back the belts were frankly minging after 13 years of use and not much cleaning during that time. My previous vehicle also had a light grey interior and matching belts and it was always a headache to keep them clean too.
This is what I did with the CLK:
Firstly I've got a steam cleaner, so I pulled out the belts to the point that they became clean and used a clothes peg to stop them retracting back behind the trim panel. Then, and this is important, opened the doors and pulled the parts of the belts that needed cleaning clear of the cabin. I then gave them a good blast with the steam cleaner using the stiff brush attachment that comes with it. This got a lot of dirt out but not all. Because of the nature of steam on electrics, it's important that the steaming is done clear of the cabin to avoid damage.
Stage 2 was to make up a fairly strong solution of Vanish or similar proprietory laundry stain remover in boiling water. Again with the belts clear of the cabin, immerse the belts in the boiling solution (Marigold gloves essential here) and scrub them with a nail brush. Going by the colour the water gets you will get loads of crud out doing this. I changed the water frequently too. A few goes later and both front belts were like new (the rears were fine so didn't need doing).
Stage 3 was then to get a hair dryer and make absolutely sure the cleaned area was dry. I wasn't using the car for a few days so I stopped them retracting back using clothes pegs again and went back after two days with the hair dryer just to make sure they are dry. You don't want any of the fabric going back behind the trim even slightly damp because it will cause mould to form.
Stage 4 is then to try and keep them clean and what I did was buy a couple of grey seat belt pads off Ebay cost about £5 plus p&p. These fit using velcro and although some might say they're a bit chavvy, every time I go to put my belt on, any dirt on my hands is transferred to the pad and not the belt. Then when the pad gets mucky you simply remove it, throw it in the washer and put it back on when it's clean and dry.
Obviously stage 4 is optional and according to taste but then I've often been accused of not having any!
Stage 5 for me was to give the fabric a light coat of silicone spray. I did this because I found that they weren't travelling back and forth that smoothly after cleaning. A few coats of silicone and they glide beautifully now.
Hope this helps
This is what I did with the CLK:
Firstly I've got a steam cleaner, so I pulled out the belts to the point that they became clean and used a clothes peg to stop them retracting back behind the trim panel. Then, and this is important, opened the doors and pulled the parts of the belts that needed cleaning clear of the cabin. I then gave them a good blast with the steam cleaner using the stiff brush attachment that comes with it. This got a lot of dirt out but not all. Because of the nature of steam on electrics, it's important that the steaming is done clear of the cabin to avoid damage.
Stage 2 was to make up a fairly strong solution of Vanish or similar proprietory laundry stain remover in boiling water. Again with the belts clear of the cabin, immerse the belts in the boiling solution (Marigold gloves essential here) and scrub them with a nail brush. Going by the colour the water gets you will get loads of crud out doing this. I changed the water frequently too. A few goes later and both front belts were like new (the rears were fine so didn't need doing).
Stage 3 was then to get a hair dryer and make absolutely sure the cleaned area was dry. I wasn't using the car for a few days so I stopped them retracting back using clothes pegs again and went back after two days with the hair dryer just to make sure they are dry. You don't want any of the fabric going back behind the trim even slightly damp because it will cause mould to form.
Stage 4 is then to try and keep them clean and what I did was buy a couple of grey seat belt pads off Ebay cost about £5 plus p&p. These fit using velcro and although some might say they're a bit chavvy, every time I go to put my belt on, any dirt on my hands is transferred to the pad and not the belt. Then when the pad gets mucky you simply remove it, throw it in the washer and put it back on when it's clean and dry.
Obviously stage 4 is optional and according to taste but then I've often been accused of not having any!
Stage 5 for me was to give the fabric a light coat of silicone spray. I did this because I found that they weren't travelling back and forth that smoothly after cleaning. A few coats of silicone and they glide beautifully now.
Hope this helps
jonthetourist
Active Member
Stage 5 for me was to give the fabric a light coat of silicone spray. I did this because I found that they weren't travelling back and forth that smoothly after cleaning. A few coats of silicone and they glide beautifully now.
Lightbulb moment!
I read your post, went out and sprayed silicone and transformed the retraction of my 20-year-old driver's belt. Result!
Wasn't quite so successful on the passenger side, and the driver's is still filthy, but I will follow the cleaning advice at some point too.
Thank you very much
Lightbulb moment!
I read your post, went out and sprayed silicone and transformed the retraction of my 20-year-old driver's belt. Result!
Wasn't quite so successful on the passenger side, and the driver's is still filthy, but I will follow the cleaning advice at some point too.
Thank you very much
OP
OP
diandave
Active Member
Thank you all for your help, it looks like very soon I will have some gleaming seat belts....
reggie musson
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Messages
- 192
- Car
- CLK 2.7 Diesel
My cream belts are also dirty and must tackle this job soon, Reggie
GlenQ
Active Member
Fairy liquid in warm water works for me. No need to get them too wet.
AANDYY
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2008
- Messages
- 958
- Location
- Blackpool
- Car
- E300DT-W210-1997-Elegance-Azurite Metalic Blue. (Don't mention the rust, LOL) Running on WVO. 65k m
I cleaned mine the other week with my simple method .
They were not to dirty to start with but did need doing.
The belts were dunked in a strong mix of laundry liquid and hot water, for about 30 minutes, then rinsed, dried in the sun, yes we get sun in Blackpool .
.They were not to dirty to start with but did need doing.
The belts were dunked in a strong mix of laundry liquid and hot water, for about 30 minutes, then rinsed, dried in the sun
, yes we get sun in Blackpool .dulayj
Active Member
Excellent idea-never thought about this -will give it ago.
PhilL
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2003
- Messages
- 81
- Location
- Bristol
- Car
- 2002 SL500; '54 E270 CDI Elegance Estate; 2001 C200K Coupe
A bit late on this thread I know, but the drivers belt on my E270 was filthy when I bought it so said nothing until my wife mentioned it.
12 hours later it was like new! Not completely sure how, but it involved bowls of warm water and a magical solution known as Vanish. Sorry I cannot be more precise but I believe in leaving it to the proffessionals.
Phil
12 hours later it was like new! Not completely sure how, but it involved bowls of warm water and a magical solution known as Vanish. Sorry I cannot be more precise but I believe in leaving it to the proffessionals.
Phil
