Cleaning Seat Belts

                

Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) Seat belts

[: A seatbelt is a safety harness designed to secure the occupant of a vehicle against harmful movement that may result from a collision or a sudden stop. As part of an overall automobile passive safety system, seat belts are intended to reduce injuries by stopping the wearer from hitting hard interior elements of the vehicle, or other passengers (the so-called second impact), are in the correct position for the airbag to deploy and prevent the passenger from being thrown from the vehicle. Seat belts also absorb energy by being designed to stretch during any sudden deceleration, so that there is less speed differential between the passenger's body and their vehicle interior, and also to spread the loading of impact on the passenger’s body]

For spot stains use a fabric cleaner (303 Cleaner & Spot Remover™)

1.        Pull the belts from the retractor and place clothes peg, gently close the door on the belt, clean with a Limonene-based cleaner (P21S® High Performance Total Auto Wash) and allow to air dry before opening the door and retracting the belt. Do not use bleach, strong detergents, or dye on the seat belts as this may severely weaken them and render them ineffective in a crash.

2.        Dry vapour steam or a Tornador® are alternative methods for cleaning.

3.        Once fabric is dry apply a fabric protection (303™ High Tech Fabric Guard)

4.        While you are cleaning the belts, take the opportunity to closely inspect them for damage and security of attachment, ensure here are no cuts, tears or abrasions (you should always inspect for damage etc if they get caught by a closing door)

5.        After a while the seat belt mechanism becomes slow and / or will not retract when released. This can be avoided by cleaning the upper anchor; as the seat belt retracts it leaves behind a film of dirt, which builds up over time. Use compressed air to remove dust and then using a Q- tip and some Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) you can clean the seat belt anchor / retracting mechanism.  Once clean add some Plexus Plastic Cleaner to provide lubrication.

Maintenance - clean seat belts with a 5:1 P21S® High Performance Total Auto Wash / distilled water solution, ensure they are thoroughly dried before use

Alternative products – C-28 Seat Belt Cleaner and Spot Remover from PRO® is a non-flammable and non hazardous concentrated cleaner that safely removes dirt, oil, grease and stains from seat belts

Alternative cleaning methods – dry vapour steamer or the Tornador® air/liquid cleaning tool

Caution: Do not use bleach, solvents or other strong chemicals on the seatbelts as these may compromise the webbing leading to subsequent failure.

You can be severely injured or killed in a car crash unless you wear a seat belt, even if the vehicle is fitted with air bags. They are supplemental restrains only and will not deploy under all accident circumstances. Always use seat belts and seat children only in the rear, using restraint and seat belts systems appropriate for their size and age.

I would like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to professionals alike, as well as industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge.

I hope the above article was informative. By having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react, you can achieve the results you desire.

I would appreciate it if you would share this article as it helps other detailers further their knowledge.

Questions and/ or constructive comments are always appreciated.

Copyright © 2002 - 2012 TOGWT® (Established 1980) all rights reserved