Home Car Care How to Clean Car Seat Belts?

Car Care

How to Clean Car Seat Belts?

June 28, 2022

It is an important part of making sure everyone how to clean car seat belts in a car is safe. Yours gets sweat, coffee stains, and food stains from your skin. It’s easy to forget to clean the seat belt when you’re cleaning the rest of the car, which can lead to stains, smells, and even mold growth. To clean your seat belt, hold it out all the way, put a light coat of cleaner on it, and then let it dry in the air.

Even in your car, it’s important to keep things clean because it encourages healthy habits and the use of seat belts. I’ve been in a lot of cars with a lot of seat belts, so I’ve seen them in a lot of different states. When you touch a seat belt that has been wet before and it feels sticky or clunky, it can be tempting not to buckle up. Cleaning encourages people to buckle up and gets rid of germs and bad smells.

If you don’t know “How to clean car seat belts?” don’t worry. We’ll take care of you. Here is a detailed article that tells you what you need to get ready and what you need to do. You can use it to learn how to clean seat belts.

What is a Seat belt?

It is a safety device for cars that keeps drivers and passengers from being thrown out during a crash. It is also called a safety belt or seat belt. Also, it lowers the chance of dying or getting hurt badly. In 1885, the first seat belt was made by an American named Edward J. Claghorn. The “three-point” seatbelt, which is used in most cars today, was invented in 1959 by a Swedish man named Nils Bohlin. So that it is important to know how to clean car seat belts.

Putting on your seatbelt should be something you do automatically every time you get in your car. There are a lot of good reasons to do so, such as.

Keeping everyone in the car safe and keeping the driver from getting angry in case of road rage.
Keeping you in place when you crash or get hit
Working with your airbags (the airbag won’t work if you’re not wearing your seatbelt)
You won’t have to pay a fine.
Getting rid of more serious injuries and deaths
You might be considered a high-risk driver, which could affect your car insurance rates (for example, this may call into question the best car insurance for young drivers as well)
Keeping your car insurance company from refusing to pay for the damage in the event of an accident (if it is determined you were not wearing a seatbelt)

Why You Should Clean A Seat Belt?

There are a lot of reasons why you should know how to clean car seat belts. Some of the most important reasons to clean a seat belt are to keep it clean, make sure it works well, and get rid of bad smells.

Seat belts also work better when they are clean. This is very important because seat belts protect you and the people you care about. If you don’t take care of your seat belt, it could get sticky and dirty and might not keep you safe. You should make sure your seat belt is in great shape in case you get into an accident.

What Materials Are Belts Made Of

If you want to know how seatbelt webbing is made, this question and its answer are very important. You might not believe it, but weaving can save your life because the webbing is carefully made to be very strong.

The looms are what make the difference between the original belt webbing and the ones made after 1975. The first ones were made on shuttle looms, while the second ones were made on needle looms. Most seatbelts today are made of 100 percent polyester. Nylon was used in the past, but it was taken out of use because it wears out more quickly. Even small holes and scratches will make the tensile strength much weaker. Another benefit of yarns with less energy is that they make seatbelts that last longer because the threads are packed more closely together.

How to Clean Car Seat Belts in Natural Way

If you have pets or small children, there’s a good chance that your seat belts will get chewed on or even worse at some point. Hey, spills and other mishaps happen, so it’s good to know how to clean car seat belts. Instead of using cleaners with harsh chemicals, use ingredients that are good for the environment and get rid of stains and bad smells, leaving your belts nice and clean.

Steps to a natural way to clean your seat belts:

In a bowl, mix the warm water, the liquid dish soap, and the vinegar. The vinegar does a great job of getting rid of smells, and the dish soap cleans your belts gently without leaving behind any toxins. Vinegar is also a natural antibacterial that keeps mold or bacteria from getting too comfortable in your seat belts.
It’s best to clean up stains right away, but if it’s been a while, use a soft cloth dipped in a cleaner to gently rub stains on fabric upholstery. This cleaner can also be used to clean the leather inside of a car. Gently dab stains, and then wipe along the fabric’s grain.
Pull the seat belt out all the way, and then use a clamp or even a few pieces of masking tape to hold it in place. This keeps the seat belt from going back while it’s being cleaned.
Place the dirty part of the belt outside the car, and then use the damp cloth to wipe it hard. Put the cloth back in the cleaner and wipe it, again and again, to really get the stain out.
Let the belt dry completely before you take the clamp off and let the belt go back in. If you open all the windows or move your car to a sunny spot, your seat belt will smell great in a few hours.

Read More: How Long Does a Car Battery Last?

Simple Steps to Clean Dirty Seat Belts

Even though seat belts feel light when you hold them, they are made of tight-woven polyester that is strong. Because of how it is made, a wet seatbelt can take up to half a day to dry out properly. So, just like with your car carpets, you can’t deep clean your seat belts every other day because it could damage the material, and you can’t drive around with a wet seat belt.

Instead of washing it down, you can just give it a light cleaning. You will need:

Park the vehicle
Inspect the material
Pull out the seat belt
Prepare the cleaning solution
Place a clamp near the belt reel
Spray the belts
Scrub the belt
Wipe the belt
Air and retract

1. Park the vehicle

Stop the car and put the handbrake on. Before you decide to clean the seat belts, make sure you won’t need your car for the next two to three hours. After being cleaned, the seat belts will be wet, and you don’t want to put a wet seat belt across your chest.

2. Inspect the material

Now is the best time to look at the seatbelts’ webbing. Did you notice that the belt’s webbing was broken or frayed? If you do, you should change the seat belt right away. You don’t want to take a chance on the road with a broken or damaged seat belt. Also, now is a great time to look for stains or dirt that has settled in the seat belt and the area around it.

3. Pull out the seat belt

Pull the belt forward with all your strength until it stops moving. When this happens, the belt will be completely unwound, making it much easier to get to.

4. Prepare the cleaning solution

Get a small spray bottle and fill it with warm water, a teaspoon of dish soap, and two pinches of laundry detergent. A gentle shake of the bottle.

5. Place a clamp near the belt reel

Find the reel by following the belt strap up. When the belt is not being used, most of it is kept here. Put a metal clamp right next to the reel on the belt. The belt will no longer be able to go back into the reel.

6. Spray the belts

After putting the belt in place, you need to spray it with something to clean it. You should use a degreaser or dish soap, if possible. Don’t oversaturate the belt with soap or degreaser, as it will take hours to dry and leave a bad smell if it isn’t dried properly before being retracted. Spray the belt in small amounts, as this is a light cleaning job. When you pull a wet seatbelt back, mildew may start to grow on it.

Also, keep in mind that using too much degreaser can hurt the belt’s fabric.

You can also use rubbing alcohol to get rid of stains that would have been impossible to get rid of with soap and water alone. Rubbing alcohol is a good choice because it evaporates almost immediately instead of drying, so you won’t have to let it air out for long after cleaning.

7. Scrub the belt

Take a scrub brush with stiff bristles. Start at the top of the belt and work your way down. Don’t move the brush in circles or back up the belt. Move slowly so you don’t wear out the threads in the belt.

Belts that are really dirty can get a second coat of cleaner.

8. Wipe the belt

After you use your cleaning solution, give it about a minute to settle. Next, use baby wipes or a damp microfiber cloth to clean the belt. Make sure that the fabric isn’t so wet that it will soak the belt.

Put a little more pressure on the stained area with the damp cloth or use a toothbrush to scrub the stain away.

If you’re using rubbing alcohol, wipe the belts right away after spraying the alcohol solution on them so that the alcohol doesn’t evaporate before you wipe. After wiping the belt, wipe it again with a dry microfiber cloth to get rid of any moisture.

Make sure to do the same thing on both sides of the belt, as mildew and dirt can also build up on the bottom.

9. Air and retract

After you have dried the belt, you are ready to go. If you don’t need to drive right away, you can let the belt air out for half an hour to dry any water that may have gotten through the surface and get rid of any soap or alcohol smell. When you think the belt has enough air in it, pull it back.

How Often Should You Clean Seat Belts?

Seat belts are made to be rolled up and put away, so it’s easy to forget about them when cleaning the car. In reality, though, they are often the cause of bad car smells. How often should you wash them to keep this from happening?

Most small cars have five seat belts, including one for the driver, one for the passenger, and three in the back. How often you clean each one should depend on how often people walk on it. The driver’s seat is often the most used one in the car. If you drive every day, you should give it a light clean at least once a week. At least once a month, you should give it a deep wash.

If you often have people in your car, you could clean the passenger’s seat belt when you clean the driver’s. But if you drive by yourself most of the time, you only need one deep wash per month to get rid of dust and dirt.

The same should be true for the seat belts in the back. If you often have kids or pets in the back, you should clean the seatbelts as often as you clean the ones in the front.

How to Clean Car Seat Belts – Easy Hack with No Effort

Did you know how to clean car seat belts often? Yes, you are correct. Belts are often forgotten when it comes to taking care of and maintaining a car, but they can get dirty just like any other part.

So, it’s important to know how to clean car seat belts. Detail-wise, you must at least know how to clean the seat belt straps and webbing.

If you don’t know what to do, don’t worry. We’ll take care of you. Here is a detailed article that tells you what you need to get ready and what you need to do. You can use it to learn how to clean car seat belts.

In short, here are the steps:

Get everything set up right and cleaning will be easy.
A cleaner should be put on both sides of the belt.
Use a brush to clean the belt from top to bottom.
Use a clean microfiber towel to clean the belt.
Use another microfiber towel to dry the belt.
Take off the clamp to put the belt back the way it was.

Below, we’ll talk about all the details, extra steps, and homemade solutions for tough stains, moldy smells, and stains. So, why don’t you just do it? Read on to find out how!

Can You Use a Pressure Washer to Deep Clean?

If you are using a pressure washer, I would suggest that you trap the seat belt through the door and then close the door. You don’t want to spray water into your car, of course.

Move from the top of the seat belt to the bottom of the seat belt in a sweeping motion. Make sure to go back to step 4 and clean it really well. If you use a microfiber cloth to dry it as much as possible, it will dry faster.

Can You Use a Steamer to Deep Clean?

Steaming is a common way to clean. It uses water and heat to clean deeply, and car carpets and seats are often cleaned this way. Can you also use it on your belts?

Yes, you can use a steamer to clean them, but there are a few rules you must follow to keep the belt from getting damaged.

First, you should use low heat to steam. Seat belts are made of strong materials, but they aren’t as strong as carpets or chairs. If you use the machine’s highest steam setting, the fabric could get burned and its threads could come loose.

Also, you can only steam clean your belt every so often, no more than two or three times a year. This is because regular steaming exposes the belt’s fabric to direct heat, even at a low temperature, which is bad for the fabric and will make it less flexible and firm.

Pressure Washing Method on Car Seat Belts

When you want to clean the inside of your car really well, you can use pressure washing. If you are not used to this method, you could get your seats wet, so you need to be careful. You will need a pressure washer, a spray bottle, a scrub brush, liquid soap, clamps, a soft cloth, and water.

Put some water and soap in a spray bottle.
Take off your seat belt and pull it all the way to the end. You can use the clamp or open your door and close it on the seat belt that’s been stretched out. It would keep it from moving.
Spray your mixture on the belt. Pay special attention to the tough stains.
Scrub the whole length of the belt with a soft cloth.
Rinse off the leftover foam with the pressure washer.
Wipe the wetness off the belt with the dry cloth, and then let it dry. Use the clamps to keep the belt in place while it dries.

Clean Seat Belts Don’t Save Lives, Undamaged Do!

I know this isn’t really on topic, but I have to say it. Seat belts can’t always be cleaned so well that they look brand new again.

You shouldn’t stress out too much about it. The most important thing about seat belts is that they keep us safe, not that they are spotless.

I can see why many people who clean cars don’t want to touch the seat belts because they don’t want to break them.

Additional Tips and Advice on How to Clean Car Seat Belts

With a few extra tips on how to clean your seatbelts, you’ll become a real pro and make sure that all of your passengers have a fun and safe ride.

Avoid cleaning liquids with strong scents because they can irritate your skin and eyes while you’re washing.
No matter what kind of material your seatbelts are made of, you should wash them on a sunny day so they can dry faster.
If your seats are leather, you should cover them and keep liquids and sprays away from them. Use plastic tarps to keep anything from getting on the seats.
While you’re waiting for the seatbelts to dry, you might want to check how they work. Also, if you need to, you can polish the buckles.
Don’t take off the retractor to pull the seat belt webbing all the way out. This could cause problems when putting the parts together, making the car less reliable during the drive.

Things Not To Do When Cleaning The Seat Belts

Now you know how I clean seat belts, which I think is the safest way to do it and still gets great results.

I just wanted to tell you not to do a few things when you clean the seat belts. As I said, they can start to fall apart if you don’t clean them properly.

Don’t do the following when you clean the seat belts:

Using a pressure washer: The best way to clean something is with a pressure washer, but it’s dangerous. Never do this with the seat belts in your car.
People often use a steam cleaner to clean them, but I don’t think it’s the safest way to do it. When you clean seat belts with a steam cleaner, they are exposed to very high temperatures, which I think is bad for how firm and flexible they are.
If you use too much degreaser on them, it can help you get rid of all the dirt, but it can also make the fibers fall apart. To clean them well, you should always use as little degreaser as possible.

I think those were the three biggest mistakes people made when they cleaned their car seat belts. Make sure you don’t go near them. Some people also like to use a steam cleaner, but I don’t think it’s completely safe. But this is just how I see it.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now know how to clean seat belts like a pro. This article about how to clean car seat belts should have been easy to understand and helpful. Now, you never have to worry about your car seatbelts not being clean again.

When it comes to your safety and the safety of your passengers, seat belts are one of the most important things. It’s normal for them to get dirty after being used for a while.

I showed you how I clean the seat belts in my car, which always works well. If you follow the steps in this article, you won’t damage the seat belt webbings, and you’ll be safe while driving.

Some of you probably won’t agree with me about using a pressure washer and a steam cleaner, but I still don’t think it’s safe to use them on seat belt webbings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about How to Clean Car Seat Belts

Is it safe to clean seat belts?

You should be fine if you use the methods listed above. Just make sure that your brushes or other ways of cleaning do not hurt the seat belt’s webbing.

Is it better to remove seat belts to clean them?

Some people take off their seat belts completely so that they can soak them in a bucket of cleaner. This would also make it possible to use a power washer to clean, which would make the job very easy. But based on what we’ve seen and what we think, that’s a waste of time and more trouble than it’s worth.

Can you use bleach on seat belts?

Don’t use one with bleach or vinegar in it, because the acid can hurt the belt. Most stains can be taken care of with detergent or a cleaner for fabrics, no matter where they came from. You can’t use many cleaners on the seat belt because they are too harsh. Dip a brush with stiff bristles into the mix.

Can seat belts be washed?

Still, there are germs, stains, and dirt on the seatbelts, and they should be cleaned often. So, yes, you do need to wash them as often as you can. You can do that yourself in your backyard. By washing them, you won’t just get rid of dirt, but if you smoke, you’ll also get rid of bad smells.

Can you use baking soda on car seat straps?

Don’t use chemicals like Lysol, Chlorox, Febreeze, Baking Soda, etc. on the shell of the seat. Instead, just use water to clean the plastic.

Can I use bleach on seat belts?

We don’t think bleach is a good way to clean your seat belts because it could damage the belt or the inside of your car.

How do you eliminate smells from seat belts?

Both the vinegar solution and steam cleaning should work to get rid of smelly seat belts. If it doesn’t work the first time, try it again to get a better clean.

How do you clean a smelly seatbelt?

Seat belts that smell bad can be cleaned with a mixture of warm water and baking soda. Or, mix dish soap, vinegar, and warm water together.

How do you get the vomit smell out of car seat straps?

The best things to use are Dawn dish soap or baby bath soap. Use a little soap and cool water on a washcloth, and then wipe, wipe, wipe. Let it dry, and if needed, do it again. Try not to get the straps so wet that they drip.

How do you clean the inside of a seat belt buckle?

I’d get a few rags and cover the area around it since gross stuff might drip out. Then spray a lot of Contact Cleaner inside the latching system. Then use it by buckling and unbuckling the seat belt several times. If it seems to help at all, do it again.

What solution would be used to clean the seat belt straps?

Add three cups of dish soap or an all-purpose cleaner that is gentle. Don’t use one with bleach or vinegar in it, because the acid can hurt the belt. Most stains can be taken care of with detergent or a cleaner for fabrics, no matter where they came from. You can’t use many cleaners on the seat belt because they are too harsh.