1x30 leather belt loaded with metal

[success]

I have a 1x30 leather belt loaded with white compound which is now completely black with metal. Do I just added more white compound to it or do I need to do something to clean up the leather before adding more compound? Thanks in advance

 

[rpttrsn]

To clean my 1x42" leather belt I put WD40 on a rag and wipe down the belt. Then run the belt and use the rag in a clean spot to clean the belt some more. Let dry over night and then apply compound. I'm not trying to soak the belt but enough to clean off the old compound.
If the build-up is heavy to begin with I use a putty knife to remove some of the build-up first.
Another cleaner that works is Permatex™ Fast Orange hand cleaner.

 

[success]

Thanks. I've read mixed things on the wd40 but I'll try it and see.

 

[pjwoolw]

You don't really need to clean it per say. Just take a blue shop towel and hold it against the belt while its running every so often until most of the old compound is removed.

 

[postoak]

You can buy a big block of rubber belt cleaner for about $12.00 that works amazingly well.

 

[Fish30114]

I would go with what Postoak says--I also have 'cleaned' my leather belt by holding a sharp square edge against the belt, which scraped the belt pretty darn clean