Belt cleaning apparatus includes a scraper blade mounted to a blade holder and urged against a belt for moving and/or removing material carried thereby. The blade includes a pair of flexible legs or skirts that engage the blade holder in snap-on/snap-off fashion. A tensioner includes inner and outer collars engaging the blade holder and a housing and a torsion spring between the collars tensions the blade. The housing engages one of the collars such as by a locking handle for fixing the spring tension and also serves to shield the tensioner from debris. The apparatus may be easily and quickly disassembled and assembled without tools, may be constructed of food-grade materials, and is "open" for ease of cleaning.