How to Clean a Watch Without Damaging It
A watch can be more than just a way to tell time. It can be a stylish accessory or even a statement piece of jewelry. But over time, watches can gather dust, oils from your skin, and other dirt, which can make them look dull and less shiny. In some cases, this buildup can even affect how the watch works. Regular cleaning can help keep your watch looking great and functioning properly.
1. Understand Your Watch’s Water Resistance
Before you start cleaning your watch, the first thing you need to do is check if it’s water-resistant. This is crucial because not all watches can handle water, and some may get damaged if exposed to it.
- Water-resistant watches: These can usually tolerate some exposure to water. If your watch is water-resistant, make sure that the crown (the small knob used to set the time) is pushed in or screwed down tightly to prevent water from entering the internal parts.
- Non-water-resistant watches: If your watch is not water-resistant, you will need to avoid getting it wet. Instead, clean it using a damp cloth or a dry brush.
2. Gather the Right Tools
You don’t need anything fancy to clean your watch. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Soft cloth: A microfiber cloth works best, but any soft cloth will do.
- Mild soap: Just a little bit of dish soap or hand soap mixed with water.
- Water: Lukewarm water is perfect.
- Soft brush: An old toothbrush works well for small areas.
3. Remove the Strap
When properly secured, your wrist strap is not only going to be in use but also rubbing against your wrist and your skin. This is the place where the accumulation of grime, sweat, oils, etc., happens on this strap which leaves it feeling dirty, and it is often the last area where a strap is cleaned when working on the rest of the watch strap.
- Leather straps: After a good wash and dry, it is recommended that this wash is applied with a soft cloth soaked in soap and certain other clean air soft wet wipes. Do not let the material get submerged in water because it will ruin the leather. In case the strap is extremely filthy, then a leather cleaner can be used but do check the instructions before use.
- Metal straps: A wet cloth has to be used for wiping the metal strap with a back that does not have any excess dirt. Soft brushes can be used to help mask areas that dirt collections such as links. To remove each of these stains, you just need a sweet solution with soap to help remove any work effectively using this as a stain solution cleaner.
4. Clean the Watch Case and Face
After cleaning the strap now it’s time for the package commonly referred to as the case or the body of the watch and the face commonly referred to as the glass whereby we cover the dial.
- The first step when cleaning the case should be done by using a clean dry cloth to wipe off dust and fingerprints. If in any place you are certain there is a discoloration caused by dirt or grime closer to the edges use a cotton like a cotton swab or use brush to clean those parts.
- For the strap, do not scratch the central piece of glass for the watch face. In case of any stains the microfiber material is well suited to wipe away the smudge. If you require more rigorous cleaning for the case, use a very little soapy water washing mix, dip the brush or cloth in the mixture, and wipe gently. Do not wet it with water right through the crown or any other hole, and do not wet the watch with too much water.
- For small scratch marks on the case, the use of toothpaste on a cloth or swab to gently polish should do the trick. Avoid using it anywhere on the watch face as this can easily damage the glass on the face.
5. Careful Drying of the Watch
As soon as you replace the watch parts that have been cleaned, how about drying them up more vigorously? Let the cloth absorb moisture. If you’ve used your watch underwater, leave it somewhere out of reach for a few minutes to dry out. Do not use a hair dryer or some other source of heat in an attempt to expedite the drying process as it can cause damage to watch parts.
6. Use Gentle Force With the Movements
The timepieces are constructed with extremely fragile mechanisms that if handled roughly might break down. While cleaning the crown or the little pushers try to avoid the urge to bear down or twist them. If there is a rotating bezel on the watch, like on a dive watch, don’t try to yank it. When cleaning surrounding the bezel, use soft bristles.
7. Make It A Habit To Keep Your Watch
Clean Your watch does not have to be cleaned every day but doing so at regular intervals is recommended considering that it is worn daily by many. For metal-band watches, this may be required more often as oils and dirt build up between the links. Similarly, for leather straps, regular cleaning will help prevent damage caused by sweat and moisture buildup.
