How to Clean your Watch
November 9, 2018
We wear watches everyday and take them everywhere we are. But unlike our clothes which do get washed on a regular basis, watches are not thoroughly washed and cleaned on a regular basis.
Most watch owners would just settle with the typical rub down and quick buffing using a fine microfiber cloth. While that process is fine, certain crevices and unseen areas of the watch do collect dirt, dust, and other contaminants that can hurt the metal surface of the watch if left uncleaned for some time.
It is recommended that we give our watch (especially the metal bracelet) a good bath and cleaning.
Before we begin on cleaning the watch, here are some tools that you would need for the process:
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Microfiber Cloth
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A small bowl
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Some warm water
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Gentle hand soap / Dishwashing soap
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Fine bristle toothbrush (used one is fine)
The basic home products you need to clean your watch
Step 1:
Prepare your soap mixture bath by placing about 100 - 200ml of warm water into the small bowl. Then, add just the right amount of gentle hand soap/ dish washing soap into the warm water and mix together until it foams or produces some bubbles.
Step 2:
Gently dip the watch (case and bracelet) into the soapy mixture for about 10 seconds. A word of advice, make sure your watch is water resistant or has all the water rubber seals intact to prevent water sipping inside the watch head and do more damage.
If you are unsure, please contact your local watch repair technician or jeweler for an assessment.
Step 3 - Using the Fine Bristle Toothbrush
Step 3:
Dip the tip of your fine bristle toothbrush into the soapy mixture and start to gently scrub all crevices of the watch bracelet and back case. These areas are the usual spots where contaminants and grime settle in and cause damage to the metal.
Step 4:
For the watch face, I would recommend that you use the microfiber cloth and dip one end of it into the soapy mixture and start scrubbing and rubbing on the watch face/head. This would be a safer method and can prevent unwanted scratches on sensitive areas of the watch face like the glass or bezel.
Step 5 - Dry using microfiber cloth
Step 5:
Throw away the soapy mixture and replace it with the same amount of just plain warm water. Now dip the entire watch so we can rinse away the remaining soapy and scrubbed grime of the watch.
Using the dry part of the microfiber cloth, pat and rub dry the whole watch. Some professionals would use an air blower/hair dryer to ensure all parts and links of the watch and bracelet are completely dry.
There you have it, you have successfully cleaned and removed all dirt and grime from your watch and ensuring it looks new and extend the number of years of service to you.
