How to properly clean a watch strap at home

A wristwatch is an important accessory that complements a person’s image. They testify to the punctuality and responsibility of their owner, and are part of the image, emphasizing his taste, style, level of income and social status. Naturally, the watch and bracelet or strap should always be in perfect condition. The strap, which is made from materials that are highly susceptible to contamination, requires special care. Dirt ingrained into it spoils the appearance, reduces the service life of the strap and is a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria. You can, of course, replace the strap, but it gets dirty so often that it will be too expensive - it’s easier to clean it. You will learn how to clean your watch strap in this article from the recommendations of a specialist from our company.

Why does a watch strap get dirty?

When wearing a watch on your hand every day, the strap will inevitably become dirty. The main factors contributing to its rapid contamination are:

• water and humidity - they can get on the strap during rain, hand washing or hygienic water procedures. If the strap is not dried, it will attract dust;
• sweat, since it contains not only water, but also ammonia, various products of protein metabolism, minerals and sulfuric acid compounds - all this is absorbed by the material from which the strap is made;
• sebum – its secretion is determined by the constitutional characteristics of the skin and can be caused by various reasons. Like sweat, fatty secretions are also absorbed by the pores of the strap, creating a favorable environment for bacteria, which leads to the appearance of an unpleasant odor;
• street dust contained in the air - settling on the surface of the strap, it mixes with sweat and fat, forming a layer of dirt.

The watch strap gets dirty especially intensively for people who love active recreation, going on picnics, hunting or fishing.

Features of working with ceramics

In recent years, companies have begun to produce watches not only from stainless steel, brass, and precious metals, but also from non-standard materials. Stylish ceramic models are scratch-resistant, last a long time, and do not cause skin irritation. These watches are very light, do not feel on your hand, do not heat up in the heat, and do not cool down in the cold.

How and with what to clean a leather jacket at home

Ceramics do not absorb moisture, and dirt can be wiped off with a wet cloth. If you wear a watch for 15 years, scratches appear on the surface, which can be removed by regular polishing. Ceramic models in white and black, blue and gray tones are especially appreciated.

How to clean a leather watch strap

Modern wristwatches, especially models from premium brands, are often equipped with a strap made of crocodile or calf leather. In order for such a bracelet to last longer and maintain a neat appearance, it must be regularly wiped with a soft damp cloth and cleaned from dust, dirt and bacteria at least once every six months.

We will give several ways on how you can clean a leather watch strap to get rid of unpleasant odor, dirt, sweat and grease. But before you start cleaning, the strap must be disconnected from the watch case so as not to accidentally damage the glass or the watch mechanism, which could get water and detergents.

I have another cleaning method for you.

By the way, if the strap is too dirty and the melamine sponge no longer helps, you can use it together with window cleaning liquid - it won’t get any worse.
Before I discovered melamine sponges, I used mirror cleaning liquid to clean Apple Watch straps and windows _

As far as I understand, in this case, alcohol, which is included in most of these products, helps get rid of dirt.

I simply sprayed the strap generously with liquid and then wiped it with a regular sponge. The result was almost always not much worse than using a melamine sponge.

How to clean a leather watch strap

A strap made of genuine leather can be cleaned from dirt and unpleasant odors using:

• baking soda and water, mixing them in such proportions to form a paste mixture. It should be applied to the strap and left for 40-60 minutes, then rinsed off under running water and the strap dried well at room temperature. This method is suitable for straps of dark shades;
• glasses of milk and raw protein - with their help you can clean a strap made of white and light leather by thoroughly mixing the protein in milk and wiping the leather bracelet with a napkin soaked in this mixture. After removing dirt, you need to rinse the strap well in cool water and leave it to dry on a flat surface, face up;
• warm, weak soap solution based on toilet soap. The strap should be immersed in this solution for a few minutes, and then carefully clean the contaminated areas with a soft bristle brush, rinse with running water and, patted with a paper towel, leave to dry completely in the room for about a day;
• a small amount of neutral liquid soap dissolved in warm water and a few drops of ammonia. After soaking a cotton swab in this solution, gently wipe the strap from the front side, and then from the inside, and rinse it under warm running water;
• a special product for cleaning natural leather from stains and dirt - apply it to a cloth and thoroughly wipe the leather surfaces. This cleaner removes grease stains well.

After cleaning and drying the strap, rub its front surface with olive or castor oil, petroleum jelly or glycerin, which will prevent the leather from drying out and give it elasticity and shine.

Use a melamine sponge for this.

Interesting fact: once I even tried to remove such stains with nail polish remover - it didn’t help. Yes, branded silicone straps for Apple Watch can be easily cleaned with a melamine sponge.
But how do I know this? About three months ago, furniture maker Vadim, who worked on the kitchen for my small apartment, advised me to use melamine sponges to clean the countertops and facades. Matte white furniture easily absorbs dirt, so the question turned out to be difficult.

I first researched local stores, and when I didn't find anything useful, I ordered a pack of melamine sponges from AliExpress.

This dirt is already ingrained, it cannot be washed or washed off without special means.

A month later I had a box of sponges.

With their help, I easily cleaned not only the countertops and facades in the kitchen, but also removed stains from painted walls, brought my AirPort Express, as well as the treasured white Apple Watch strap, to new condition.

Melamine sponge on AliExpress (from 5 rubles per piece)

Precautions when cleaning a leather watch band

To avoid damaging the leather strap, remember the following precautions when cleaning:

• do not use soap solutions and detergents to remove dirt from a strap made of ostrich, stingray, lizard or snake skin - only dry cleaning with a cloth is suitable;
• Do not dry the strap near heating appliances;
• Avoid exposing the leather product to direct sunlight when drying;
• Do not use gasoline to remove grease stains, as it is a solvent and can damage the front surface of the strap.

To avoid frequent cleaning of the strap, try to keep it away from moisture, remove the watch at night and before showering, and when putting it on, leave a ventilated gap so that the leather product does not fit too tightly to your hand.

How often should metal and ceramic bracelets be cleaned?

If you wear the same watch on your bracelet every day, we recommend cleaning it thoroughly about once a month. The most meticulous watch owners can wipe them daily. Just as washing our face and brushing our teeth before bed contributes to our good health, our watches will also benefit from a similar express cleaning. Use a soft cloth to wipe the inside and outside of the bracelet, as well as the top and bottom of the case. This will help remove excess moisture and residue from the cosmetics you have used on your skin throughout the day. In addition, this regular maintenance and care of your bracelet will make monthly deep cleaning much easier.

How to clean a rubber watch strap

The first rubber straps appeared on diver's watches and marine chronometers. Very quickly they gained popularity and began to be used by many watch brands, including those producing expensive Swiss luxury watches.

Rubber straps are not as easy to care for as similar leather products, but they also require periodic cleaning to remove dirt and stains. Before cleaning such a rubber bracelet, it is advisable to disconnect it from the case. If your watch has a strap integrated with the case, make sure that the chronograph is water resistant to at least 5 ATM.

To clean a rubber strap you can use:

• concentrated soap solution, preferably based on simple laundry soap or dishwashing liquid. You can remove dirt with an old toothbrush or sponge;
• A household product for cleaning bathrooms and tiles that does not contain chlorine. After removing dirt, rinse the strap with plenty of warm water. This method is used to clean white or light-colored items;
• regular office eraser.

Silicone or rubber

Polyurethane materials are not afraid of water, are durable, cheap to produce and allow you to make a strap of any design, so they quickly took root in the watch industry. However, such materials also require proper care.

First, let's look at prevention:

1. Rubber or silicone also do not like much stretch, despite their strength. Wear these straps more loosely and avoid bending them too much.
2. If the straps are light-colored (especially all-white), the colored cuffs of the clothing may stain them, so monitor the quality of your clothing or avoid such unwanted contact, which will be quite difficult to do, especially in the cold season when everyone is wearing long sleeves. The color transfers most quickly to jeans dyed either in poisonous or dark colors.
3. The straps should not be left near heat sources or in direct sunlight.
4. Also, they do not always normally tolerate low temperatures below -10 degrees, so it is better to wear them under clothing, unless it is a specialized strap designed for such loads.

Cleaning. It is important to find out what the instructions for your watch say about this. Different rubber compounds require a special approach and, as a rule, manufacturers indicate this point in the instructions. Of course, it also happens that this point is ignored, so users have to act at their own peril and risk. Please understand that there is no universal cleaning method that would work equally well for all straps of this type. For some it will be effective, but for others it will be unsafe. This point is very important to understand!

And one more nuance: special cleaning products are not sold for cleaning silicone/rubber straps for the reasons that we stated above, so you will have to make do with homemade methods. We dare to offer you the following methods:

1. A good place to start is to clean the dirt off your strap using soapy water. You can also try dishwashing detergent, which is best diluted with water. In our case, you can use brushes, but not with very hard bristles. The product can also be soaked in water if the stains are old and require more thorough cleaning.
2. You can try cleaning light-colored straps with chlorine-free substances, which are used in everyday life for cleaning tiles and plumbing fixtures. Do not forget to protect your hands, as well as take precautions when working with chemical compounds. Use brushes, cotton swabs, sponges and whatever you want to bring the color of the strap closer to its original state.
3. Stationery eraser. I'm not kidding. Sometimes such a simple effect is enough for simple pollution.
4. Nail polish remover (cosmetology, not construction chemicals). In practice, this remedy also helped, but here you need to experiment, depending on the type of contamination and the condition of the rubber.

By the way, now polyurethane straps are quite cheap, so sometimes it makes sense to just buy a new one, especially if you don’t find a suitable answer to the question of how to clean your watch strap without ruining it.

How to clean a textile watch strap

A textile or fabric strap, unlike a leather one, can be cleaned of dirt with a mild soap solution using any synthetic detergent. And the original NATO strap can even be washed in a machine, after placing it in a bag so that the metal parts do not touch the drum.

There are no special requirements for drying textile straps. They do not have to be left spread out on a flat surface, so you can even dry them on your hand. The only condition is not to use heating devices for drying.

We hope that the recommendations of a Watches Master specialist will help you choose how best to clean your watch strap so that it retains its attractive appearance for as long as possible.

The working process

First you need to thoroughly soak the brush and toothbrush in gasoline or alcohol. While the tools are soaking, you can begin disassembling the watch. It is best to find instructions for disassembling your particular model, since even the slightest deviations during disassembly or assembly will lead to incorrect operation.

Once you have separated all the parts, start with the balance. Cleaning is always done from there. To do this, you need to pour gasoline or alcohol into a prepared container. About two centimeters of liquid in a glass is enough. Using tweezers, lower the balance by the rim into the glass and gently rinse it in the liquid.

When finished, lightly move the part in the air to evaporate any remaining gasoline. Now you can put the balance in sawdust to dry completely. Birch sawdust is good because it absorbs large amounts of liquids. That is why we recommend using them when working.

The next parts to clean will be the anchor fork bridge and hanger. The procedure is the same, only to dry you should place the parts on a clean sheet of thin paper. Then the anchor fork itself is cleaned and also placed on paper.

Now you need to clean all the remaining parts, including the platinum and drum. Large parts are placed in sawdust, small parts are placed on paper. When finished, wait a few minutes for the parts to dry. If after drying you see deposits or other defects, carefully go over it with a brush or a soft-bristled toothbrush. Upon completion, wait until the mechanisms are completely dry and assemble them together. Assembly must be carried out as quickly as possible to avoid dust ingress.

When the working mechanism of the watch is assembled, it must be lubricated. In this case, it is not recommended to use a brush, since lint may remain with the oil. It is better to use a pipette and gently drip onto the parts. The watch oil used is quite liquid, so there will be no difficulty in applying it with a pipette.

Once you have finished lubricating, you can insert the clock mechanism into the case of the product and complete the assembly of the watch. After all operations are completed, the watch will work with an accuracy of about two to three years.

How to care for leather goods

Simply wipe the dial with a damp and then a dry cloth or napkin. What to do with the bracelet? Some cleaning methods and products can damage, scratch and even destroy the material.

Expert opinion

Ksenia Diyanova, expert on beauty, purity, harmony

Ask me any questions, I will be happy to answer!

I first researched local stores, and when I didn't find anything useful, I ordered a pack of melamine sponges from AliExpress. Take out the accessory and clean it with a cotton swab, especially carefully wiping the inside of the strap. How to clean a stainless steel watch bracelet? Ask me all your questions, I will be happy to answer!