ᐈ How to clean a watch strap ⌚ How to clean a watch strap

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 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.

How to deal with scratches on glass

An expensive accessory looks untidy not only when the bracelet is blackened, the strap is shiny from a greasy coating, and scratches on the glass give the product an unkempt appearance. You can remove small cracks at home. Squeeze a little toothpaste without dyes onto a cotton pad and rub it clockwise into the problem area. There is no need to press hard, otherwise the glass will burst. The composition is removed with a damp cloth.

To mask large scratches, use Goya paste. Soak a swab in a coarse product containing chromium oxide and wipe the glass. The process is performed several times, using paste No. 3 and 2 with fine grain. To add shine, polishing is done with mineral oil.

A paste of soda can cope with scratches; apply it to the surface, rub in with a cotton swab, and remove the residue with a wet cloth. Sandpaper removes microcracks. The glass is removed from the body, cleaned of dust with a soft cloth, carefully polished, coated with toothpaste, which is wiped dry.

Masks scratches and restores shine with furniture or car wax. The swab is dipped into the composition and the glass is polished. Removes abrasions with a solution prepared from 2 glasses of water and a spoon of ammonia.

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.

How to Clean Gold, Silver and Steel Watches

A gold bracelet should be polished using baby powder, cosmetic powder or crushed chalk. Sprinkle a little product onto a dry flannel cloth and thoroughly polish the surface on each side, then wipe with a dry, clean cloth. No water is used to clean gold! Therefore, be sure to take dry cloths.

To clean a silver bracelet, mix vinegar or ammonia with baking soda. Apply the composition to the surface of the product without rubbing, and coat every crack. Leave for half an hour, then wipe with a damp cloth and polish with a cloth or microfiber cloth.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar can also be used to clean steel bracelets. You can also use regular hair shampoo, a mild kitchen detergent, or a mild dishwashing gel for cleaning.

Dilute this product with water, place the product and leave for 30 minutes. Then the strap is cleaned with a cotton swab or toothbrush and rinsed with running water. After this, wipe the surface with a dry cotton or microfiber cloth.

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 to care for a suede or nubuck strap

If the belt is made of reverse leather or nubuck, it is better to treat it with a special spray before use, as we do with suede shoes. This will make the belt more resistant to the same accidental splashes of water or oil. It would be nice to buy a spray that is not neutral, but a shade that matches the color of the strap. Then the spray will help not only maintain water-repellent qualities, but also refresh the color.

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.

Rules for cleaning and caring for watches at home - Review +

A watch is an accessory that is still very relevant and has not lost its popularity in our time, despite the fact that now everyone can find out what time it is on their smartphone. After all, in addition to its direct purpose, a watch is an indicator of the status of its owner.

But in order for mechanical watches to show accurate time and work properly, they need to be cleaned 2-3 times a year. If you cannot use the services of a professional watchmaker, we will tell you how to clean a mechanical watch at home.

What do you need to clean your watch?

First of all, you need a workspace with good lighting.

Materials for work:

- medical rubber bulb;
— tweezers, for working with small parts;
- pipette;
- toothpicks;
— a brush with thin and soft bristles, pre-soaked in gasoline or alcohol;
- a toothbrush, also pre-soaked;
- ethanol;
- watch oil;
- small capacity;
- cotton pads and buds;
- fabric napkins;
- clean white sheets of paper;
- birch sawdust;
- soft, lint-free fabric.

Sequence of work

In order to do a good job of cleaning your watch, you need to follow a certain algorithm of actions. First of all, clean the body, and then the remaining parts.

Parsing the device

Before cleaning the inside of your watch, you will need to disassemble the movement. First, remove the crown, which secures the mechanical parts of the device inside. Then the watch is opened and the mechanism is taken out. The extracted parts are then placed on a cloth napkin.

Cleaning the case

Using a medical blower, we clean the case from dust. Then we process the glass with a soft cloth. We clean the remaining elements of the body with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol. If there are complex stains, use a toothbrush. Then wipe the dial first with a damp cloth, then with a dry one.

Cleaning the mechanism

Cleaning the mechanism requires careful actions, excluding strong pressure on the parts to prevent their deformation.

Sequence of work:

— We start with the balance, which we first immerse in a container with alcohol or gasoline. To do this, you need to take the balance by the rim, immerse it in a container a couple of centimeters, then rinse it, move it through the air, thus allowing the alcohol or gasoline to evaporate. After that, we place the balance in birch sawdust, which will finally absorb all the liquid.
— To clear the hangar, you will need to do the same manipulations as with the balance. But they dry it on a clean sheet of paper.
- All other parts are cleaned in the same way; in order to dry large parts, sawdust is used, small parts - a sheet of paper.
— Only after all the parts have completely dried do we begin assembling the mechanism. You need to collect as quickly as possible to prevent dust from entering.
— at the end of assembling the parts, it is necessary to lubricate the parts with chalk using a pipette and immediately insert them into the body.

Cleaning a strap or bracelet

The strap or bracelet is an integral part of an outdoor watch. They are made from various materials: from traditional metal, leather to ceramics, plastic and silicone, etc.

To clean the strap/bracelet, you must remove it from the watch.

To clean a ceramic bracelet, you need to wipe it with a soft cloth moistened with glass cleaner.

Leather and silicone straps are cleaned using a cotton pad, which must be moistened in a soap solution, to which a drop of ammonia is added. After which the soap scum is removed with a damp cloth.

Important: do not soak a leather strap, or clean it with gasoline or alcohol!

It is recommended to clean light or white leather with a mixture of milk and egg white.

We recommend cleaning plastic, rubber or fabric straps with toothpaste or a solution of laundry soap.

It is recommended to clean a stainless steel bracelet with a mixture of table vinegar and soda, or ammonia and soda.

We recommend cleaning your silver bracelet with shampoo or dishwashing detergent and then wiping it dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

A gold bracelet can only be cleaned with baby powder, crushed chalk or powder; they polish the product on both sides and then wipe it dry with a cloth.

How to remove odor from a bracelet/watch strap

If a person often wears a watch without cleaning it from dirt, pathogenic bacteria and sweat accumulate on the strap.

The waste products of these microorganisms emit an unpleasant odor, the following method will help you get rid of it:

— rub the inside and then the outside of the strap with baby soap;
— moisten cloth napkins in warm water and wipe the bracelet;
- wipe dry with a napkin and leave on a clean cloth until completely dry.

Watch care rules

In order for a watch to serve for a long time, it requires regular and proper care:

— avoid getting moisture into the mechanism;
— clean the glass, case, bracelet/strap from dirt;
- protect from sudden changes in temperature;
— do not allow mechanical watches to be impacted; take them to a workshop for cleaning every two years.
— quartz watches should not be worn in hot weather, they are subject to overheating, and as a result, the batteries deteriorate;
— avoid electromagnetic radiation, otherwise the watch may slow down or stop;
— leather and rubber straps cannot withstand heat; they must be treated with a special compound that prevents them from getting wet from contact with water.

As we can see from the article, in order to clean your watch without ruining it, you will need to work hard. Especially if you have no experience working with small mechanisms. Therefore, you can take a risk and try to clean it yourself using the above tips or contact a professional workshop.

The need to care for a leather or satin leather strap is often overlooked, resulting in the strap needing to be replaced frequently. In this article we will look at how to extend the life of a leather strap.

Any watch must be regularly cleaned of dirt and dust, and if necessary, the steel or gold case must be polished - this golden rule is known to all watch owners. But the need to care for a leather or satin leather-based strap is often forgotten, and this leads to the fact that it needs to be replaced frequently: spend money on an expensive original belt (which, moreover, may already be discontinued) or choose another one - not always a perfect match, for example, in the color of the dial.

Leather is a relatively durable material, but it is still not nearly as strong and durable as metal or even plastic and rubber. It is subject to wear, fading, creasing, and loss of color. And under certain conditions, belts even crack or break. To delay all these unpleasant phenomena as much as possible and extend the life of the strap, it is enough to follow simple rules for its use and care.

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.

How to clean the internal mechanism

Any wrong action may damage the watch. When disassembling an accessory, you need to remember where this or that part was placed and in what sequence the elements were removed. To clean the mechanism:

Large deposits are removed with a thin needle.
Separate the angrenage, balance, and anchor fork with tongs and place them in a container filled with alcohol.
After 3 or 4 minutes, all parts are removed from the solution and dried on tissue paper.
Mineral oil is taken into a pipette and each part is treated.

If dirt remains, remove it with a brush, moistening it in ethyl alcohol. After finishing cleaning, the mechanism is immediately reassembled, otherwise dust will settle on it.

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:

Rubber or silicone also do not like much stretch, despite their strength. Wear these straps more loosely and avoid bending them too much.
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.
The straps should not be left near heat sources or in direct sunlight.
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:

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.
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.
Stationery eraser. I'm not kidding. Sometimes such a simple effect is enough for simple pollution.
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.

Faux leather

There is an opinion that artificial leather is more practical to wear compared to natural leather. However, practice suggests the opposite. Synthetics quickly lose their original appearance, so this is not an easy choice, and you also need to look at your financial capabilities. As for preventive measures, they are the same as for leather products.

As for cleaning, for this we need cotton pads/tampons or soft sponges. Of course, it is better for our purposes to use specialized cleaning products, since synthetics are not so easy to clean, since they have the ability to strongly absorb odors and dirt, especially after prolonged wear. It is important to remember that when treating the strap with products or rinsing it afterward, you should not allow it to get too wet, since any moisture has a destructive effect on the material. Therefore, the remnants of detergents are first removed with a damp cotton pad, and only then quickly washed under water. Dry synthetics at room temperature in a straightened position. We do not recommend using old-fashioned methods, as they are ineffective and destroy the structure of artificial leather, so it makes sense to spend money on a normal cleaning product.

Sequence of work

Cleaning a watch is not limited to cleaning the mechanism itself; the watch body, including the glass

Although it is usually recommended to start cleaning the mechanism immediately, it is advisable to clean the case with glass first, since after cleaning the movement itself, it will need to be placed in the case as quickly as possible to avoid dust particles from entering it

. You can, of course, cover it with paper or cloth, but even from them particles that are almost invisible to the eye can get into the mechanism, which will negate all your work.

So, cleaning a mechanical watch is carried out in the following
sequence
.

Disassembling the watch

Remove
the winding screw that secures the mechanism into the case.
Open the case and carefully
remove the mechanism from it.
If there are large, clearly visible contaminants that are easily accessible, they can be removed with a toothpick. But be careful
: if its tip breaks off and remains inside, it will damage the mechanism, and then you definitely won’t be able to do it without a watchmaker.
Using a rubber blower, clean the mechanism with compressed air. Make sure that the pressure is not too strong, otherwise the miniature
parts may be damaged.
Clean the housing in the same way - the pressure
may be stronger here.

Cleaning the case

Use a cotton pad
or swab soaked in gasoline/alcohol to wipe the watch case.
If there are stubborn stains
, they can be easily removed with a brush or toothbrush.
To clean the dial, use first a damp
and then a dry cloth.
Do not wipe the glass with gasoline/alcohol, as this may impair its transparency
(this applies to inexpensive watches with low-quality glass).
Finally, wipe the body cloth
.

Cleaning the mechanism

Remember that you need to clean the mechanism of your wristwatch very carefully, avoiding strong pressure

on parts, otherwise they may become deformed - this is an indispensable condition for home cleaning. Ideally, it is advisable to find instructions for this particular watch model, since if assembled incorrectly, they will simply become unusable.

You need to start with a balance
: it is immersed in alcohol or gasoline, poured into a cup or glass to a height of about 2 cm. Take the balance with tweezers by the rim, immerse it in the cup and rinse, then move it through the air to allow the gasoline/alcohol to evaporate, and place it into birch sawdust for final drying - they absorb liquid better than others.
The anchor fork and anchorage
are cleaned in the same way, but dried on paper, since these parts are smaller.
All other parts are cleaned
in the same way . Large ones are placed in sawdust for drying, and small ones are placed on paper.
Let all parts dry
. If after this you notice plaque on them, carefully clean it off with a brush or toothbrush.
The mechanism must be assembled after have completely dried
and done as quickly as possible to prevent dust from getting into it.
Upon completion of assembly, lubricate the parts with watch oil (this is convenient to do with a pipette) and immediately insert into the case.

DIY bracelet cleaning

A spoonful of ammonia is dissolved in a liter of water. Wipe the part with the composition and polish it with a soft cloth.
The protective coating of the watch is treated with lemon juice and dried with flannel.
Apply toothpaste or tooth powder to the blackened metal with a brush and rinse under the tap.
The body, removed from the accessory, is left for an hour in a salty solution, and the plaque is removed with a sponge.

Despite the fact that gold itself is not prone to oxidation and, accordingly, changes in color and texture, jewelry made from it can darken and become coated over time - this is due to the presence of various additives in the metal. In addition, jewelry worn on the body gets dirty simply during use. To return them to a shiny appearance in every sense, it is necessary to periodically clean the surface. How and with what to clean a gold bracelet or earrings will be discussed in this article.

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