Given recent circumstances, we think it is safe to say that maintaining personal hygiene is something that has been on top of everyone’s priority. In the fight against Covid-19, we have all become increasingly aware of the importance of keeping everyday items, including jewellery and watches, sanitised effectively and in the best condition possible.

With this in mind, there is no time like the present to counteract your cabin fever sensations by taking some time out to care for your luxury items. Feeling restless at home? Clean your watch! This way, you can guarantee that you are a vision of sanitation with your high levels of personal hygiene. Wondering how to clean a watch? Here at The Watch Lab, we advise on the best way to maintain personal hygiene with your watch.

What you’ll need to clean your watch

In order for you to clean your watch, you’ll need the following items:

• A mild detergent/dish soap
• A bowl of warm water
• Cloth/soft-bristled toothbrush
• Clean dry cloth for drying purposes.

How to clean a watch

When you are embarking on cleaning your watch, you want to make sure that your own hands are clean before doing anything else. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before and after cleaning your watch or jewellery.

Knowing how to clean a watch can seem slightly daunting, especially if you have never done it before or are a proud Omega, Tag Heuer, Micheal Kors, or designer watch brand owner, so follow these simple steps and you’ll have the most hygienic watch in the UK!

You should ensure to clean both the watch face and the strap – after all,  you wouldn’t clean your palms without washing your fingers too.

Step 1

You should start by cleaning the face of your watch. Fill your bowl with warm water and add some of your mild detergent/dish soap, providing you with a bowl of warm soapy water. Begin by dipping your cloth, or your bristled toothbrush, into the water and lightly brush over the face of your watch. 

You don’t want to vigorously rub as this could cause more harm than good, but you want to rub it gently enough to remove any dirt from the watch front. 

Tip: this is where the toothbrush may come in handy.  

If you can spot any crystals or markings, tackle these by simply utilising the warm water and working your brush or cloth around them.

Step 2

The next step is to clean the watch band. If you own a fitness watch, you should try to remove the watch bands before you begin the cleaning process. 

To clean the watch strap, you want to follow a fairly similar process to the cleaning of the watch face. Get yourself a bowl full of warm water, dampen your cloth (not too much though – you don’t want a soggy cloth), and begin wiping down the watch band.

Tip: if your strap is particularly mucky, you could add some dish soap to the water and follow the instructions above. You’ll have that dirt off in no time!

Step 3

Now you have cleaned your watch’s face and strap, you should gently dry the watch with a clean cloth and then refasten. 

This simple three-step process works for just about all watch brands and strap types. Although, this does differ slightly if you have a leather watch. Leather watches should not be exposed to moisturise as this can lead to a crack in the leather material. If your watch falls into this category, you should get a dry cloth and use this to remove any debris or build-up of dirt.

Watch valeting with The Watch Lab

Here at The Watch Lab, as we are specialists in high-value watches, we are happy to help when it comes to thoroughly cleaning your watch. We know how important it is to return your treasured item to its former glory. 

As The Watch Lab branches begin to reopen, we are delighted to say that we are doing free watch cleaning for NHS and blue card holders; this is just our way of giving back to the amazing key workers who have kept the country afloat during these difficult times.

In every branch, we have invested in LED UV steriliser units which kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses in the same way as, for example, an alcohol wipe or anti-bacterial spray would do without compromising the finish of the watch or the bracelet. This allows us to promise a fully hygienic clean of your watch without any worries.

Although all of our stores aren’t open right now, we offer high quality valeting & polishing services so you can keep your watch in the best possible condition so keep your eyes peeled for updates on The Watch Lab and when our postal services will be back up and running! For now though, follow the above guide to keep your watch hygienic and healthy until you can bring it to us for a professional deep clean.