How to Clean Your Smartwatch Without Ruining It
Two weeks ago, I bought a new Apple Watch to replace my old one, which had spent the last year or so in my junk drawer, except for a few days it spent in the no-man’s land of my bedside table. . The old one, of course, was very dirty. I got a new one after I decided for the 137th time in my life that it was time to “get it together” and start taking my health seriously, so I wear it to work out and sleep all the time. two weeks. It was also dirty, but in a different way.
What better opportunity to try out two smartwatch cleaning methods?
Smartwatch cleaning method No. 1: soap and water.
The method that came up most often in my research on cleaning smartwatches was using mild soap and water, so I decided to try it on my old watch. I’ve read that if the device is waterproof, you can dip it in a bowl of warm water and a drop or two of dish soap or hand soap. I used Mrs. soap. Meyer , but you can use any mild soap, just don’t overdo the drops. I don’t know if my old watch is waterproof, but I want to try to sell it, so I decided to use a soft cloth to wipe the face and sensor with soapy water instead of dunking it in water. As far as I can tell, there is no compelling reason to abandon your fancy technology.
Before you do any washing, remove the watch band just to make it easier on yourself. You should also turn off your smartwatch (since mine was dead, I didn’t bother). I wiped the tiniest bit of soapy water around the car with a rag and sure enough everything went fine, including a large line of unidentified debris that I think was spray paint from many moons ago. I wiped it down again with a dry section of the cloth, removing any excess moisture.
I ran into a problem when I looked into the small holes where the watch band connects to the device itself. They are tiny, only a millimeter across, but they were very dirty inside. My rag didn’t fit and for a moment I wondered if this is why some people dip their cloth in bowls of water, but when I folded the wet wipe in half and pulled it tightly, I was able to easily move the corner I had made. into the groove and it worked. If you have a really nasty crust, try a paper towel soaked in soapy water.
Smartwatch cleaning method No. 2: isopropyl alcohol
For my new watch, I repeated the trick of sticking a damp cloth into the grooves that hold the band, but using a Q-tip soaked in 70% isopropyl alcohol to spot treat the rougher parts that looked and felt oily. If the old watch was dirty from sitting in a junk drawer, this one was dirty from lotion and sweat; Obviously, alcohol is better at removing oily stains than water, so before you start cleaning, consider what kind of streaks you’re dealing with. Also know that before I did this, I read a lot of online debate about whether this is a good thing to do, but after reading it I felt pretty confident reading that small dabs are safe. Do not use a cloth soaked in alcohol.
If your watch is very dirty, try soap and water first. The rubbing alcohol should be quickly applied to the outer surface and then left to air dry. If you have small alcohol pads , they are ideal for this. Never allow alcohol to touch leather straps, and be careful not to get it into any openings.
Since these watches were not as dirty, alcohol worked fine. In both cases I was a little concerned about the streaks, but after they air dried there were no reports.
What to consider when cleaning your smartwatch
I wanted to find dirt in the ports and openings of my watch, but I couldn’t. While I think this says something good about who I am as a person, it doesn’t really help me when I’m trying to find better cleaning methods. From what I’ve read, if there is visible dirt in the tiny holes of your watch, carefully (very carefully!) try to remove it with a soft toothbrush or blow on it at an angle. If it is small or cannot be ventilated, gently wipe it with a dry cloth. The Apple Watch doesn’t really have holes large enough to cause problems, but if your device has them, be careful not to push nasty things deeper inside.
Consider getting into the habit of wiping your watch with a damp cloth or paper towel after you sweat a lot or before putting it on the charger, so it doesn’t get too dirty before your next real cleaning. Never use too much water, even if it’s waterproof—it needs to dry before you turn it back on, charge it, or wear it.
You should also clean your watch band regularly, but how you do this will depend on what it’s made of. Most are fabric so they can be machine washed, but rubber ones can be cleaned with soap and water or disinfectant. If it’s leather, wipe it with a dry cloth, then apply a drop of mild soap (such as hand soap) to the damp cloth to wipe away any dirty spots. Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe off any remaining soap and allow the leather to air dry before applying leather conditioner.