Best Watch Cleaning Kits
Keeping your watch clean is more important than a lot of people think. This includes both the actual case of the watch, most importantly the metal bracelet.
We regularly get watches where the owner has never or very rarely cleaned their watch. And the result is quite disgusting, to say the least. A watch is exposed to a lot of dirt and grime when it is on the wrist. This is mainly in the form of grease, dead skin, hair, and dust that get accumulated on the watch. And since fat and grease get stuck, it further attracts more dirt, which is then built up. The worst build-ups of dirt on watches are on ”hidden” and not-so-easily accessible places, such as the inside of the clasp, which means that a lot of people don’t actually realize just how dirty their watch is.
Why you should clean your watch
Apart from the fact that it is nasty to have a dirty watch, there are other reasons why you should clean it regularly.
Firstly, a dirty watch is an unhygienic watch. Just like you wouldn’t go around with a dirty shirt, you shouldn’t go around with a dirty watch. Furthermore, when a watch is dirty, it loses its original luster and shine, thus keeping it from looking at beautiful as it can be.
But most importantly, having a dirty watch can have negative long-term effects on the actual watch. Apart from the fact that accumulated dirt and grime can speed up tarnishing and lead to rust, it can also be devastating to the functions – primarily the bracelet and rotating bezel (if your watch has such). When dirt finds its way to the bracelet, it gets stuck between the links, inside the springs, screws, and other moving parts. The dirt then acts like sandpaper, which increases friction between the parts and wears the bracelet out. In the case of a rotating bezel, when dirt finds its way into it, it also increases friction and causes premature wear to the internal components.
One of the contributing factors to why old bracelets often have a lot of stretch is that they haven’t been cleaned properly.
With that said, the last thing you want is a dirty watch. And therefore, you must clean it regularly.
How to clean your watch
There are many ways to go about cleaning your watch, as demonstrated in detail in this article. But one of the easiest ways to look after it is to rinse it regularly to prevent the build-up of dirt. But the fact is that while this is a great way to look after it, it may not always be enough to tackle built-up dirt and get it properly cleaned.
Therefore, a lot of watch owners opt for a watch cleaning kit in order to clean and look after their watches. There are several watch cleaning kits to choose from, but generally, they provide the most important accessories you need to keep it thoroughly cleaned. In this article, we list the best watch cleaning kits to help you look after your watch, keep it fresh, prevent premature wear, and keep its beautiful luster and shine. Further on, we’ll also share some of our best tips for keeping your watch clean.
Best watch cleaning kits
Blitz 20680 Watch Care Kit
This watch care kit from Blitz includes a polishing Cloth, Silicone Leather Treatment Cloth, Blitz Foamz (cleaning spray), and Microfiber Cloth. The cloths are gentle and contain no harsh chemicals or abrasives. It is made in the USA.
This is a watch cleaning kit that allows you to easily clean your watch. Simply spray some of the sprays and wipe it off. This is great to prevent dirt and grime to build upon the watch.
Complete Jewelry Cleaning Kit
This is a watch and jewelry cleaning kit that should be a part of every watch collector’s accessories. The kit includes everything you may need to keep your watch fresh and clean. It includes a gentle Jewelry Cleaner Solution and travel-sized Polishing Cloth and can be used for a wide array of materials including gold, palladium, platinum, sterling silver, stainless steel, titanium, diamonds, and more.
The cleaning solution is free of toxic additives and contains no ammonia or harsh chemicals. It is developed to clean without harming or tarnishing it with abrasive chemicals.
Included in the set is also a cleaning brush which allows you to access tough and hidden spots where dirt and grime can often accumulate.
Watch Cleaning Kit
This watch cleaning kit is a great kit to use to keep your watch clean. It includes cotton flannel cloths that contain special cleaners that preserve and clean your watch bands of any material. The fact that these clothes are already treaded with the cleaning solution makes them super easy to carry with you to clean your watch whenever and wherever you go.
The kit also includes a special microfiber cloth to clean the crystal, which also often accumulates dirt and mainly fat. The cloths are soft and are made to not scratch or damage the crystal.
Lastly, it also includes a Contents: 50ml Watch Foam Cleaner for further cleaning of your watch.
Gentle Jewelry Cleaner Solution
This watch cleaning kit includes a cleaning solution and a brush. The cleaning solution is developed especially for jewelry and watches. It can safely be used for cleaning gold, palladium, platinum, sterling silver, stainless steel, titanium, Diamonds, and more.
The solution is free of all toxic additives and contains no ammonia or harsh chemicals. This cleaning solution is great for getting rid of fat and grime. You can use it by either dipping a soft brush into it and brushing your watch, or applying some of the solutions to a microfiber cloth and wide away dirt from the watch.
The brush is soft and allows for great access in even the most hidden places.
Bonus tip: InvisiClean Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner
Watch cleaning kits in all glory, but sometimes, you need something more powerful to clean your watch, in particular your watch bracelet. The absolute best solution for this is an ultrasonic cleaner. An ultrasonic cleaner cleans in-depth and is able to access all small creaks and edges in a way that is difficult to do with a cleaning kit.
Therefore, if you want to clean your watch bracelet thoroughly and in-depth, there is no better way than by using an ultrasonic cleaner. This is what professional watchmakers use and this is the method that will get your watch as clean as possible.
What should you look for in a watch cleaning kit?
Most watch cleaning kits include a cloth so you can wipe your watch, some kind of cleaning spray to get rid of grease and dirt that is a bit more difficult to remove, and a brush, so you can access certain areas and creaks that you won’t otherwise be able to reach with a regular cloth. These accessories are usually more than enough for looking after your watch on a daily, or perhaps weekly by quickly cleaning it.
A cleaning kit is great for looking after your watch daily, but every now and then, as discussed, you should also clean your watch more thoroughly. Especially if you use it frequently. Our advice is to use a cleaning kit frequently and then clean your watch more thoroughly once a month or so. As discussed, the absolute best way to do this is by using an ultrasonic cleaner but if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one either, you can use warm water, a brush, and some kind of detergent.
The steps to cleaning your watch more thoroughly include:
- Remove the bracelet from your watch.
- Make sure the watch is water-resistant by screwing down the crown.
- Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few drops of detergent.
- If you have a metal bracelet, place the bracelet in the bowl for a few minutes and let it soak. After this, take a brush and scrub it carefully and make sure you access all the hidden parts. Open up the clasp so you can really access all areas.
- Take the watch head and hold it in your hand. Dip the brush in soapy water and scrub carefully on the case. Focus on areas where dirt commonly accumulates, for example between the bezel and on the back of the watch.
- Rince both the case and the bracelet and fit the bracelet back on your watch.
- It is now freshly cleaned and as good as new!
Note that you can clean your watch without removing the bracelet, however, removing the bracelet will make it easier to clean the watch and also to access better in some areas, for example behind the bracelet where the bracelet meets the watch which is an area that is otherwise very difficult to clean.
If your watch is not water-resistance, it is crucial to remove the bracelet in order to clean it. This is to avoid getting water on the case. You can clean the case by having a moist brush and being careful when cleaning close to the crown to keep water to keep moisture from getting into the watch.
It’s self-explanatory, but if you have a leather strap, you should keep it away from water. In this case, you can wipe the strap off, and if it has gotten too worn out, even replace it.
How often should you wash your watch?
Our advice is to clean your watch on a regular basis with a watch cleaning kit, meaning at least a few times a week, depending on how much you use the watch of course. But in addition to this, you should clean your watch at least once a month more thoroughly via the method described above.
Avoid abrasives, harsh chemicals, and other things that may damage the watch
It is important to highlight that in order to protect your watch, you should stay away from using anything that can cause damage or premature wear to your watch. Make sure you use a soft microfiber cloth and avoid harsh chemicals.
Naturally, if you buy a watch cleaning kit, you’ll avoid that since the accessories and detergents included are made specifically for watches and jewelry.
