Basic Question - Cleaning Watches

[Ikemi]

A really quick question, which I'm sure could've been answered through Google, but just need some clarification

A thread earlier this month said that a good way to clean a watch is use warm, soapy water and a soft tooth brush ... Is this okay to do? Will the tooth brush not mark the brushed finish on the stainless steel bracelet and will the soap not damage any seals it may come into contact with?

Cheers!

[Rgee]

I use warm water, Johnson Baby shampoo (ph neutral) and a soft modellers brush. The watch comes out blinging.

[madbadger]

I use acetone and a cotton wool bud.

[sjg]

I wear it in the shower.

[Soft Top]

I use cold water and a tooth brush.

I'd be more worried about my teeth than the watch if you think your old toothbrush will damage the steel!

[CommanderJameson]

I clean mine every day!

(It goes in the shower with me, and I try to give the bracelet a good swill out to get rid of all the sweat and skin and other narsties)

[big_peaches]

pay your local ten pounds to clean tyhe bracelet ultrasonically, the body should be done with a very very gentle toothbrush and warm slightly soapy water, imperial leather will shine stainless and silver up nice.

[jukeboxs]

Is wearing one's automatic watch in the shower recommended, even for one with high WR and screwdown crown? I thought the heat of the water can make the seals expand and not fit so snuggly, eventually letting in water? Then again, maybe that's complete tosh.

As above, I use the toothbrush and liquid soap approach.

Edited by jukeboxs on Friday 17th April 11:31

Edited by jukeboxs on Friday 17th April 11:32

[lowdrag]

Hmm, I've worn my watch, never taking it off, for donkey's years and never the slightest problem. Five fathoms down in the bath? No worries. As regards cleaning, well it does get cleaned when I feel sorry for it (perhaps once a year) and I use the kitchen brush and washing up liquid. This has always worked on seikos, Breitlings and IWC without fail. They are pretty tough you know!

[Ikemi]

lowdrag said:

Hmm, I've worn my watch, never taking it off, for donkey's years and never the slightest problem. Five fathoms down in the bath? No worries. As regards cleaning, well it does get cleaned when I feel sorry for it (perhaps once a year) and I use the kitchen brush and washing up liquid. This has always worked on seikos, Breitlings and IWC without fail. They are pretty tough you know!

Fair point I was just a bit worried about the push-in crown on my Tag Calibre S, which switches between 'chrono' and 'time' mode. It is 200M water resistant, although wasn't sure whether washing up liquid would damage the seals inside the crown ...

I'll give mine a dunk later - It's starting to whiff!

[jshell]

Ikemi said:

I'll give mine a dunk later - It's starting to whiff!

Unless it's a leather strap, getting 'whiffy' is perhaps a tad past needing a clean date..... !!

[Debaser]

At the moment my watch has a bracelet and I just clean it with soapy water pretty regularly, but I'm thinking about getting a leather strap for it. How do those of you with leather straps keep your watch clean? Is it ok to wear a leather strap in the shower or wash in soapy water, or do you take the strap off each time you give your watch a clean?

[deejuic]

madbadger said:

I use acetone and a cotton wool bud.

acetone has the potential to damage rubber. I'd just use soapy warm water and a soft toothbrush.

[lowdrag]

jukeboxs said:

Is wearing one's automatic watch in the shower recommended, even for one with high WR and screwdown crown? I thought the heat of the water can make the seals expand and not fit so snuggly, eventually letting in water? Then again, maybe that's complete tosh.

As above, I use the toothbrush and liquid soap approach

My watches never come off my wrist and in 40 years of wearing automatics I've never had a problem. These watches, if a proper waterproof divers one, will take anything. As for cleaning, the small nail brush or toothbrush, warm water and washing up liquid have always been effective

[CommanderJameson]

If it's a G-Shock, bung it in the dishwasher.

Srsly.

[langy]

jukeboxs said:

Is wearing one's automatic watch in the shower recommended, even for one with high WR and screwdown crown? I thought the heat of the water can make the seals expand and not fit so snuggly, eventually letting in water? Then again, maybe that's complete tosh.

That's what happened to mine to get it fixed was a £500 insurance claim

Edited by langy on Saturday 6th June 10:26

[Debaser]

lowdrag said:

My watches never come off my wrist and in 40 years of wearing automatics I've never had a problem. These watches, if a proper waterproof divers one, will take anything. As for cleaning, the small nail brush or toothbrush, warm water and washing up liquid have always been effective

Do you wear watches with leather straps in the shower? I'm just curious if getting a leather strap wet repeatedly during regular watch cleaning would damage it? Thanks.