In this fast-paced world, watches are our daily companions. It makes sense then that no matter how much you take care of them, your watch is bound to get dirty. Think about how much sweat, dirt, and grime fill up the tiny, tiny crevices of your watch. Makes you shudder, yeah? Well, you've come to the right place as we're tackling how to clean watch straps here.
First things first, not all straps are made the same. If your strap of choice is made out of rubber, then you should probably listen up since those accumulate dirt more than other kinds of watch straps. Fear not, though, as cleaning a rubber watch strap is as easy as brushing your teeth. (In fact, you should probably do it daily as part of your routine.)
The Best Way to Clean a Rubber Watch Strap
A word of warning before you go in and scrub the hell out of your rubber watch strap. Read the care manual that comes with your strap. As we mentioned, not all straps are made the same. There, you'll find out if your strap needs special products or even methods. Things can even be more complicated if your rubber watch strap is white. (We'll get into that later.)
The tools you'll need are:
- A small bowl
- Warm water
- Mild soap
- Soft bristle toothbrush
- Baking soda
- Microfiber cloth
And here's what you'll do:
- Remove your rubber watch strap with specialized tools (here's where your manual comes in handy).
- Dilute a small amount of mild soap in a small bowl of warm water. Fill the bowl enough to soak your rubber watch strap.
- Take the rubber watch strap out and brush lightly to get rid of surface dirt.
- For an especially filthy rubber watch strap, use baking soda to spot clean more stubborn marks and stains.
- Rinse off soap or baking soda and finish by drying with a cloth or microfiber towel.
That should take care of the typical rubber watch strap but if you've got one in white, then you'll have to try out other methods if it doesn't come out squeaky clean. Nixon suggests using toothpaste, a magic eraser, and vinegar instead of just the 'ol baking soda.
There you have it. Now, wear your rubber watch strap with pride.
