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To clean a watch, first confirm it is water resistant and the crown is fully closed, then wipe the case and brush a metal bracelet with lukewarm water and a little mild soap, rinse in a bowl of clean water and dry it with a soft cloth. Leather straps never get soaked: blot them dry and wipe them with a barely damp cloth. Non-water-resistant watches get a dry or slightly damp cloth only.
That is the whole job for most watches, and doing it every few weeks keeps sweat and grime from building up in the bracelet joints and under the bezel. Here is how to do each part safely.
Before you start: two checks that prevent damage
1. Check the water resistance
Look at the caseback or dial. Grand Seiko's instructions say not to wash a watch rated "non-water resistant" or "water resistant for daily use." Treat any dress watch, vintage watch or watch with no rating the same way: no water, just a soft cloth.
| Rating on the watch | Safe cleaning method |
|---|---|
| None, or "water resistant" with no depth | Dry or barely damp cloth only |
| 3 bar / 30 m | Damp cloth; no soaking |
| 5 bar / 50 m | Damp cloth and brush; quick dip in a bowl if seals are known to be good |
| 10 bar / 100 m or diver's rating | Soap, brush and a rinse in a bowl of clean water |
Water resistance is not permanent. Gaskets age, so a watch that has not been pressure-tested in years should be treated more gently than its rating suggests. A watchmaker can test it during a routine service.
2. Close the crown
Grand Seiko's instructions are blunt: do not wash the watch when its crown is in the extended position. Push it in fully, and on a screw-down crown, screw it all the way down. On a chronograph, do not press the pushers while the watch is wet.
What you need
- Two or three soft microfiber cloths
- A soft toothbrush (an old one, kept for this job)
- A small bowl of lukewarm water
- A drop of mild, unscented dish soap
- Cotton swabs or a wooden toothpick for tight corners
- A towel to work on
Skip solvents, alcohol on gaskets, abrasive pads, metal polish on brushed surfaces, and hot water.
How to clean a metal watch bracelet and case
- Wipe the watch with a dry cloth to remove loose dust and grit, so you do not grind it into the finish.
- Mix a drop of mild soap into a bowl of lukewarm water.
- Dip the toothbrush, shake off the excess, and brush the bracelet links, the clasp and the case, working in the direction of any brushed finish.
- Clean the joints. Grand Seiko's instructions say to brush dirt around the joint gaps of a metal band with a soft toothbrush and water. This is where most grime collects.
- Clean around the bezel and lugs with a cotton swab or the soft brush. A wooden toothpick can lift dirt from the edge of a rotating bezel; never use metal.
- Rinse in a bowl of clean water, not under the tap. Grand Seiko advises putting water in a bowl and soaking the watch in it rather than pouring running water from a faucet onto it.
- Dry thoroughly with a soft cloth. Grand Seiko says to wipe off remaining moisture with a soft cloth. Leave it on a towel for a while so water can drain from the links.
For heavy buildup, take the bracelet off the case and clean it separately. If you also need to resize it, our guide on how to remove links from a watch shows how to work with the pins.
How to clean a stainless steel watch band with no water
For a watch that cannot get wet, use a cloth barely dampened with soapy water, wring it almost dry, and wipe link by link. Follow with a dry cloth. A dry soft toothbrush helps with the gaps.
How to clean a leather watch strap
Leather and water do not mix. Grand Seiko advises blotting moisture and sweat off a leather band with a dry cloth as soon as possible, keeping it out of long direct sunlight, and not swimming in a leather band (apart from its own water-resistant bands).
- Remove the strap from the watch if you can; it makes cleaning both easier.
- Blot sweat and moisture with a dry cloth.
- Wipe surface dirt with a cloth that is only just damp. Do not rub hard.
- Air-dry at room temperature, away from radiators, hair dryers and sun.
- Use a leather conditioner sparingly if the maker of the strap recommends one, and test it on the underside first.
A strap that smells or has gone dark and stiff from sweat is usually past saving; replace it rather than soak it.
How to clean a rubber or silicone strap
Grand Seiko's instructions say to wipe dirt off silicone and rubber bands with a wet cloth or wet tissue, and to avoid damaging silicone with an edged tool. For grime in textured patterns, a soft toothbrush and soapy water work well, followed by a rinse and a dry.
How to clean a fabric or NATO strap
Remove it from the watch first. Hand-wash it in lukewarm soapy water, rinse and let it air-dry flat. Never wash a fabric strap while it is still on a watch that is not rated for submersion.
How to clean the crystal and dial side
- Crystal: a dry microfiber cloth removes fingerprints. Breathe on it lightly for stubborn smudges, then wipe.
- Display caseback: treat it like the crystal.
- Inside the crystal: if you see fog or dirt inside the watch, do not try to open it. Moisture inside means a seal has failed; take it to a watchmaker soon.
Keep one cloth just for the crystal so it never picks up grit from the bracelet. A multipack of lens cloths makes that easy.
After swimming, sweat or the beach
Salt and chlorine are hard on gaskets and bracelets. Grand Seiko says that after the watch has been in seawater, you should wash it in clean water and wipe it dry carefully. Do the same after a chlorinated pool or a heavy workout, as long as the watch is rated for it. Sand in a rotating bezel is a good reason for a bowl soak and a gentle turn of the bezel while it is underwater. Our automatic dive watches guide covers watches built for that life.
How often should you clean a watch?
- After every swim in salt water, chlorine or a sweaty session: rinse and dry.
- Every few weeks for a daily wearer: a soap-and-brush clean of the bracelet.
- Weekly: a dry wipe of the case and crystal.
- At each service: a professional clean of the case and bracelet, and a pressure test. Seiko's customer service FAQ asks owners to bring a watch in once every three years for examination, cleaning and oiling.
Grand Seiko also suggests turning the crown from time to time, including screw-down crowns, to prevent corrosion around it.
Common mistakes
- Washing a watch that is not water resistant, or one whose crown is pulled out.
- Holding the watch under a running tap. Grand Seiko specifically advises against it; use a bowl.
- Using hot water, steam or a sauna. Heat stresses gaskets.
- Putting the whole watch in an ultrasonic cleaner. That is for a bracelet removed from the case.
- Polishing brushed steel with metal polish. It turns a satin finish shiny and uneven.
- Soaking a leather strap. It cracks and stains as it dries.
- Storing it damp. Let it dry fully before it goes back in a box. Our guide on how to store watches covers the rest.
If a clean watch suddenly starts running fast, cleaning is not the cause; check for magnetism with our guide on how to demagnetize a watch.
FAQ
Can I clean my watch with soap and water?
Only if it is water resistant and the crown is pushed or screwed fully in. Use lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap and a soft brush on the case and metal bracelet, then rinse and dry. Grand Seiko's instructions say not to wash watches rated non-water resistant or water resistant for daily use.
How do you clean a leather watch strap?
Do not soak it. Grand Seiko advises blotting moisture and sweat off a leather band with a dry cloth as soon as possible and keeping it out of long direct sunlight. A barely damp cloth can lift surface dirt; let the strap air-dry away from heat.
How do I clean the gunk between watch links?
Brush the gaps with a soft toothbrush and water, then wipe dry. Grand Seiko's instructions describe exactly this for dirt around the joints of a metal band. For heavy buildup, remove the bracelet from the case first and soak only the bracelet.
Should I rinse my watch after swimming in the sea?
Yes, if it is water resistant. Grand Seiko says that after the watch has been in seawater, wash it in clean water and wipe it dry carefully. It also recommends soaking it in a bowl rather than holding it under a running faucet.
Can I put my watch in an ultrasonic cleaner?
Not the whole watch. Ultrasonic cleaning can push water past seals and is meant for a bracelet removed from the case. If in doubt, brush the bracelet by hand, and leave the case and movement to a watchmaker during service.