How to Clean Apple Watch Bands

Your Apple Watch is not only a utilitarian device, but it’s also a fashion accessory that needs to look good on your wrist. Here’s how to clean Apple Watch bands so that your wearable is in tip-top shape at all times.

Watches in general are becoming more and more of a fashion accessory rather than just a device that tells the time, and smartwatches are no exception. The Apple Watch is a good-looking device, which isn’t too surprising, considering that Apple puts a lot of focus on looks and design for their products.

Just like with your clothes, you don’t your Apple Watch to be dirty, and while you likely clean the screen off every now and then, are you paying attention to your Apple Watch band? The watch band can be a magnet for dirt and grime, and even if that stuff remains well hidden on a darker-colored watch band, it should still be cleaned.

However, if you have a light-colored band, like white or a lime green Sport band, any kind of dirt can make it look pretty gross.

Furthermore, watch bands can get stained pretty easily. You may notice that your white Sport band has a slight blue stain from your jeans, which can’t easily be cleaned off with soap and water, so what are you left to do.

Luckily, there are a couple of tricks you can use. Here’s how to clean your Apple Watch bands.

Do Basic Cleaning with Soap & Water

If you want to get the dirt and grime off your Apple Watch band, using some dish soap and water is perhaps the best way to do that, and it’s easy to do.

Don’t go overboard with the soap, though, especially with dish soap since it’s highly concentrated. You just need a very small dab on the tip of your fingers. From there, simply get the band wet and run the soap onto the watch band.

This may not get ride of deeper stains, especially on Sport Bands, but there are other methods that can take care of this.

Use a Magic Eraser for Tougher Stains

A lot of users with Sport Bands have had good luck with using Magic Erasers to get stains out, but you want to be very careful with them.

Magic Erasers are essentially just very fine sandpaper and too much rubbing can scuff up the band pretty badly. With that said, start off slow and light, and be patient as you work out the stain.

If you don’t have a Magic Eraser lying around, just get a bit tougher with the soap and water, and try using a cloth to buff out any stains.

Cleaning Metal Watch Bands

For cleaning a Milanese Loop band, it’s recommended to just use soap and water on the main band part and rub it with your fingers the best you can to get dirt and grime off.

As for the clasp, this can be prone to scratches, and the best way to buff these is to get a satin refinishing pad (something like this), and start off lightly brushing down from the top of the clasp and repeat that. Apply more pressure if you’re not seeing results after a while, but too much pressure can scratch it up.

You can do the same thing with Apple’s Link Bracelet if there are markings on it. Otherwise, soap and water will work to get the dirt off.

Cleaning leather Watch Bands

You have to be careful with leather watch bands, as you don’t want to dry them out while cleaning them.

You can use a mild moisturizing soap and water to do basic cleaning. Stay away from dish soap and other harsh soaps, as they could possibly dry out the leather. You can also used specialized saddle soap that’s meant for cleaning leather.

If the leather band is looking a bit aged and showing signs of cracking and drying out, use some leather conditioner with a microfiber cloth to make the leather soft again.