Smartwatches take care of our health in many different ways. But it is necessary that you keep them clean or it will be impossible for you to be protected against certain bacteria. Do not forget that you wear the watch 24 hours a day, so the level of dirt that accumulates can be extreme. Luckily, cleaning it is not as complicated as you might imagine.
Statistics reveal that there are more than 215 million people who use smartwatches. And, although we do not have specific data on it, the number of users who regularly clean their smartwatch may not be very high. Because, unfortunately, it’s easy to forget about it. If nothing else, the tips below will help make cleaning faster and easier.
Is it necessary to clean it?
The answer should be obvious. But why? To understand it, you just have to take the watch off your wrist for a few seconds and take a look at everything below. How does the thing look? There may be grease, sweat, dead skin, and general dirt. It’s not exactly the cleanest place you can imagine.
Beyond that it has already started to smell a bit or that the trace of dirt that has remained on your skin is clearly visible and a bit unpleasant, what you should think is that your smartwatch is going to be affected. After all, you are using a device that needs its sensors to be at maximum performance. Also, don’t lose sight of the leash either, because A study indicates that 95% of them accumulate bacteria such as Escherichia coli and staphylococcus.
cleaning the clock
Let’s go in parts. The first thing we want to explain to you is the best way to clean the watch itself, whether it is a normal one or a children’s smartwatch. Cleaning the straps is somewhat more complicated because there are many types of material and it is a bit more complex to generalize, although we will give you some indications later. Starting with the watch, the first thing you have to do is turn it off. Do not get carried away by the resistance to water and everything else, because it costs you nothing to turn it off and it is always better to be safe than sorry.
For logical reasons, the back is going to be the hardest. Some people would tell you to only use a microfiber towel, but in our case we are not going to recommend that you try it without something that provides moisture. The best are wet wipes, both those that are already aimed at cleaning electronic devices and those that you notice that have a composition based on 70% isopropyl alcohol. Make sure that they are disinfectants, because they have to guarantee that they will kill off any type of bacteria or virus that could have “caught” on your watch.
With that, the back will be in good condition, but if your watch has a hole, it is best to use cotton swabs. The standard size that adults use will be too big for the smartwatch, so we recommend buying the small size that is designed for children and babies. That will allow you to get into the smallest spaces where dirt also tends to accumulate. Above all, take the cleaning process with philosophy and think that it will be the best for your watch.
Then you will have to clean up ahead. In this case it is possible that with the wipe you do have enough, but it will depend, above all, on the amount of grease that has accumulated. Every time you touch the screen with your fingers, you are leaving oil from the skin that accumulates and creates a layer of dirt. If you think it’s too much, it’s best to use a little soap and water on the wipe and then wipe it again. Remember not to put the soap directly on the screen.
The turn of the straps
We told you before: it is not easy. There are many types of leash and each one requires care that can be more or less specific. For example, they can be made of metal, plastic, rubber or cloth, among other options. Many of them can be washed with the rest of the clothes in the washing machine, which will guarantee that they will come out very clean and that you will not have to spend any kind of effort on them.
This is something you can do with fabric ones and even with some plastic ones we have done it once and we have not noticed any type of damage either. But, mainly, do it with those that are made of fabric. Then you just have to let them dry in the open air on the window and they will be ready for you to use them again. On the other hand, those made of stainless steel or metal can be cleaned with a cloth and do not complicate much, since they do not tend to accumulate bacteria. For plastic ones, it will be recommended that you clean them thoroughly with soap and water and that you use small sticks to reach all the holes where dirt can accumulate.
And if your straps are leather, remember to be careful. Use microfiber wipes and a very mild soap, because you don’t want to end up damaging the surface. Clean sensitively and don’t leave yourself any space. However, whether you use straps made of one material or another, it is best to get into the habit of changing them regularly. This will not only give you the incentive to change the style of your watch, but it will also be a good way to motivate yourself to clean your watch from time to time. So you will see how it is always clean and that you do not have to worry about any bacteria.
