How to clean your Apple Watch bands

A clean Apple Watch band not only looks presentable, it also improves comfort, significantly reduces skin irritation, and prevents damage and discoloration of the band. In addition, cleaning the watch band eliminates odors that may have been caused by sweat, dirt, etc.

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to clean your Apple Watch band depending on what it’s made of.

Materials used in Apple Watch bands

Apple uses a variety of materials in its watchbands and buckles, such as silicone, fluoroelastomer (fluorocarbon-based synthetic rubber), nylon, polyester thread, leather, stainless steel, titanium, and even 18k gold.

Here is a list of Apple Watch bands and the material they are made from:

• Fluoroelastomer: Sport Band, Nike Sport Band, Ocean Band
• Liquid Silicone Rubber: Solo Loop
• Woven Nylon: Athletic Loop, Nike Athletic Loop
• Nylon: Trail Loop
• Polyester: alpine loop
• Polyester thread braided with silicone thread: Solo Loop Braided Loop
• In addition, you can also get leather and stainless steel straps.

First, what not to do

• Don’t use abrasives on your Apple Watch or its band. Abrasives means anything that cleans by abrading a layer. For example, sandpaper, rough paper, grinding wheels, whetstones, etc. are some examples of abrasive materials.
• Do not use (too much) water with a leather strap as these straps are not water resistant. Soaking in water can cause the leather strap to lose its color and shape. Also, when the water dries, cracks can form in the water, which will weaken the tape. The same applies to third-party fabric and wooden Apple Watch bands.
• Apple does not recommend using cleaners containing bleach or hydrogen peroxide.
• After cleaning your watch band, allow it to air dry.

Cleaning Products You Can Use

You can use a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe, a 75% ethanol wipe, or Clorox disinfectant wipes to clean your Solo Loop, Sports Band, Nike Sports Band, Ocean Band, or Metal Band. But avoid them on leather and fabric straps.

How to clean your Apple Watch band

Step 1: Remove the watch band

First, remove the band from your Apple Watch. To do this, press and hold the release button on the back of your Apple Watch and slide the band out of the way.

Once the strap is removed from your watch, follow these cleaning tips.

Step 2: Thoroughly clean the strap

Use a soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth to wipe the watch band. It will take some time to get rid of the stains. If this is not the case, feel free to wet the cloth with fresh water or use a mild hypoallergenic (non-allergic) hand soap. To sanitize your watch band, you can use the above recommended alcohol wipes.

Use the washing machine:

If you have an Apple Watch band made from cloth or cloth, the best and easiest way to clean it is to put it in the washing machine. When doing this, use a mild detergent or cleaning liquid. And if your fabric strap has metal buckles, you can place the strap inside a sock and tie a knot so it doesn’t fall out of the sock and go straight into the washing machine drum.

Other important tips:

• The Sport Band, Solo Loop, Nike Sport Band and Ocean Band are washable under warm or fresh tap water.
• For nylon straps and straps with a woven pattern, use a soft-bristled brush. But be careful not to scratch the material. You can also use mild soap and fresh water to clean them properly.
• Do not soak leather straps in water or use harsh chemical solutions. If you must use water, try to use as little as possible.

Step 3: Clean the buckle

Use the same soft microfiber cloth to wipe down the Apple Watch band buckle.

Step 4: Clean the strap slot

You may have tiny dust particles in your watch slot that you want to get rid of. Use a Q-tip or soft cloth to make a thin strip and use it to clean the Apple Watch band slot.

Step 5: Dry Before Reattaching

After cleaning the strap, let it dry before attaching it to your watch. Use a fan or hair dryer at low temperatures to dry your watch band quickly. To attach it, simply slide it into its designated slot until you feel and hear a click.

informal advice

Apple’s warranty covers manufacturing defects on Apple Watch bands, but if you damage the band while cleaning it, it won’t be covered. So make sure you take the proper precautions. However, here are some tips you might want to consider:

• If your leather or fabric watch band is smelling bad, place it in a plastic bag and spray it with your favorite cologne or body spray. Then close the bag for a while and this should remove the bad smell from your watch band.
• You can use regular toothpaste and an old soft toothbrush to clean a stained Apple Watch sports band.
• To remove scratches from a stainless steel watch band, you can use a metal polishing cloth.
• To give your Apple Watch leather band a shine, look for a leather conditioner.
• Some people have used Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (or rubber eraser) to remove stains from white nylon watch bands: