# How Do You Clean Yours? I Assume You Do... You Should You Know!



## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Used watches are covered in other peoples crud... skin and wrist oils, splashed foods and drinks, dust and dirt from the atmosphere.. all in all a vile mix....made worse on vintage watches due to all those years of use. This crud can become a paste that will wear the bracelet prematurely but also it could give you a rash... you need to get rid of it...

So here is an example... This is a Flightmaster bracelet that looks very clean externally, but lets give it a go anyway... you never know...










Firstly I use an Ultrasonic cleaner... I bought it off ebay on the recomendation of a WIS mate, it wasnt expensive and its been very good. 










Using an old tooth brush and some liquid handsoap brush the bracelet well on all sides, fold it open, closed, back on itself and every which way you can. Get right into the joints/links/clasp/ELs etc as well as you can.



Fill the cleaner with hand-hot water and lay in the bracelet parts










Move the parts about and turn them over during the clean - yeah it tingles yer fingers, thats ok... its cleaning them too! (I wouldnt do that in an industrial version, but home use ones are low power and your skin doesnt tend to fall off too much :tongue2: )


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Its getting cleaner now... and the water is getting dirtier










Side on, and rolled up exposes even more surfaces to the cleaning power










The junk that floats out is rank...










How vile is that water... an this isnt a bad one, Ive done some that needed many water changes and rinses part way through.










Look whats in the bottom under the basket... yuk!


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Shake the water off, rinse under the tap, and then dry off on kitchen towel (you can see where when folded up and manipulated some dirt has come out of this one at a joint - I would put this back in the cleaner for another full run from tooth brush back to this stage, until it drys up clean)










Beware you can trash parts that are rusted or old (but you should always replace old sping bars anyway), and also dont just dump out the water without checking in the bottom first, you may have some small part in there!










You need to test the link pins after in case anything has worked loose, but your bracelet should be fresh and feel clean. All the US cleaner is a useful tool, you can do all sorts of things in one of these - but never do a watch head or anthing you arent sure about, you may well clean off that special painted surface, or if its rusted it could just break thru the rust leaving you with nothing... you have been warned!


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## Steve R (Sep 29, 2007)

Hmm... interesting. Gross, but interesting! I don't think I've ever bought an old watch on a bracelet (only head only or on leather which gets replaced)... and until I can justify the purchase of an ultrasonic cleaner, on this evidence I never will!

Now what we need is a masterclass in cleaning the manky old watch head itself, where a toothbrush and soap are a little risky!


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

That's magic Jon.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do it.

Take care

Ken


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## SharkBike (Apr 15, 2005)

Dishwasher is easier...










...dog is optional, but works well for pre-wash.


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

Only cos the dog won't fit in the ultrasonic cleaner...... :tongue2:

What a brilliant picture


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Nice one Jon


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

:thumbsup: I use my ultrasonic cleaner for all 'new' bracelets, although I do try and strip the bracelet down completely first, which with some IWC bracelets means every link


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## Steve R (Sep 29, 2007)

Stanford said:


> :thumbsup: I use my ultrasonic cleaner for all 'new' bracelets, although I do try and strip the bracelet down completely first, which with some IWC bracelets means every link


What a nightmare... I'd hate to have a queue of pesky IWCs waiting to be cleaned...


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Mmm some lovley gunk there, once had a bracelet that wouldn't even move due to the amount of crap in it :bad:


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

Steve R said:


> Stanford said:
> 
> 
> > :thumbsup: I use my ultrasonic cleaner for all 'new' bracelets, although I do try and strip the bracelet down completely first, which with some IWC bracelets means every link
> ...


To make it worse, after having cleaned the bracelet, I usually end up putting the watch on either velcro, NATO or rubber :blink: :yes:


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## Andy Tims (Apr 13, 2008)

Interesting - I have a few questions if I may:-

So how much are the ultrasonic cleaners?

What else are they used for?

How do you clean the watch case?


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Andy Tims said:


> So how much are the ultrasonic cleaners?
> 
> What else are they used for?


Â£15-Â£20 upwards - I got a cheap one at Argos.

I clean her jewellery in it too


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

The cleaner like I have was around 40quid plus a bit for shipping as its heavy, but hunt around, you should be able to see from the pics what it is compared to the ebay listings etc. Some of the cheaper ones are smaller and have less power, but are better than nothing. 

you can clean lots of things in these... anything with grime in hard to reach places that will fit in the bucket, but you do need to be careful and cant just chuck stuff in and walk away if its fragile, and dont continually US something, it will eventually disietgrate! Saying that, Jewelery comes up superb and provides a strong thumbs-up from the Mrs for buying the cleaner, always nice with watch related tat... 

Cleaning the watch head is easy on modern divers... soap on toothbrush and then rinse, but vintage is harder... I tend to use a tooth brush and earbuds with water on them for the back and lugs and a slighty moist tissue for the top side and just brush round the (closed) crown. I like my watches to be very clean and do occasionally dismantle, clean the case with brush/water and then rebuild, but Im always wary to let it fully dry before recasing etc. I dont recomend you do that if you dont feel comfident though... one slip and youve ruined your watch...


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

Jon, without beating this thread to death, is there a hertz rating on your machine?

It'll give me something to compare.

The one I've seen is 42,000.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok, if you look on ebay under 'ultrasonic cleaner' you get lots fo hits... mine is one that says 1.4L in the title...

Specs from one guys listing (guy in HK who lists them at Â£29.99 plus post):

Ultrasonic Frequency

42,000 Hz

Tank Material

Stainless Steel SUS303

Tank Capacity

1,375 ml ( 2.4 pint )

Quiet, Solid States Circuitry

Timer

5 Cycles, with Digital Time Display

Power Supply

AC 220 ~ 240V, 50 Hz

Power

70 W ( 230 V )

Unit Size

230 x 180 x 160 mm ( L x W x H )

N.W.

1.75 kg

G.W.

2.15 kg


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

Thank you.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Chippychap said:


> Thank you.


Mine was Â£15 on special at Lidl a few months back; love it! It's done an excellent job on some vintage bracelets and on cases (with the movement removed)!

Worth every penny...


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

JonW said:


> Used watches are covered in other peoples crud... skin and wrist oils, splashed foods and drinks, dust and dirt from the atmosphere.. all in all a vile mix....


JEEZ!!!! Jon.....do you mind.....I'm eating dinner soon here :lol: :lol:

Good advice though......pity we cannot clean the leather straps as easily?


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

chris l said:


> Chippychap said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you.
> ...


Yep...mine too, works brilliantly......did buy some Ocean stuff cleaner though....cannot remember the name...ah yes....Sea Foam! thats it.....seems to work although not so sure any US cleaning agent would work just as well.....I guess the Seafoam is organic and saves dolphins from being captured by small boys in the Key West :lol:


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

Boxbrownie said:


> chris l said:
> 
> 
> > Chippychap said:
> ...


David, I've just re-read the instructions and it WON'T do dolphins

YA gotta take 'em out mate, just put 'em in the bath and sponge 'em.

Have a good day mate


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Chippychap said:


> Boxbrownie said:
> 
> 
> > chris l said:
> ...


I thought you had to wax dolpins?


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

jasonm said:


> Chippychap said:
> 
> 
> > Boxbrownie said:
> ...


A dolphin with a Brazillian?........................


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Ahh, you gotta love this forum... Ultrasonic cleaners to brazillian dolphins... :lol:


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

JonW said:


> Ahh, you gotta love this forum... Ultrasonic cleaners to brazillian dolphins... :lol:


I blame you Jon.

Using this forum to cater for your strange sexual fantasies about Dolphins.

No wonder Rolf wanted his kangaroo tying down................it wasn't a willing partner...Was it Jon?

I think me tablets have worn off.........









Have a great day Jon..............do you have to use a special knot.............with the kangaroos?

Maybe I'll start with a joey.......... :tooth:.............


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## Rotundus (May 7, 2012)

JonW said:


> Move the parts about and turn them over during the clean - yeah it tingles yer fingers, thats ok... its cleaning them too! (I wouldnt do that in an industrial version, but home use ones are low power and your skin doesnt tend to fall off too much :tongue2: )


keep yer fingas way the heck out of the bath when switched on.

that tingling is your nerve endings getting a pasting. skin bedamned.

extended exposure (over one long or many short dips) will stop you feeling that tingling sensation along with anything else in your fingers.

have worked with many industrial models often not much bigger than yon doodad above.

if ya must poke about in there while the power is applied then DONT !

turn it off, faff about to your hearts content, back away slowly before turning the power back on!

been at it for years and a still good with me hands


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Chippychap said:


> JonW said:
> 
> 
> > Ahh, you gotta love this forum... Ultrasonic cleaners to brazillian dolphins... :lol:
> ...


Well... what can I say..... hmm..... Granny knot?  h34r:



desmondus rotundus said:


> JonW said:
> 
> 
> > Move the parts about and turn them over during the clean - yeah it tingles yer fingers, thats ok... its cleaning them too! (I wouldnt do that in an industrial version, but home use ones are low power and your skin doesnt tend to fall off too much :tongue2: )
> ...


Ahh... no wonder I cant hold small objects now... damn... they grow back, right? 

Ok, I'll keep my finger out... :huh:


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

And, if you lose the feeling from your fingers then, I find, the dolphins

being all waxy keep slipping out of me grasp.

I'll try the knot mate.

Seriously, for a minute, there is a thing called vibration white finger, nothing to do with

Joeys or dolphins, it's found in people who work with vibrating tools, road drill etc.

Probable a similar result.


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

And, if you lose the feeling from your fingers then, I find, the dolphins

being all waxy keep slipping out of me grasp.

I'll try the knot mate.

Seriously, for a minute, there is a thing called vibration white finger, nothing to do with

Joeys or dolphins, it's found in people who work with vibrating tools, road drill etc.

Probable a similar result.


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## Chippychap (Aug 4, 2008)

Sorry about the double post.

Seemed to have developed a stutter.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

'white finger'... eeek... I dont think I really wanna know what that looks like 

(yes I did look at my fingers after I read it... LOL)


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Only just got back into this thread.....must have been trying to wax that dolphin.....I should have let go when it took off for the horizon!

:lol:


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

White finger...that brings back some memories of a little program I made here for the medical department all about "white finger" and the dangers of vibrating tools.....no funny remarks now!

Some old lags from the assembly lines had it quite seriously....all those years of using pneumatic spanners on the lines.

And yes it is the death of the nerves.....


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

bumped as people as looking for this info again and its way down the page...


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I'll help keep it bumped JonW by adding, my wee LIDL one works well for the money. Sling a bracelet in there for a few cycles if necessary, some hand hot water and BINGO sparkly kleen!









Obviously, it wouldn't last in a commercial environment, but it's a fraction of the cost at around Â£16 - incidentally the ALDI one is essentially the same machine with a bit of badge engineering :yes:

I find the worst are Ladies watches - covered in gunk plus make-up residue, and perfume residue as well :bad:


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## tomshep (Oct 2, 2008)

I scrub bracelets with washing detergent and then boil them up in a pan of water for half an hour. This technique usually requires a change of water half way through. I find it is better than my ultrasonic which is better left to more delicate parts.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Lots of great info, thanks guys!


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

The last place I worked at had some fairly big industrial ultrasonic baths, I always used to use industrial alcohol, we bought thousands of litres of the stuff. A few minutes and dried off with a dryer, you could use a hair dryer, sparkling. It was also superb on car parts but the head chemist used to get a bit p#ssed off when he found his baths full of crud :lol:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

I bought myself an ultrasonic cleaner some time ago. Brilliant. I always use hot water and washing up liquid! Works a treat!


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