How do you clean your smart watch?

Submitted ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨governorkeagan_@lemmy.world⁩ to ⁨nostupidquestions@lemmy.world⁩

I’ve got a Garmin vívoactive 4 that I’ve been using almost daily for the last 3 years. Recently it’s started causing some irritations on my wrist (slight redness and dry skin). I’m assuming that it needs a really good clean but I’m not sure what’s the best. Dish soap and warm water? Or is there something better?

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Erasmus@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
So am not a Garmin user (Apple) but for years now I will regularly wash my band with soap and water and regularly wipe the back of the face (the sensor part that comes in contact with your skin) with a cloth soaked lightly in alcohol.

If I am doing some outdoor work or a lot of exercise then I will always do this as well afterwards. My wife ran into some issues with her wrists after getting hers where she developed a rash and found that regularly cleaning of the watch - both band and the sensor area stopped this from happening.

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- governorkeagan_@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  I’ll give the alcohol a go. Thanks for the tip!
  
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  - cheesymoonshadow@lemmings.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    +1 for alcohol. I have a small smartwatch and I clean it with a tissue and alcohol. I use a toothpick to poke the damp tissue into any crevices, and also into each hole in the band. It’s gross how much dirt and grime gets stuck in those holes.
    
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SuzyQ@sh.itjust.works ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I clean my Samsung watch with a wet wipe (the kind you use on human skin - like a baby wipe or “flushable” wipe – which isn’t, never flush those things), and dry the face/underside with a smooth microfiber cloth. The band I have is some form of leather, so yrmv.

My skin can’t stand silicone bands so I stick to metal or leather.

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CarbonatedPastaSauce@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I think dish soap is a great start. It’s mild and doesn’t have abrasives or harsh chemicals that may stain the watch. I have a Mk2i and that’s how I’ve cleaned mine when it needed it.

You may also have developed a mild allergy to whatever the back of your watch is made of, in which case cleaning won’t help.

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- Mothra@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
  The allergy part may sound outlandish but it happened to me with headphones. They were made of some kind of rubbery plastic which was absolutely fine for the first 2 years I used them, and then they became impossible to wear. Cleaning the headphones did nothing and the allergy got pretty gross, I had to see a doctor. Fortunately an ointment fixed my ears but I had to get new headphones. My guess is that the material they were made of started to degrade/change chemically with time, like faux leather and rubber does, and my skin developed an allergy to it.
  
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  - governorkeagan_@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
    I’ve had a feeling that it might be something like this. I had a free trial for Whoop and didn’t get a reaction to that.
    
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TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
Skin irritation is a pretty good sign that it’s about time to clean it.

If the wristband is made of silicon, you can just clean it with soap and water.

I think I’ve read somewhere that the watch itself should be washed with normal water instead. I guess there are some gaps and holes where soap isn’t welcome.

If you have a fancy metal wristband, soap will do an acceptable job, but an ultrasound bath would be better.

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CrimeDad@lemmy.crimedad.work ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I just let my dog lick mine clean from time to time.

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timmytbt@sh.itjust.works ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
Garmin Forerunner user here.

I just wash mine with hand soap and water after each run or if I’ve been working in the garden - typically gets washed every other day.

Three years on, no problems here.

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Manifish_Destiny@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago
I rinse mine in iso, scrub with an old toothbrush and rinse.

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