So, my favorite rubber watch band, the one I wear pretty much every day, was starting to look a bit, well, gross. You know how it is, sweat, dust, maybe a bit of who-knows-what from daily life just builds up. It was getting to the point where I was noticing it, and not in a good way.
Here’s What I Did
I figured it was time to give it a good clean. I remembered reading somewhere that simple household stuff could do the trick, so I didn’t go out and buy any fancy cleaners.
First things first, I popped the band off my watch. Really important step, that. Didn’t want to risk getting water anywhere near the actual watch. Common sense, right?
Then, I rummaged around for what to use. I had a choice, I recalled reading you could use white vinegar mixed with water. But, I also had some lemons in the kitchen, and I’d heard lemon juice was also pretty good for cleaning. So, I went with the lemon.
I got a small bowl and squeezed some lemon juice into it, then added some warm water. I didn’t measure it perfectly, just kind of eyeballed it – maybe half and half, or a bit more water. The point was to get a mild cleaning solution.
I dropped the rubber band into this mixture. I let it soak in there for a bit. I think I left it for about 10, maybe 15 minutes. Just to let the lemon water do its thing and hopefully loosen up all that grime.
After the soak, I grabbed an old toothbrush. You know, one of those soft-bristled ones that you don’t use for your teeth anymore but keep for little cleaning jobs. I gently scrubbed the band all over. I paid a bit more attention to the textured parts and any little crevices where dirt really likes to hide. It didn’t take a lot of elbow grease, just a gentle scrub.
Once I felt like I’d gotten all the gunk off, I rinsed the band thoroughly under some cool running water. Made sure to get all the lemon solution off.
Then, I just patted it dry with a clean cloth. I let it sit out on the counter for a little while longer just to make sure it was completely dry before I reattached it to my watch. Didn’t want any moisture trapped in there.
And you know what? It worked out pretty great! The band looked so much cleaner, almost like new. The dullness was gone, and it felt fresh. Super simple, and I just used stuff I already had at home. Definitely doing this again when it needs it.
