Watch cleaning help

[Ezio]

Hey guys since its Nice weather my watch have been getting dirty alot

What should i do to clean it take the band of and put in a Bowl with soap haha

Thanks in advance

[SSTEEL]

If its waterproof, simply rinse under a warm water tap, soap, and use an old toothbrush.

[GenTLe]

Get one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/JPL-ULTRA-7050-Ultrasonic-Cleaner/dp/B001NETX5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405061189&sr=8-1&keywords=JPL+7050

[Nightwatch]

Get one of these: http://www.amazon.co.uk/JPL-ULTRA-7050-Ultrasonic-Cleaner/dp/B001NETX5A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405061189&sr=8-1&keywords=JPL+7050

Question: doesn´t the ultrasonic clean the "inside" of the watch (movement) as well leaving all dirt floating around?

Or vibrate some tiny screws off?

 

Have only used an old toothbrush and non-abrasive tooth-paste, treated bracelet in separate with the usual rec´s.

 

PS: I´d like to buy one but just for cleaning bracelets and other stuff don´t know if I should...

Edited July 11, 2014 by Nightwatch

[436NR]

Yeah... I wouldn't put a watch in an ultrasonic cleaner....

[GenTLe]

Question: doesn´t the ultrasonic clean the "inside" of the watch (movement) as well leaving all dirt floating around?

Or vibrate some tiny screws off?

 

Nope: it runs at 42kHz, DEFINITIVELY to much to make whatever part of metal to vibrate.

Moreover it doesn't work "shaking" the parts: only the parts in contact with the water will be affected: the process use the so called "cavitation".

 

From Wiki ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_cleaning ):

In an ultrasonic cleaner, the object to be cleaned is placed in a chamber containing a suitable solution (in an aqueous or organic solution, depending on the application). In aqueous cleaners, the chemical added is a surfactant (eg- laundry detergent) which breaks down the surface tension of the water base. An ultrasound generating transducer built into the chamber, or lowered into the fluid, produces ultrasonic waves in the fluid by changing size in concert with an electrical signal oscillating at ultrasonic frequency. This creates compression waves in the liquid of the tank which ‘tear’ the liquid apart, leaving behind many millions of microscopic ‘voids’ or ‘partial vacuum bubbles’ (cavitation). These bubbles collapse with enormous energy; temperatures and pressures on the order of 5,000 K and 20,000 lbs per square inch are achieved; however, they are so small that they do no more than clean and remove surface dirt and contaminants. The higher the frequency, the smaller the nodes between the cavitation points, which allows for cleaning of more intricate detail.

 

I'd only be careful in presence of not rust-proof parts (i.e. the bracelet pins if not stainless): in this case I'd use ethanol or methanol instead of water as cleaning liquid.

[krpster]

Still wouldn't do it. Really meant for cleaning the individual parts or bracelets. Some risk in doing it to a complete watch, however small it may be.

[436NR]

I use the ultrasonic only to clean disassembled movement parts during service. Case and bracelet gets warm water, mild soap, and soft toothbrush.

[droptopman]

Yep, foaming hand soup and soft brush and warm water works great. As stated in other threads doing a treatment with the Teflon dry chain lube like "white lightening" also keeps it from collecting dirt.

Sent from my droptop using telepathy.

[Matthew Luo]

Hi,

     I also come across the same problem  for my watch, when the watch get dirty, i suggest you not wait to clean it ,but  be quick. If you want to use it for a long time. 

you can try this watch repair parts, hope it can help you http://www.eachmall.com/goods-27276.html

[fraggle42]

Cavitation bubbles like to start at imperfections / minute cracks / valleys in the material, and as such an ideal place for them to form is where the rubber seal contacts the case, which is where you really don't want minute bubbles to form, when they form they'll push the rubber away from the metal case, and when they collapse they'll create a shock wave pushing the surrounding water away, further under the rubber seal.

 

I doubt a low powered US cleaner hs the power to overcome the rubber seal unless it was damaged or the back / crowns weren't tight though.

 

Another place would be the seal around the crystal, and imperfections in any paint on the bezel.

[GenTLe]

Good points guys. I'll limit its use to disassembled parts too (received the ultrasound cleaner last Friday)