How To Polish Stainless Steel Watch At Home

In full transparency, being an Amazon Associate we may collect a small commission (at no cost to you!) when you click on some of the links in this post and make a purchase. These funds allow us to maintain the site and continue to write great articles for you.

Do you want to know how you can polish your stainless steel watch and its bracelet at home? Or are you looking for a way to remove scratches from your stainless steel watch or strap to bring back its shine?

If your stainless steel watch has gotten dull or has got a lot of scratches then you are at the right place. In this article, I will tell you how you can clean and polish your watch at home. Not only this but I will also tell you how you can remove scratches from its bracelet or watch clasp.

So keep reading!

Quick Navigation

Things To Keep In Mind Before Starting

Before you start getting your hands dirty, let us first look at some things that you need to keep in mind.

1) Know What You Want To Do

You should be clear about whether you want to polish your stainless steel watch, want to clean it, or you need to remove scratches from it.

These are 3 different things and require different processes to be followed. If your watch has gotten dull and you want to bring back its shine then you would want to polish it. And if your watch is shining but has a lot of dirt between the joints then you would want to clean it. However, if your watch bracelet or clasp has got too many scratches then you would want to rub it first to get rid of those scratches and then would apply polish to it.

2) Factory Finish Of The Watch

Stainless steel is the most common type of metal used in watches. And it comes with different finishes like polished, brushed, or matt. You can clean and apply polish on all these finishes at home without any trouble.

But when it comes to removing scratches then you can only take out scratches from polished finishes at home. If you try to do it on matt and brushed finish then you will end up changing the overall finish of the watch. And I am sure you must not want that. So I would recommend taking your watch to the service center because removing scratches from these finishes require special types of equipment that only watchmakers have.

3) You Can Overdo It

Stainless steel has a layer at its top that prevents it from catching rust. There are chances that you can remove this layer by over scrubbing the watch surface. So do not apply unnecessary pressure and be gentle while cleaning, polishing, or removing scratches.

How To Clean Stainless Steel Watch Bracelet?

How To Clean A Watch

Before we go into the process of polishing the stainless steel watch and its bracelet, let us first see how to clean a watch. Because to apply polish you anyway have to clean your watch first in order to get good results.

Cleaning a watch is a very easy task. And you can do it at home by yourself. Just follow the below steps:

Step 1: Take lukewarm water in a bowl and add a spoon of liquid dish soap to it.

Step 2: Take a toothbrush with soft bristles and dip it in the water.

Step 3: Now gently scrub the brush in a circular motion to the areas of the stainless steel watch that you want to clean.

Step 4: Repeat step 2 and 3 until you are certain that the watch is clean. But remember not to overdo it.

Step 5: Take another lukewarm water bowl.

Step 6: Dip the watch in it and rinse off the excess soap.

Step 7: Lastly, you will need a microfiber cloth to clean your watch. Use it to soak the water from the watch and do not leave the watch to dry itself.

After doing this process, you will find your watch squeaky clean.

How To Polish Stainless Steel Watch?

How To Polish Stainless Steel Watch At Home

Now that your watch is ready for polishing. Let us look at the steps to polish it.

For this process, you need a good watch polish. To help you, I have already selected the best one. It can be used for watch cases, bracelets, and even on its crystal. I personally use it and you can buy it by clicking on the link below if you want.

Click Here to Check on Amazon

Once you have the polish. Follow the below-mentioned steps:

Step 1: Apply the polish on the stainless steel watch and its bracelet.

Step 2: Rub the polish on the watch and bracelet in a circular motion.

Step 3: Once the rubbing is done, clean the watch and its bracelet with a microfiber cloth.

After this process, your watch will shine again and will look as good as new.

How To Remove Scratches From A Stainless Steel Watch?

If you want to remove scratches from your watch then you will need a polishing cloth. Scratches are removed from the watch and its bracelet by taking off a very fine layer from its surface. Because scratches are nothing but the uneven surfaces of metal. And when you rub off a layer, the surface becomes even and you do not see any scratches. To help you do this metal polishing clothes come with a fine powder on one side, which can be used to rub off the scratches.

I have selected the best metal polishing cloth for you, therefore you do not have to spend time searching for one. You can click on the link below to check it out. It can be used on different metals like gold, silver, etc. As a result, you will also be able to use it on your jewelry.

Click Here to Check on Amazon

To remove scratches from the stainless steel watch and its bracelet, follow the steps mentioned below:

Step 1: Use the powdered side of the polishing cloth and rub the watch with it in a circular motion. Remember to be gentle and don’t overdo it.

Step 2: Once the rubbing is done, use the other side of the polishing cloth or use a microfiber cloth to clean the watch. Keep rubbing the watch and bracelet with the microfiber cloth until you see them shining.

After doing this, all the minor scratches on your watch will be gone and you will notice it shining. If there is any major scratch, then you will have to take your watch to a repair center to get it removed.

Also, remember that this process should only be applied to the stainless steel watches that come with a polished finish.

Should You Polish Your Watch At Home?

Yes, as long as you know the right way of polishing a watch, you can do it yourself at your home.

However, if you do not know the right way then chances are that you will ruin the overall finish of your watch.

Hemant Mendiratta

Hemant's love for watches started when his grandfather gifted him his Rolex watch when he turned 18! Being a teenager it was a big deal for him. Later when he got his first job he bought Fossil Palm Pilot back in 2003 which was a smartwatch. Since then smartwatches have come a long way and so is Hemant's love for them. His experience with watches inspired him to start Wearholic and share his knowledge of wearables including watches, smartwatches, smart glasses, & smart clothing.

Leave a Comment