Shocking new research has revealed that watches can be up to eight times more dirty than a toilet, with a quarter of Brits never having cleaned their time piece.
Tic Watches swabbed ten different types of watches, testing for aerobic bacteria, yeast and mould to find out how much of a hotspot they are for germs.
The research found that each watch had a worrying amount of bacteria, yeast, and mould, with watches scoring an average of three times dirtier than a toilet seat.
The worst culprit was a fitness watch, with the Fitbit testing a staggering eight times dirtier than a toilet seat and flush handle, whilst the plastic and leather watches were dirtier than the metal ones.
Shocking new research has revealed that watches can be up to eight times more dirty than a toilet, with a quarter of the population never having cleaned their time piece. A man’s plastic Fitbit, seen left, is 8.3 times dirtier than a toilet, with the results seen right
Surprisingly the least dirty was a man’s watch with a leather strap, which was found to be 3.3 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
Meanwhile a staggering 24 per cent of us confessed to never cleaning our watch, while one in five clean their watch less than every six months.
Commenting on the research, Daniel Richmond, Managing Director of Tic Watches, says: ‘Whether you wear a watch every day, or just during working hours, one thing is for certain, we don’t clean them as much as we wash our hands.
A woman’s watch with a leather strap, seen left, was discovered to be 5.8 times dirtier than a toilet, seen right
‘Unfortunately, not all watches are waterproof, so avoiding any contact with water when we’re wearing them could be the main reason for a build-up of bacteria.
‘For those who wear a watch every day, we recommend giving it a good clean at least once a month.
‘If you think your watch is due a clean, take a look at our tips to see how to do it yourself or you can even take it to a specialist shop for a professional clean.
‘Not only will this keep your watch looking as good as new, but it will keep unsafe bacteria at bay.’
A man’s watch with a plastic strap, seen left, was found to be 4.7 times dirtier than a toilet, in results seen right
How to clean your watch (once a month)
1. Remove the watch from its bands
Some will come off by pressing a button to detach their bracelet from the watch head, whilst others will need a screwdriver to release the bracelet from the watch head.
If you can’t, be careful not to get the watch wet as you it could cause permanent damage.
2. Get a bowl in soapy water
Get a bowl full of water and add a splash of mild washing up liquid (if you have a stainless steel or plastic watch).
If you have a leather watch, opt for a small amount of white vinegar in the water instead.
3. Soak the bands
Put the watchbands in the liquid and soak them.
Depending on how dirty the watch is, you may want to leave it for a few hours, or if it looks generally clean, 30 minutes will do the job.
The least dirty, a man’s watch with a leather strap was found to be 3.3 times dirtier than a toilet seat, seen right
4. Scrub away the dirt
Use a soft cloth or brush to gently wash away any dirt, a soft toothbrush works well – be careful with the pressure you apply and don’t use anything that will scratch your watch!
5. Give it a rinse
Give the watchbands a rinse with clean water to get rid of any soap and grime.
6. Clean the watch head
Use a damp cloth to clean the front and back of the watch head. If it’s still grimy, use a soft toothbrush dipped in soapy water to give it a gentle scrub.
Don’t submerge it in water unless you definitely know you can, as you may completely break it.
7. Dry thoroughly
Pat the watch dry with a cloth or leave it to air dry on a dry towel for a couple of hours
8. Reattach the components
Once dry, reattach the band to the bracelet and it’s ready to go back on your wrist.
Meanwhile a man’s smartwatch with a plastic strap proved to be 3.3 times dirtier than a toilet seat, in results seen right