Two weeks ago, I got a new Apple Watch to replace my old one, which has spent the last year or so of its life in my junk drawer, except for a few days in the no-man’s land of my nightstand. The old man, of course, got very dirty. I got a new one after I decided for the 137th time in my life that it was time to “pull myself together” and start taking my health seriously, so I wore it to workouts and sleep for a whole fifteen days. He got dirty too, but in a different way.

So what better opportunity to try two methods of cleaning your smartwatch?

Smartwatch cleaning method #1: soap and water

The method that came up the most in my research on cleaning smartwatches involved mild soap and water, so I decided to try that for my old watch. I’ve read that if the device is waterproof, you can actually dunk it in a bowl full of warm water and a drop or two of dish or hand soap. I used Mrs. Meyer, but you can use any mild soap as long as you don’t overdo the drops. I don’t know if my old watch is waterproof and I am does I want to try to sell it, so I decided to use a soft cloth to rub the soapy water on my face and sensor instead of submerging it. As far as I can tell, there’s no good reason to sink your fancy technology.

Before any washing, remove the strap from the watch, just to make it easier for yourself. You should also turn off your smartwatch (since mine was dead, I didn’t bother). I buffed the tiniest bit of soapy water around the machine with a rag, and sure enough, everything came out fine, including a large streak of unidentified dirt that I meditate was spray paint from many months ago. I wiped it again with the dry part of the cloth, removing the excess moisture.

I ran into a problem when I peeked into the little troughs where the watch strap connects to the device itself. They are tiny, only millimeters in diameter, but inside they were incredibly dirty. My clothes didn’t fit and for a moment I wondered if they would this one was why some people dipped theirs in bowls of water, but when I folded the wet tissue in half and pulled it tight, I could easily push the corner I made into the slot and it worked. If yours has a really nasty scab, try a paper towel dipped in a solution of soap and water.

Smartwatch Cleaning Method #2: Isopropyl Alcohol

For my new watch, I repeated the trick of putting a wet wipe in the slots that hold the strap, but used a q-tip dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol to spot treat the rougher parts, which looked and felt greasy. While the older watch was dirty from dragging it in the junk drawer, this one was dirty from lotion and sweat; rubbing alcohol is better for greasy stains than water, obviously, so before you start cleaning, think about what kind of stains you’re dealing with. Also know that before I did this, I read a lot of discussion on the internet about whether it was a good thing to do or not, but I felt confident enough after reading that the small bumps were safe. Do not use a cloth soaked in alcohol.

If your watch is very dirty, try soap and water first. The alcohol just needs to be dabbed on the outside quickly and then left to air dry. If you have any of the and small alcohol pads, will be perfect for this. Never allow alcohol to touch leather bracelets and try not to get alcohol into openings or holes.

Since this watch wasn’t that dirty, the alcohol worked well. In both cases, I was a little concerned about the streaks, but after letting both air dry, there was nothing to report.

Other things to keep in mind when cleaning your smartwatch

I wanted to find some dirt in the openings and holes of my watches, but I couldn’t. While I think this says something nice about me as a person, it doesn’t help me much when I’m trying to find the best cleaning methods. From what I’ve read, if you have visible dirt in the tiny holes on your watch, gently (very gently!) try to remove it with a soft toothbrush or blow into it at an angle. If it is small or cannot be deflated, gently wipe it with a dry cloth. There really aren’t any holes big enough on the Apple Watch to cause problems, but if your device does, be careful not to push the nasty stuff deeper inside.

Consider getting into the habit of wiping down your watch with a damp cloth or paper towel after you sweat a lot or before you put it on the charger, so it doesn’t get so dirty before the next proper cleaning. Never use too much water, even if it’s waterproof—it should be dry before you turn it back on, charge it, or wear it.

You should also clean your watch band regularly, but how you do this depends on what it’s made of. Most of mine are made of fabric, so they go in the washing machine, but the rubber ones can be washed with soap and water or disinfectant. If it’s leather, wipe it with a dry cloth, then use a drop of mild soap (like hand soap) on a damp cloth to scrub the messy areas. Wipe off the soap residue with a clean, damp cloth and allow the skin to air dry, then apply a skin conditioner.