How to Clean the Mainspring on a Seth Thomas Clock

Allow the clock to wind down until it stops running.

Remove the back of the clock. Use a small screwdriver (often called a jeweler's screwdriver) to remove the screws on the back of the clock.

Vacuum the back of the clock using a soft-bristled cleaning attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

Dampen a cotton swab with benzene.

Wipe as much of the mainspring as you can with the benzene-dampened swab to remove whatever dried-on lubricant, dirt and dust that you can reach. Do this carefully.

Use a flat, wooden toothpick dipped into benzene to clean, carefully, the parts of the spring that the cotton swab will not fit into. There will be sections of the spring that you cannot clean because they still are wound too tightly to be reached by a swab or toothpick. Do not worry about these parts.

Wipe all parts with a clean, dry cotton swab.

Dip a clean cotton swab into mainspring lubricating grease.

Wipe the lubricant gently onto the mainspring of your clock using the swab. Not only does this lubricate your mainspring, but the lubricant also cleans any remaining grime from your spring. Wipe all areas that the swab can reach.

Use a clean, flat, wooden toothpick dipped into the mainspring lubricant to continue cleaning and lubricating the spring. There may be areas where the toothpick will not fit; do not force lubricant into these areas.

Wind the clock. When the spring is wound tightly, lubricant may be forced out of the spring. Use a clean cotton swab to wipe away excess lubricant that is forced out of the edge of the spring.

Replace the back of the clock.