How to Clean and Maintain Your Detroit: Become Human Lanyard

Quick answer

Hand wash your Detroit: Become Human lanyard in cool water with a drop of mild soap, rub gently, rinse well, and air dry it flat away from direct sun. Skip the washing machine, hot water, and dryer. That routine protects the double-layered polyester print and keeps the detachable metal key clasp working.

A lanyard takes more abuse than almost any other piece of merch. It rubs against your neck, swings against keys, and picks up hand oils every time you badge in. The Detroit: Become Human Lanyard is built for that daily grind, but it still needs a reset now and then.

The good news is that lanyard care takes about five minutes and no special products. The bad news is that the two most common cleaning habits, hot water and a tumble in the dryer, are exactly what dulls the print and stresses the clasp. Here is the routine that avoids both.

What you need before you start

Gather a small bowl of cool water, a drop of mild liquid soap, and a soft cloth. Avoid bleach, stain removers, and anything with alcohol or solvents, since those can break down the print on the polyester strap. If your lanyard has a metal clasp, keep a dry towel nearby so you can dry the hardware immediately after rinsing.

Unhook the detachable metal key clasp before you begin. Cleaning the strap and the clasp separately lets you dry the metal properly and keeps water from sitting in the joint where rust and stiffness start. If you carry a CyberLife employee badge or keys on it, set those aside too so nothing gets soaked.

• Cool water only: hot water is the fastest way to fade a printed strap
• One drop of soap is enough; more just means more rinsing
• Remove badges, keys, and the clasp before the strap touches water

How often should you actually wash it?

For everyday badge wear, a hand wash every four to six weeks is plenty. If you wear it at a convention, clean it after the event rather than waiting, because sweat and hand oils set into fabric over time. A lanyard that only hangs on a display hook needs nothing more than a wipe with a dry cloth.

The telltale signs it is time: the strap feels slick or stiff, the print looks cloudy, or the clasp sticks when it rotates. None of those mean the lanyard is ruined. They mean it is dirty, and the routine below will bring it back.

• Everyday wear: wash every 4-6 weeks
• After a convention: wash within a few days
• Display-only lanyards: dry wipe is enough

Drying and storage matter as much as washing

Lay the lanyard flat on a dry towel and let it air dry completely before you reattach anything. Hanging it wet by the clasp puts all the weight on one point and can stretch the strap or leave a crease. Direct sunlight is the other trap: UV exposure fades printed fabric faster than any wash cycle.

Once dry, store it flat or loosely coiled rather than knotted around the clasp. A tight knot trains a permanent kink into the polyester and puts pressure on the metal. If you rotate between a lanyard and a cap for conventions, keep each piece separate so hardware does not scratch the print.

• Air dry flat, never in the dryer
• Keep it out of direct sun while drying
• Store loosely coiled, not knotted

Your 5-step lanyard cleaning routine

1. Step 1: Unclip the hardware: Open the detachable metal key clasp and slide the strap free. Remove any badge or keys so only the polyester goes near water. Checkpoint: if the clasp feels gritty when it opens, wipe it with a dry cloth before washing the strap.
2. Step 2: Hand wash in cool water: Fill a bowl with cool water and one drop of mild soap. Submerge the strap and rub it gently between your fingers for about 30 seconds, focusing on the area that sits against your neck. Common mistake: scrubbing with a brush or hot water, which dulls the print and can fray the polyester edge.
3. Step 3: Rinse until the water runs clear: Hold the strap under cool running water and squeeze gently, never wring it. Soap residue left in the fabric attracts dirt and makes the strap feel stiff. Checkpoint: if you can still feel slippery soap, keep rinsing.
4. Step 4: Dry flat and dry the metal separately: Lay the strap flat on a towel away from direct sun. Pat the clasp dry with a separate towel and let it air out fully before reattaching. Common mistake: hanging the wet lanyard by the clasp, which stretches the strap and traps moisture in the metal joint.
5. Step 5: Reassemble and store loosely: Once both parts are completely dry, reattach the clasp and coil the lanyard loosely in a drawer or display hook. Avoid tight knots around the hardware. Next step: mark a wash reminder every four to six weeks if you wear it daily.

Product facts that shape your care routine

• Detroit: Become Human Lanyard: Made from 100% double-layered polyester with a detachable metal key clasp. The double layer holds up to gentle hand washing, but the metal clasp is the part that needs immediate drying to stay smooth.
• DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN COLLECTION ( Cap ): This bundle includes a lanyard, a cap, a sublimation tee, a pins set, and a stickers pack. If you own the bundle, the lanyard shares a drawer with a cap and a tee, so keep metal pins and clasps from pressing into the printed strap.
• Detroit: Become Human RK-800 Tee: Sublimation print is embedded directly into the fabric so it won't peel or fade, and the brand recommends ordering one size up for a comfortable fit. The same embedded-print logic applies to your lanyard: gentle washing protects the print, which is why you avoid heat and harsh soap.

A Detroit: Become Human Lanyard is meant to be worn hard, and a five-minute hand wash every few weeks keeps the print crisp and the clasp smooth. Cool water, mild soap, flat air drying, and a loose coil are all it takes to keep your gaming lanyard like new.