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A leather watch strap gets more daily wear than almost anything else you own. It deals with sweat, hand cream, rain and the odd coffee spill, often all in the same week. Clean it regularly and it will last for years. Ignore it and you’ll get a dark, stiff band that smells a bit off.
The good news is that cleaning one takes a few minutes and almost no kit.
Start by taking the strap off the watch
Don’t clean the strap while it’s still on the watch. Water and cleaning products can get into the case, and you won’t be able to reach the area around the lugs anyway. If your strap has quick-release spring bars it comes off in seconds. If not, a basic spring bar tool will do the job.
Wipe first, then go a little deeper
For routine cleaning, a soft dry cloth is all you need. Wipe both sides of the strap and pay attention to the underside, where most of the sweat builds up.
For heavier dirt, dampen the cloth lightly with water. It should feel barely wet, not dripping. Work in small circles and don’t scrub. If there are marks that won’t shift, a very small amount of saddle soap or a leather cleaner made for smooth leather will help. Use it sparingly and wipe away whatever is left.
The one thing you should never do is soak a leather strap or run it under the tap. That’s how leather goes stiff and starts to crack.
Dealing with odours
A strap that smells usually has sweat trapped in the lining. First, let it air out somewhere cool and dry overnight. If that doesn’t fix it, put the strap in a sealed bag or container with an open dish of baking soda, keeping the two apart, and leave it for a day. The baking soda soaks up the smell without touching the leather.
Rotating between two straps is the best long-term fix. It gives each one time to dry out properly between wears.
Condition after cleaning
Cleaning strips away some of the leather’s natural oils, so finish with a thin coat of leather conditioner. Rub it in with your fingers, give it twenty minutes and then buff off the excess. Test it on the underside first, because some conditioners darken lighter leathers.
Let it dry naturally
Lay the strap flat at room temperature and leave it. Don’t use a hairdryer, a radiator or direct sunlight, because heat pulls moisture out of leather too quickly and leaves it brittle.
Better leather also makes this job easier. The Barenia calfskin that Artem Straps uses for its Loop-less leather straps is naturally resistant to water, which means less mess to clean and more time spent wearing it.
