smelly leather strap

fourmations

hi all

i wasnt aware this was a thing but it sure is!
a strap on one of my watches is minging only in that last two days!
ive read about saddle soap, is that the way to go?
id really like to solve this,
where would i even get saddle soap?

thanks

Anjobe

OmegaGene wrote: »

why not buy a new strap

Because that one would get dirty and smelly too?

I won't have a leather strap on any watch I wear daily for this reason. Saddle soap works well, get it from any shop selling horse riding gear. There are lots of these around the country or you can buy online from the big ones like TRI or Holmestead if there is none near you.

ednwireland

i find if im working outside and sweating a lot thats what does it for me have to change straps every 18 months or so, tried scrubbing with sadle soap but it just goes smelly again .

so have a cheap casio with runbber strap on order and will wear that instead

Anjobe

Perhaps it just happens to some people and not others, or maybe its down to the particular strap itself. I find that sweat gets into the inside of the band and then it quite quickly develops that butyric acid/parmesan cheese smell. I have leather straps on dress watches only, all others have to be rubber or bracelet. I find that bracelets get dirty too, but they are easy to clean with a bit of water and a toothbrush (or an ultrasound bath if you have access to one).

Anything that comes into contact with a horse can get spectacularly smelly, so products for cleaning leather riding tack are quite handy for cleaning watch straps too.

Cienciano

From google:

Remove Odors from a Leather Watchstrap. If the watch strap has stubborn stains and odors, then watch owners can remove them with a simple homemade compound. Baking soda removes odors effectively without damaging the leather. Users should make a paste out of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water

But I'm with OmegaGene on this, if you're doing stuff that makes you sweaty, get another strap. I have a few easy change straps, they're so handy.

https://www.watch-band-center.com/watchstrap-h587-Easy-Change-Straps.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInoSh372J4wIVB5zVCh1gbg2HEAAYASABEgLKKPD_BwE

Wibbs

A few years ago I got a batch of 1930/40's cloth canvas straps in an early NATO style layout. A charm for some of my watches from that era. Anyway they were branded and trademarked as "Hygienic" strap(well in French, so with added Q and Gallic shrug). The penny didn't drop until I realised, duh, you can wash them. Before nylon and rubber were widespread and used for straps leather and metal got stinky. Leather goes off more quickly but stick a metal bracelet into an ultrasonic cleaner after a years use and eeeeeuuuuuw. Fetid black gunk. So cloth was the best bet over time.