How to clean, care and condition your leather watch strap 

Leather is durable and naturally resistant to dirt and wet conditions. What makes it unique and personable is its porous surface which makes it  likely to absorb natural oils from our hands and skin. This allows each leather product to be distinct in colour, tones and grain texture depending on the wear.  

Care and attention is needed to maintain the look and feel in good quality leather to ensure their longevity and keep it feeling fresh. This is true for all our quality leather products including: alligator, nubuck and safiano leather. 

Our favourite is the olive and white nubuck. 

 Here’s our 7 steps to caring for your leather watch strap to keep it feeling robust:
1.Remove the strap - Remove the strap from the watch before cleaning it. This helps protect the watch face, watch case, watch dial and prevent any unintended damage. Read our other pages on tips on how to remove your existing straps here.
2.Wipe the leather with a microfibre cloth - Before getting any liquids involved, wipe down the strap with a dry cloth. This gently removes any grainy dirt or debris that has collected on the strap that could potentially scratch the surface of the leather during the cleaning and conditioning process. We recommend soft cloth, microfiber or jewelry polishing cloths that are gentle are your best friends.
3.Wash the leather with a gentle soap and wash in a circular motion - The next step is to clean the strap more thoroughly with soap. A gentle soap is best, as stripping formulas found in harsher soaps can dry out the leather. Dampen a separate microfiber or jewelry cloth and apply a small amount of the soap to it. The cloth should be damp, but not sopping wet, to avoid causing water damage to the leather. Gently rub the inside and outside of the leather strap with the damp cloth, using small circular motions across the material.
4. Remove the soap with cold water - Wring the soap out of the cloth, and then wipe the leather strap with cold water until the band is soap free. Try not to soak and get the leather band dripping wet in the process. 
5. Let the band dry overnight - You can pat dry the leather strap and then leave the band to air dry overnight at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Let the leather dry slowly at normal humidity. This keep the leather strap’s structural shape and avoid cracking and drying out. 
6. Apply leather conditioner - Using leather conditioner specific for accessories, dab a small amount of condition on a microfiber cloth and gently rub it into the leather strap in a circular motion.

Protips:
1.Avoid commercial leather conditioners  - This may bleach the leather and change the tone of the leather. 
2.How often should i clean and condition my leather strap - Our rule of thumb is 2-4 weeks but we recommend adjusting it based on your weather conditions. If its hot and dusty, you’ll want to clean and wipe your watch to remove any excess sweat and dirt.
3.Avoid dying in direct sunlight, hair dryers and extreme heat - This will likely cause the leather to shrink, reshape and crack over time.