# How to care for a leather guitar strap

> A leather strap breaks in over about two weeks and lasts years with two coats of balm. Break-in, sweat, storage, and the products to keep away from it.

Published 8 September 2026. Updated 15 September 2026. By [Julian Corman](https://setliststraps.com/about/), Setlist Straps.

A leather strap needs almost nothing, which is most of the point of buying one. Here is the almost nothing.

## Break-in

New leather is firm, and a strap built from two layers of it is firmer than most. Play it. About two weeks of normal use and the shoulder section will have shaped itself to you. Do not soak it, heat it, or bend it back and forth to speed this up; that is how creases start.

**What we sell:** one strap, the Soldier double-layer cowhide strap, in black, dark brown, tan or white. Suede-finish back, length set through a row of slots on the tail. £54.95 with free UK delivery.

[See the leather guitar straps](https://setliststraps.com/leather-guitar-straps/)

## Sweat and rain

Wipe the face with a dry cloth after a sweaty set. If it gets properly wet, lay it flat at room temperature to dry, away from radiators. When it is dry, rub in a little balm.

## Balm

Twice a year, or after a soaking: a pea-sized amount of a beeswax and neatsfoot balm rubbed in thin with a cloth, on the face only, left ten minutes, buffed off. That is all. Over-conditioning makes leather limp. Keep balm off the suede back: suede has to stay dry to grip.

Avoid silicone sprays, anything labeled "leather shine", and household oils. They seal the surface and go sticky.

## Storage

Leave it on the guitar, or hang it. Do not coil it tight in a case pocket for months; the shoulder will take a set.

## The suede back

Brush it with a soft brush if it flattens. It sheds a little dust on light shirts for the first week, then stops.

## Marks and color

Leather has pores, veins and small scars, and it darkens where you touch it. The lighter colors darken most, so a tan strap will not stay the color it arrived. That is the material working, not wearing out.

We don't sell balm. Any plain beeswax and neatsfoot balm from a saddlery does the job, and a tin lasts years.

## Related

- [Leather vs nylon guitar straps, honestly compared](https://setliststraps.com/guides/leather-vs-nylon-guitar-strap/)
- [Strap locks: do you actually need them?](https://setliststraps.com/guides/guitar-strap-locks-explained/)
- [How long should a guitar strap be?](https://setliststraps.com/guides/how-long-should-a-guitar-strap-be/)
- [Guitar strap fit guide](https://setliststraps.com/guitar-strap-size-guide/)

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Canonical page: https://setliststraps.com/guides/how-to-care-for-a-leather-guitar-strap/
Publisher: Setlist Straps (Julian Corman, trading as Setlist Straps), hello@setliststraps.com. Published 8 September 2026, updated 15 September 2026.
Site guide for agents: https://setliststraps.com/llms.txt