Anyone have any experience of buying third party straps made of rubber/silicone, unbranded, but it stinks of sickly sweet scent, and you can't have it anywhere near you, let alone on your wrist all day? It's really quite disgusting. I've googled for help on this, but 90% say it never goes because it's ingrained when strap is made, and two years later they still have the smell, and the rest are like try vinegar, let it sit in rice, or coffee etc. and other batsh*t mad ideas.

I've bought many straps in my time, several OEM Omega rubber, and Barton/Geckota etc, but I've never had this before. Anyone have any tried and trusted methods. Keep it clean lads. I've seen some replies to this on other forums that you don't want to hear about.

 

Generally seems to be a factor of the cheaper materials. Also I've read that Crafter Blue straps are infuse with Vanilla essence.

 

It's quite vile. I was told Isofrane used to scent them as well, and they're far from cheap, plus some of the searches brought up some well known brands also using scented straps. So much so that people got rid of the watch.

 

After a day or two of fishing you want to smell one of my NATO straps......

 

They remind me of the straps you get on children’s watches. Does your omega look good with it on?

 

Nah, you're alright thanks

Sadly yes, the OEM, too thick, Barton, too thin, this one.... yep!

 

Lots of makers do this, as the scent of the raw material is not so pleasant...

 

I’ve had smelly straps, but never scented.

Not a strap I’d buy.

 

Yeh, this one would make you feel sick. I see a lot of people on my search of this talking about Isofrane, and the like having a 'vanilla' scent, which I assume is what this probably is, But I've never smelt anything this sickly sweet, and certainly not like any vanilla I know. I can't wear it, so will take a risk on drowning it in alcohol. I don't hold out much hope after what I did to it yesterday, and it STILL has the same smell... Nothing I sprayed on it, handwash, washing up liquid, after-shave did anything to it.

Not info they volunteer prior to purchase, sadly

 

I wasn't referring to your strap at all...

 

I know Al, but I'd wager that's what this is

 

I have a Seiko 6309-7040 wearing its original GL-831 strap. Some previous owner's cologne has permeated it. Stale British Sterling or similar cologne isn't pleasant. An alcohol soak reduced the odor but didn't rid it entirely. I had to replace the strap's keeper soon after the soak as it split. Hated that. You might be careful with drowning it in alcohol.

 

Not if it doesn't smell like vanilla, because every strap I've come across that is supposed to smell like vanilla, smells like vanilla.

 

Thanks, it's soaking as we speak, I'm prepared for a loss, but there's no way I can wear it. If it only smelt when you get near it that's one thing, but to smell it all day when it's on the wrist...

The only vanilla I have smelt is the ice cream, and that's got little or no smell, so I couldn't even tell you what vanilla actually smells like, but if it's this sweet crappy smell, my money is on that as all that complain about these type of straps online describe it as vanilla

 

The vanilla scented straps I've had in my hands were all very subtle, so you had to put it pretty much up to your nose to smell it. I've not read of people complaining of vanilla scented straps before, so who is the maker of this strap that you can't stand?

BTW vanilla (beans or real extract) is a wonderful smell IMO...

 

This is more distressing than your strap issue.

 

Eww gross. I'd imagine it'd be like a scented tampon/pad.... smells nice when new. Not so much after a while.

 

Wow. Huh. Well, I guess that pretty much wraps up this conversation. Nowhere left to go.

 

As pointed out earlier I said it was ‘unbranded’ so there is no ‘maker’ listed. Faceless. The fact I can’t stand this sweet smell doesn’t mean others will all hate it. All I wanted to know was if it was possible to remove the smell. It obviously can’t.