Care of Leather

[Charley]

What do you use to clean and condition your leather tack? Once leather has dried out can it be brought back to being more flexible and softer? Do you clean and condition your tack after each use or, if not, how often?

Any ideas or tips are greatly appreciated. I have been using saddle soap to clean and Leather Honey to condition. Just wondering what others use.

Thanks in advance,

Lois

 

[fourluckyhorseshoes]

I use Lexol cleaner and conditioner. I don't know if it is a miracle cleaner, but it seems to work well for me. I clean my tack once every few weeks so I don't have much trouble.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I clean once a year at the end of the season with Murphy's oil soap (and warm water

)then condition with a good quality cream conditioner (I can't tell you the brand right now - just don't remember and would need to look). Every other drive or so I use leather cleaner/conditioner wipes to remove the excess sweat and dirt. I have taken really dry stiff leather and given a thorough cleaning with the Murphy's oil soap and then conditioned it and put it somewhere warm (behind/above my pellet stove in winter and in the sun or in my greenhouse in summer) until it is soaked in then reconditioned and repeat until it doesn't want to absorb any more, then wipe it down wiyh a soft cloth to remove the greasy feel. The results have surprised a lot of people who think the leather is beyond recovery. Takes time and effort but can be very worth it.

 

[Marty]

Sure it can be saved. But if it is cracked, not a good thing for safety reasons. You'll have to really see how bad it is.

I actually wiped my saddle and bridles down every single time I used them, including dipping the bit in water. And that was like every single day. The thought of putting up dirty tack is nasty so I stayed on top of it, always..

Take every thing apart. Undo every buckle and snap and unscrew every screw. Lexol products are very good as well as Leather New. For real nasty stuff I would heavily drench with Lexol products to start and then hang on a fence or something in the sun for a bit. Then repeat. Afterwards, for maintenance, Leather New. Then back to a monthly regimen of Lexol products. Can you tell I"m anal about my stuff?

 

[Charley]

Would never have thought of Murphy's oil soap for cleaning. Thanks for the tip. I already have that. Will have to look for the Lexol products and the Leather New.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

IMO dirt and sweat are leather's worst enemies.

At least once a year I scrub mine with a brush and soapy water, especially the horse side of the breast collar, breeching and girth. Rinse well and dry. Two separate leather shops told me to use olive oil, so that is what I use. I choose a warm day after I've scrubbed with soapy water, use a paint brush, and slather the olive oil on; the olive oil is absorbed better when it's warm and using the paint brush really gets into the nooks and around the sewn parts. Then wipe off the excess.

In between, I do wipe down the insides that get sweaty, the crupper, and, like Marty, rinse my bit every time. My newest harness is over 10 years old. Not sure how old the older one is, as it was vintage when I acquired it 12 years ago. It is showing it's age a little, but the leather is still supple.

Sole dressing works pretty well for touching up scratches.

I use Murphy's sometimes, but usually just dishwashing soap.

 

[MiniNHF]

If I get my hands on tack someone hasnt taken care of an is dried out I soak it for a few days in neatsfoot oil and then I apply conditioner after that for a few days and then repeat.

 

[stormy]

I use a glycerin bar and warm water to clean then harness honey...love old leather and old saddles and the combination has brought several old and dry pieces of equipment back to life!