What exactly is saddle soap? If you have anything leather, knowing what saddle soap is can help you keep your leather products keeping pristone. Saddle soap is primarily used to clean leather and can be used on a horse’s tack. But, this isn’t just for riding horses – you can use it to clean your shoes and is the most protective agent for your leather boots. If you own a nice pair of leather shoes, they most likely cost you a pretty penny. Therefore, you want to make sure that you keep them looking good.
What Is Saddle Soap Made Of?
Before we go any further, let’s go over what saddle soap is actually made of. Typical ingredients on saddle soap include lanolin and beeswax. We’ll speak more about them later. Lanolin is also known as wool wax or wool grease. It’s a wax-like substance that is excreted by wool-bearing animals. Such as sheep. Lanolin has powerful moisturizing properties. This is why it is also often used in infant moisturizing creams and lotions. It can also be used in lip balm since it moisturizes and protects the lips from dehydration.
What Are The Benefits of Using Saddle Soap on Leather?
Why should you use saddle soap on leather? As we mentioned before, this kind of soap is quite moisturizing. Which, is beneficial and prevalent in keeping your leather from drying out. Leather can dry out over time if you do not treat the leather properly. This is especially the case if you use the leather outdoors where it’s exposed to the sun. Sunlight will cause the moisture in leather to evaporate, which makes it dry. Your own prestigious leather will start looking brittle and old looking. Sometimes, if left unattended for too long, the damage could be irreversible.
- Packaged in 12 ounce can
By using saddle soap on a regular basis, as well as regularly conditioning your leather items; you will prevent your leather from drying out. It adds the perfect amount of moisture in order to protect your leather from the elements of the weather. In addition, saddle soap is perfect for removing virtually any stain. You can use it to clean, moisturize, and protect your leather. Which, is why it is a necessary tool in maintaining your leather.
What Are You Going to Need In Order to Clean Your Leather?
Cleaning something with saddle soap is not just about the soap itself. You’re going to need other items in order to clean your leather. Here are the items to have when you need to use saddle soap.
- Saddle soap – the main star of the show here.
- You’ll need leather conditioner.
- Grab a small sponger.
- Some paper towels.
- A small bucket of water is needed.
- Grab some cotton swabs or even an old toothbrush you aren’t going to use anymore.
- You’ll need some metal cleaners.
- A small stiff bristle brush.
The Steps In Using Saddle Soap
Before you clean any leather item, whether it is a horse tack or something else, remove everything from the leather item. This is so you can easily access all the hard to clean places, where dirt and grime has a tendency to gather. Then, with a lightly dampened cloth, wipe the remnants of dust and dirt away. You don’t want to wet the leather too much as this runs the risk of drying out the leather.
Now let’s clean the leather. Dampen the sponge, but make sure it isn’t too wet. Then dip the sponge into the saddle soap in order to build up a lather. Apply the lather to the leather and work it over the saddle in small circular motions. You want to be careful when you’re choosing saddle cleaners. This is because some saddle soaps can contain harsh detergents which can actually damage the leather over time. So, keep that in mind.
- Features a traditional blend of ingredients which cleans,...
- Formulated with a quality wax for added protection
- Cleans away dirt, grim and salt stains
- Manufacturer has updated packaging; tin may vary
Cleaning Off the Residue
In order to clean off the saddle soap residue, remove the soap with a damp towel and follow it with a dry towel. Make sure you wipe across the surface thoroughly. Use a cotton swab or the corner of a towel in order to get into any small or tight spaces.
What to Do Afterward
You’re going to want to apply leather conditioner after you use saddle soap. This is done in order to keep the leather soft and to prevent the leather from cracking. You should use a non-detergent conditioner. This includes neatsfoot oil, lanolin, and beeswax. Do not use too much leather conditioner or you may run the risk of clogging up the leather and attracting dirt.
Keep in mind that there are some leather conditioners that could potentially darken the leather. Beeswax and conditioners similar may leave behind some residue, but a towel can easily wipe this away. Make sure you test out the conditioner on a small area beforehand so you don’t find out that it darkens your leather when you’ve covered the whole item with it.
How Often Should You Use Saddle Soap?
Keep in mind that saddle soap should be used on a frequent basis, but not too much. If you do use it too much, you are going to end up doing more harm than good. Saddle soap is not meant to be used every day. Instead, it’s something that you use once about every two to three months for the best results.
The Importance of Saddle Soap
Whether you are taking your horse out or you have a leather belt that you love to display, getting something that is leather is more than just an aesthetic. It’s something to be maintained. And the only way you can truly keep your leather looking great for years to come, you’re going to need to use saddle soap. There’s plenty of different brands on the market, so make sure you speak with an expert while shopping in order to ensure that you are getting the right one for your leather needs. By following the tips in this article, you will hopefully be able to keep your leather looking good and avoid drying out.
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