Glycerine Saddle Soap Bar? Top Answer Update

You may have noticed that our leather cleaners and leather care products are very similar to cosmetics or skin care products that you see and use regularly in stores. Ah ha, you found us! LOL! Yes, our products are very similar in design. We want our products to be very gentle and the principles of leather care are very similar to skin care.

However, a key difference between our cleaners and conditioners and your skin care products, as well as many other brands of leather care products, is that we do not use glycerin in our products. Zip, no. Why? Seems strange doesn’t it?

At first we were quite surprised that glycerine is so taboo for leather. This cosmetic workhorse is used everywhere in skin care – lotions, face creams, the list goes on. Ok, that makes sense because glycerin is a humectant. This means that glycerin actually attracts water and sucks water into your top layers of skin like a big sponge – a great property if you want to moisturize your face, but not so hot to ensure your leather stays healthy.

Wait – don’t we want our leather to be moisturized and supple? Sounds like glycerin would be great for that! I know, I know; we thought the same. But let us explain…

Only use what you need

We firmly believe in giving your leather only what it needs to stay in great shape = clean and supple with just enough moisture. For us, that means paying attention to our tack and not just slapping products out of habit when our leather really, really doesn’t need them. Minimalism….Yes!! So… we don’t add glycerin because your leather really doesn’t need it. Why isn’t it needed? Read on Macduff!

Clean like you mean it

In keeping with the minimalist theme, we don’t use any conditioners or moisturizers – glycerine or otherwise – in our leather cleaner. The goal of cleaning your bridle is…to clean your bridle. Period. In addition to attracting moisture, glycerin is a sticky substance that can act like a sealant. When included in a cleaner, the glycerin sticks to the very leather you want to clean, trapping dirt and grime in its pores and fibers. Also, these leftover residues of glycerin dirt attract more and more dirt. Talk about counterproductive!

Stop conditioning so much

Over-hydration of the leather is one of the deadly sins of leather care. (We could get poetic about this for quite a while, but we’ll save it for another day). Your leather should NOT be conditioned with every cleaning. That’s why we don’t add glycerin or other moisturizing agents to our Leather Cleaner. Establishing cleaning and conditioning as two separate leather care steps ensures you have the best control over the care and health of your leather. You’re in the driver’s seat to judge when and how much care your leather needs to be happy – and we dare say it stays in a safe and useful condition.

Water is not your friend

Also, we don’t include glycerine in our Leather Conditioner. Yes, glycerin would no doubt help moisturize your leather, but at a cost. Unfortunately, the glycerin will accomplish this by pulling water vapor from the air into your stickiness. Water really isn’t your leather’s kindest comrade, leading to mildew, weakened leather and a whole host of other undesirable consequences (read our article on how to deal with water for more on that). Also, as previously mentioned, glycerin is sticky. I don’t know about you, but I would be terribly upset if my saddle was still sticky and sticky after cleaning and conditioning it. Yippie, it’s good that there are other extremely effective ways to supple and condition your tack without using glycerin to draw water into the fibers and cause damage.

Ok, so the bottom line is that we’re not fans of glycerine in leather conditioners at all. As we mentioned, yes, leather is essentially just like your skin (our skin is similarly acidic and you can learn why leather’s acidity is so important in our article here) and should be treated with the same gentle care. The difference, however, is that your skin has the ability to constantly renew and repair itself. Leather is incapable of repairing itself, so we are the gatekeepers to prevent damage to our leather accessories.

Just like you, we are very meticulous about the products we use to care for our leather, because we want it to be healthy and last a long time. Ha, finally an excuse to be persistent!! 🙂

Would you like to find out more? Visit our learning page for more tips and guides or take a look at our products!

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Article overview

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To use saddle soap, first remove the buckles, stirrups and parts from your bridle as saddle soap should only be used on leather. Then wipe the saddle with a cloth dampened in warm water to open the pores of the leather. After your saddle has dried, apply the soap to a damp sponge according to the manufacturer’s instructions and scrub the saddle in a circular motion. Then wipe away the soap residue with a dry cloth, let the saddle dry and finish with a leather conditioner like neatsfoot oil to keep the leather moist and shiny. To learn more, including how to clean the metal components of your bridle, read on!

Saddle soap is the ideal product for cleaning leather. But people get a little nervous about using saddle soap on their nice leather boots, especially if it’s a pair of boots you really, really like. Why? Saddle soap has a reputation for being unnecessary at best and harmful at worst. But what if you have worn, stained and dirty boots?

I recently ran into this exact issue, so I wanted to dispel some of the myths surrounding saddle soap, provide context for why people get so nervous about using it, and some downsides to using saddle soap. Finally, I would like to show you exactly how to use saddle soap so that you can get a nice clean boot without taking any damage.

Click play on this video for a full step-by-step guide to using Saddle Soap at the 5:09 mark!

[SHOP FIEBING’S SADDLE SOAP HERE!]

What is saddle soap?

As the name suggests, saddle soap was marketed primarily for cleaning horse saddles. Horse saddles are made from thick, well-oiled and well-waxed pieces of leather. Saddles are made this way to protect them from the harsh elements and general wear and tear of riding.

Saddles also get very dirty, so they need a strong soap to clean them properly. Saddle soap is astringent, meaning it will shrink or constrict body tissues, so it’s very good at pulling stains, dirt, wax, and oil out of leather. That’s how it cleans.

But for our boots, we usually want the oil and wax to stay where they are! This is the enigma that represents the use of saddle soap to clean boots. We want to clean the leather without stripping the animal skin of all the beneficial oils and waxes. This makes sense as a big difference between a saddle and a pair of boots is the thickness of the leather. Saddle leather is more forgiving than the much thinner pieces of leather we have in our boots.

What is saddle soap made of?

Ingredients are usually proprietary

Typically contains an astringent, a fat and wax

Saddle Soap is a proprietary cleaner. It is often not really possible to know 100% what is in most things. Any saddle soap will likely contain some sort of astringent to remove dirt and stains, a fat or oil like tallow or neatsfoot oil, and some wax like beeswax or paraffin wax. All soap is basically just a fatty acid like tallow and a strong base like lye.

Some brands say what’s in their saddle soap. For example, Fiebing’s White Saddle Soap – the product they recommend for shoes and boots, although they state the yellow version above is also good for boots – lists all of their ingredients:

it has water There is animal tallow fat for moisturizing. There is tricyclic monocarboxylic acid, also known as rosin, which is commonly found in soap. There is also sodium hydroxide, also known as lye or caustic soda, which is found in almost all soaps. Finally there is sodium carbonate for fillers, paraffin wax and borax tackifier which is used in adhesives and gives the product a gummy stickiness.

So the astringent chemical that can damage our boots is lye or caustic soda. You may have seen lye in movies where it is favored by serial killers and gangsters to dispose of dead bodies. If it can break a film body, it can break our leather boots. So we want to use it sparingly and make sure we’ve removed all of the saddle soap from our boots during the cleaning process.

Traditionally, saddle soap has been sold as an all-in-one cleaner that removes dirt and stains while putting some wax and grease back into the leather, but in reality saddle soap doesn’t put nearly enough oil and wax back into the leather. Therefore, we need to condition our boots after cleaning.

Many companies still market saddle soap as an easy way to clean your boots, but we recommend that you think of it as a product that will remove a lot of good oils and waxes.

What are some different types of saddle soap?

Almost everyone seems to have decided that Kiwi or Fiebing’s makes the best saddle soap. I personally use Fiebing’s. I have used it and I trust it.

However, saddle soap is not an overly complicated product. It’s basically just soap with some wax and a little more fat in it. So other brands like Kiwi should work just fine. Kiwi is owned by SC Johnson, who also list all of the ingredients in their products.

[SHOP FIEBING’S SADDLE SOAP HERE!]

Which types of leather should be cleaned with saddle soap?

As mentioned, and I don’t want to get to the point, but I don’t want you to ruin your boots either: Saddle soap is best for oily, waxy leathers. These include vegetable tanned leathers, Horween Chromexcel, Red Wing oil tanned leathers and pull-up leathers.

Plus, you don’t have to clean your boots with saddle soap for their own sake. As obvious as it sounds, saddle soap is a last resort, big gun cleaner—only bring it out if you want to clean dirty, stained leather.

[Related: The 9 Best Leathers for Boots]

Which types of leather should not be cleaned with saddle soap?

Never use saddle soap on suede or suede. You don’t need to use saddle soap on a Shell Cordovan as there is simply so much wax and oil in the densely packed fibers that all you need to do is add a little conditioner. (The dirt has a hard time working its way into a pair of Shell Cordovan shoes.) You also don’t want to use saddle soap on treated leathers like Thursday’s Rugged & Resilient leather.

What are the benefits of saddle soap?

So that’s pretty obvious, but the benefit of saddle soap is that it’s really good at removing the stains from the leather and lightening the color of the leather. If your boots have a lot of dark spots, salt marks, or odd discoloration, a thorough after-treatment with some saddle soap will bring back the uniform look and can help lighten the color since you’ve removed some of the oil and wax that darkened the leather.

What are the disadvantages of saddle soap?

People worry about using saddle soap because it can dry out your leather and remove all of the protective oils and waxes. If you use saddle soap, you should use it as sparingly as possible and still get rid of the dirt. Some people take a “more is better” approach and soak their entire boot in the soap, right down to the flesh side. This will draw out as much of the oil as possible – maybe not a bad idea if you’re trying to stain the leather, but putting a light coat of saddle soap on it to remove some of that superficial dirt is really all we need to do.

How to use saddle soap

Here’s what you need:

A clean horsehair brush

Some water

A dry paper towel or microfiber cloth

A wet sponge or paper towel

your saddle soap

And here are the steps you need to follow.

1. First prepare your boots by giving them a good brush with a clean horsehair brush.

Make sure the brush is clean and has no pigment left over from previous use. Take a moment to run your fingers over it, looking for any leftover polish or residue from other products. You don’t want to accidentally dye your brown boots black.

Unlace your laces, making sure to run the brush into the folds in and around the tongue. Clean the boots of dust, dirt and grime. You may see many scuffs and minor marks that will disappear as the oil and wax heat up and move through the leather.

2. Dip the brush in water, then vigorously rub the brush across the surface of the soap while it is in the can to create a lather.

Make sure you don’t have any blobs or clumps of soap on the brush. If you see chunks, dip the brush back into the water and rub the brush until they’re gone.

3. Start cleaning

Once you have a nice, even lather, select a leather panel to start cleaning. Scrub for 5-10 seconds. Squeeze lightly and quickly move the brush in small, circular motions to scrub the leather at night. It’s important to work layer by layer as we don’t want the saddle soap to get too deep into the leather.

4. Remove the saddle soap as much as possible

Take the dry paper towel or microfiber cloth and wipe off as much of the saddle soap as possible from the first (and only) panel you cleaned—we don’t want to get too deep. We use saddle soap to remove stains or stains from the surface of the boots. Residues or film remnants dry out the leather.

5. Apply a small amount again to all discolored areas

After removing the saddle soap from the first lane, check for discoloration from stubborn stains. If you see a particularly dark spot, clean that spot a little more. You can rub the saddle soap deeper into the leather where you have a difficult-to-clean stain. The more you work the soap into the leather, the more stain-causing dirt is pulled out. For stubborn stains, use the back of your fingernail to press the saddle soap deeper into the stain.

After removing the bad stains, give the slab a quick brush with the well lathered brush to even out the color.

6. Wipe all saddle soap off the boot.

Take a wet paper towel, cloth, or sponge and try to wipe away all of the saddle soap. Be extra careful to get into the seams and creases to keep the soap from pooling there.

7. Repeat this process for each boot panel.

8. Let the boot dry overnight.

9. Condition the leather the next day.

This is an important step in getting the oil and grease back into the boot.

[Related: The 5 Best Conditioners for Leather Boots]

Wrap up

It’s understandable why people are nervous about using saddle soap. It is the wrong choice for some leathers such as suede and suede. Even with the right leathers, you can damage your boots if you let it soak in too much, apply too much, or don’t remove it properly.

But it’s pretty damn good at removing stains and dirt when used properly. If you use it sparingly, remove it completely, and condition your boots well after cleaning, saddle soap effectively cleans your boots better than anything else.

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Saddles and bridles, as well as other leather items like girths or breastplates, are a real investment, so it pays to use the best saddle soaps and leather conditioners to keep them looking and feeling like new.

Saddle soaps, saddle cleaners and conditioners come in a variety of forms, including bars, creams and sprays, but they all share a similar set of benefits that ultimately extend the life of your saddle. Saddle soaps and saddle cleaners break down dirt and grease, while leather care products and balms care for the leather and keep it supple. Some products have a double action and care as well as cleanse.

It is important to clean your bridle regularly as leather in good condition is not only more comfortable for your horse, it is also much safer and less prone to breakage. Cleaning the tack is also a good opportunity to check that all stitching and metalwork is still in good condition.

Best saddle soaps and saddle cleaners

Or jump to the best leather care products

Carr & Day & Martin Belvoir Step 1 Adhesive Cleaner Spray

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: €7.95 |

This spray effectively cleans leather and effortlessly removes dirt, grease and sweat. It gently removes stubborn grease, sweat and grime, while the pH neutral formula won’t rot stitches or overdry leather. It leaves the perfect surface for the immediate application of a conditioning soap or oil.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now on viovet.co.uk, amazon.co.uk, equus.co.uk, naylors.com or elandlodge.com

In the USA? Watch now at amazon.com

NAF Sheer Luxe Leather Cleanse & Condition

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: €10.99 | Rating: 9/10 |

This deep cleansing formula is easy to apply and leaves a non-sticky, natural finish.

Verified through our independent testing program, this NAF cleaning cleaner received a 9/10 rating – read the full review.

In the United Kingdom? See viovet.co.uk, amazon.co.uk, naylors.com or elandlodge.com

In the USA? View on amazon.com

Absorbine Horseman’s One Step

Sizes: 425 g | RRP: £11.12 |

This all-in-one cream formula cleanses and nourishes your skin in one go. It penetrates leather to remove dirt and sweat, and its lanolin-rich formula conditions and preserves to prevent cracking and drying, keeping items soft and supple without leaving a sticky residue. It is suitable for use on natural or artificial leather.

In the United Kingdom? View now on amazon.co.uk, viovet.co.uk, equus.co.uk, naylors.com or elandlodge.com

In the USA? Watch now on chewy.com

Albion natural leather soap

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: £24.54 |

This mild, plant-based soap enriched with glycerin cleans superbly, leaving leather beautifully supple and protected. It’s pH neutral and free from harmful detergents and chemicals, so it won’t lose the color of your Albion leather products.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

Cavalor leather soap

Sizes: 250ml, 500ml, 2l | RRP: €6.50 |

This glycerine based soap is a deep cleanser and should be applied after cleaning dirt and grease from leather to nourish it and keep it soft and supple without losing strength.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now on vivet.co.uk

Collegiate saddle soap

Sizes: 360 g | RRP: £14.25 |

This soap effectively cleans, softens and rejuvenates all colors of smooth leather saddles and other leather goods.

In the United Kingdom? View now at amazon.co.uk or viovet.co.uk

Farnam Leather New

Sizes: 473ml, 946ml | RRP £12 for 473ml |

This glycerine saddle soap makes your leather soft and shiny. It removes embedded dirt and grime, replaces natural oils and dries to a long-lasting shine. It also helps protect and preserve the color and texture of leather without leaving a residue. Also available in foam form.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

In the USA? Watch now on chewy.com

Leovet Leather Quick & Easy Spray

Sizes: 250ml | RRP: £7.20 |

This natural leather cleaning spray refreshes, protects and preserves by cleaning and removing dirt, helping to restore a natural shine. It is petroleum free.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now on vivet.co.uk

Little Rider Total Care Leather Spray

Sizes: 250ml | RRP: €5.99 |

This gentle leather spray is ideal for young riders and prevents mold growth, while the added glycerine keeps the leather soft and supple.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now on vivet.co.uk

Supreme Products Soft Leather Soap

Sizes: 450 g | RRP: €9.80 |

This soft leather soap can be used on all leather items to clean, soften, refresh and add shine – it is perfect for maintaining shine and shine in pristine condition.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at viovet.co.uk, equus.co.uk or rideawaystore.com

Shires Ezi-Groom Leather Cloths

Sizes: 100 pieces | RRP: €9.99 |

This saddle soap comes in the form of a wipe making it very easy to use and very handy when you are travelling, attending a competition or just need a quick touch up of your gear.

In the United Kingdom? View now on equus.co.uk, viovet.co.uk or amazon.co.uk

Smart grooming leather care spray

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: €9.95 |

This easy-to-use spray leaves no residue or stickiness but gives a beautiful shine and ensures leather stays soft and supple.

In the United Kingdom? View now at equus.co.uk or rideawaystore.com

Stübben liquid leather soap

Sizes: 250 g | RRP: €9.90 |

This pH-neutral liquid saddle soap comes in a practical pump bottle and can be used on almost all types of leather.

In the United Kingdom? View now at amazon.co.uk or elandlodge.com

Devoucoux Belharra leather soap

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: £15 |

This Devoucoux glycerine leather soap can be used daily to clean and protect leather while giving it a beautiful appearance.

Voltaire Hercules glycerine soap

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: £15 |

This natural glycerine soap from Voltaire contains mineral and vegetable waxes and oils, beef oil and paraffin.

Leather care products: what’s on the market?

Carr & Day & Martin Belvoir Step 2 Tack Conditioner Spray

Sizes: 500ml, 5l | RRP £11.70 for 500ml |

Based on the original Hardlock formula, this conditioner spray softens, preserves and shines leather. The clear conditioner is formulated with glycerin and coconut oil for regular use with minimal effort. The glycerin fills and seals pores in the leather to create a barrier against salt, dirt, grease and water. After “Step 1” use Belvoir Tack Cleaner.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at viovet.co.uk, equus.co.uk, rideawaystore.com, naylors.com, elandlodge.com or amazon.co.uk

In the USA? Watch now at amazon.com

Albion natural leather balm

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: £26.78 |

This rich and nourishing leather balm offers care and protection. It is an authentic 200 year old Swiss formula originally developed to care for leather exposed to extreme conditions in challenging mountain regions.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

Cavalor leather shine

Sizes: 20ml | RRP: £11 |

This formula contains several oils, fats and waxes for intensive leather care. It provides intensive care, keeps the leather supple and gives it a shine without making it slippery.

In the United Kingdom? View on viovet.co.uk or amazon.co.uk

Collegiate Leather Cream

Sizes: 100ml | RRP: £5.75 |

This cream gives saddles and other leather accessories condition and shine.

In the United Kingdom? See viovet.co.uk or rideawaystore.com

Leovet leather care intensive

Sizes: 250ml | RRP: €12.49 |

This natural leather conditioner cleans and gives a smooth, matte finish while helping to impregnate leather and protect against mold and mildew stains. It is ideal for use on riding boots.

In the United Kingdom? See vivet.co.uk

NAF Sheer Luxe Leather Balm

Sizes: 400 g | RRP: €10.99 |

This intensive conditioner is designed to penetrate and nourish the skin, leaving it soft and supple. It comes with a free sponge inside for easy application.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now on viovet.co.uk, naylors.com, elandlodge.com or amazon.co.uk

In the USA? Watch now at amazon.com

Rapid leather gel

Sizes: 200ml | RRP: €6.95 |

This gentle conditioner contains no glycerin, alcohol and is not oil based, but is a blend of beneficial waxes and lanolin and uses demineralized water. Regular use of this conditioner will help prevent color loss that can occur with modern, more eco-friendly leathers.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

Bates Leather Balm

Sizes: 90 g | RRP: €11.99 |

This premium wax-based leather balm penetrates deep into the leather of your saddle, forming a surface barrier to protect against wear, water and sweat.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

Smart Grooming Leather Luxe

Sizes: 20g, 400g | RRP: €14.95 for 400 g |

Formulated with a blend of beeswax and essential oils, this product provides a tonic for dry and tired leather. With regular use, it will keep your leather supple and in top condition with a deep, lasting shine.

In the United Kingdom? Look at ebay.co.uk or equus.co.uk

Stübben Hamanol leather care

Sizes: 250 g | RRP: €10.90 |

This paraffin emulsion nourishes the leather without attacking the fiber structure to keep it soft to the touch yet strong.

In the United Kingdom? Watch now at amazon.de

Mother Bee Leather Balm

Sizes: 150ml, 250ml | RRP: €10.99 for 150 ml |

This beeswax conditioner is suitable for all leather goods. It contains natural essential oils which, together with the beeswax, nourish and condition the leather, giving it shine and suppleness and extending the life cycle of your leather products.

In the United Kingdom? View on ebay.co.uk

Devoucoux Belharra leather balm

Sizes: 500ml, 5l | RRP £15 for 500ml |

This Devoucoux balm intensely nourishes, protects and renews all types of leather.

Hewitt’s Luxury Dubbin

Sizes: 100ml | RRP: €7.50 |

This Hewitts dubbin contains almond oil and natural waxes that refresh and improve dried, worn leather. It is an ideal treatment for sports, riding, shooting and outdoor leather and is suitable for use on oiled leather, nubuck leather, oiled leather and waxed leather.

Jeffries natural leather care

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: €12.95 |

This natural fat based leather dressing from Jeffries is designed to maximize the durability, safety and comfort of your saddle gear. It helps reduce wear and tear, repels water and, with regular use, improves performance and comfort for you and your horse.

Voltaire Hercules Leather Balm

Sizes: 500ml | RRP: £15 |

This handcrafted natural product from Volataire contains mineral oil, vegetable oil and beeswax to soften, condition and protect leather.

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How often should tack be cleaned?

It is a good idea to wipe over the tack after each use to prevent the build up of grease and dirt. In reality, you’re unlikely to have time to give it a thorough cleaning that often, so you should aim to give your tack a thorough cleaning once a week, especially if you ride regularly. It’s more comfortable for your horse, extends the life of your bridle and gives you a chance to check for deterioration.

Horse & Hound Magazine, published every Thursday, is packed with the latest news and reports as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out how to enjoy the magazine, delivered to your doorstep each week, and options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service, which brings you breaking news and reports, as well as other benefits.

2. Do not use soap or detergent, no matter how mild. We can use mild soap on our skin because our skin is still alive and replacing the oils that soap washes away, but a leather sofa doesn’t have that ability. It eventually becomes brittle, dry and damaged. Why not wash with soap and then apply oil? Because the oil stains the leather

It’s only natural that your leather should retain its look and feel for years to come, and it certainly can. The key to this is taking proper care of your boots, jackets and other leather clothing and learning to use saddle soap in conjunction with the best care products.

There is no other material or fabric that can compare to the versatility of genuine leather. Whether it’s cowhide, sheepskin, or any other common animal skin, leather offers the perfect balance of comfort, style, and durability. Perhaps that is why it is one of the most used materials in the world in the manufacture of jackets and accessories.

If you’re thinking about buying new leather pants or any other leather garment, you need to know how to care for it. Like all materials, leather requires regular care in order to preserve its original appearance and properties. Failure to do so may result in deterioration and therefore a reduction in the lifespan of your leather garment.

While there are dozens of ways to clean and condition leather, one of the best all-around solutions is to use saddle soap. So what is saddle soap exactly? And how do you apply it to leather? To learn more about saddle soap, read on.

The basics

Some people assume that saddle soap is made specifically for leather saddles, but that’s a misconception. Granted, as the name suggests, you can certainly use saddle soap to clean and care for saddles, but that’s far from the only application. Saddle soap is perfect for a range of leather products including but certainly not limited to:

jackets shoes boots belts trousers

If it’s leather, you can use saddle soap on it.

What is saddle soap made of?

Saddle soap is a type of leather conditioner used to clean and condition leather, as well as to protect it from damage. Although there are dozens of different types and varieties of saddle soap for sale, most contain some basic ingredients like lanolin and beeswax.

Lanolin, also known as lanolin or lanolin, is a waxy substance secreted by wool-bearing animals such as sheep. Technically, lanolin consists primarily of long-chain wax esters, along with trace amounts of lanolin alcohols, acids, and hydrocarbons. There are between 8,000 and 20,000 different types of esters in lanolin.

This unique composition makes lanolin – and products containing lanolin (e.g. saddle soap) – particularly effective in cleaning and caring for leather products. Lanolin has strong moisturizing properties, which is why it is often used in baby moisturizers and lotions. In addition, it is often used in lip balms because it moisturizes the lips and protects them from drying out.

The benefits of using saddle soap on leather

If you’ve ever shopped at a leather specialty store, chances are you’ve come across a plethora of leather cleaning and care products, all labeled “the best leather care product”. So why would you use saddle soap to care for your leather goods?

First of all, saddle soap provides the leather with just the right amount of moisture to keep it from drying out. As you probably already know, leather tends to dry out over time if not treated properly. This is especially true if you’re using it outdoors where it’s exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light.

Over time the moisture in the leather will evaporate from sunlight and dry air and when this happens the leather will become dry, rough to the touch and become brittle. This can often result in the leather tearing and suffering significant and sometimes irreparable damage.

Using saddle soap and regularly caring for your leather clothing will prevent this by providing the leather with adequate moisture and protection from the elements.

In addition, saddle soap contains several powerful cleaning agents and can remove virtually any stain from your leather products. In summary, you can use saddle soap to clean, condition, moisturize and protect any leather product, from saddle to belt.

How to cleanse and condition

Now that you know a little about the benefits of using saddle soap when cleaning and conditioning leather, it’s time to begin your cleaning and conditioning routine.

Prepare the area and the kit you will be using

The important things first. Make sure you clean the table or other area you will be working on and place everything you need within easy reach. This is an important first step as your damp leather is likely to pick up dust and small particles from the surfaces around it.

Here is what you will need:

A washcloth

A drying towel

A cloth or sponge for applying saddle soap

A bowl of clean water

leather soap

Any other conditioning products you wish to use

Once you are prepared you can start working on the leather.

Clean the leather surface

Before you apply a conditioner to your leather, you need to make sure it is clean enough to absorb it. Take a clean cloth, add just enough water to make it damp but not soggy, and rub over the surface of the leather product. The general idea is to remove any remaining dust or dirt that might otherwise affect the outcome of your saddle soap application.

Pay particular attention to areas of stitching where layers of leather overlap, as these are the areas most likely to collect dirt. You can use an old toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach places, such as B. the area where the leather is connected to the sole of the boot. After cleaning, you can proceed to apply the saddle soap.

Applying the soap

Depending on the product, you can apply saddle soap to most types of leather by patting the surface with a clean cloth or sponge. Apply a small amount of saddle soap to a cleaning cloth, then gently rub the cloth over the surface of your leather product. Much like putting wax on a car, the saddle soap should disappear as you rub it into the leather.

Rub clockwise until the saddle soap is no longer visible. It is advisable to mentally divide the leather surface into several areas and then treat them one after the other with saddle soap. Continue doing this until you have covered the entire surface of the leather product. When satisfied, use a dry, clean cloth to wipe any soap residue off the surface.

Applying leather care products

After cleaning your leather product, it’s a good idea to apply an additional conditioner or polish, depending on the type of garment. You should use quality conditioners or oils to ensure the leather remains soft and flexible and to prevent cracking and other damage from the elements and general wear and tear.

Let the leather dry

After you have cleaned and cared for your leather product, it is important to give it enough time to dry and absorb the care products applied before it is ready for use. This period can range from a few hours to a whole day.

It’s best to let the leather dry naturally in a shade and avoid storing it near heat sources, tempting as it may be, as this can cause serious damage and ruin all your work.

The final touch (optional)

While the use of polish is a matter of taste and depends on the type of garment, wax and most polishes add an extra layer of protection to the leather and impart a water-repellent property. Alternatively, you can apply a water-repellent spray to leather jackets or shoes to help water bead off the surface if you get caught in a rainstorm.

How often should I use saddle soap?

It is important to note that saddle soap should be applied to leather products regularly, but not too often. A good rule of thumb is to apply saddle soap and similar conditioners to the leather every few months for maximum protection and durability. This helps protect your leather from various types of damage, including drying out and cracking, and greatly increases the lifespan of your leather clothing.

However, remember that over-applying saddle soap can do more harm than good, so it’s not recommended to clean leather with saddle soap more than once every two or three months. Finally, saddle soap is intended as a deep cleaning product, not for daily maintenance.

What kind of saddle soap should I use?

In principle, saddle soap can be used on all types of genuine leather. However, there are countless different saddle soaps on the market and not all are of the same quality, nor is a single product best for all your leather garments.

First of all, you want to choose a soap made from all-natural ingredients and avoid chemicals and artificial substitutes.

Secondly, you should consider the color of the leather product that you want to clean and care for. Saddle soaps come in two colors: white and yellow. White saddle soap works best on light-colored leather, while the yellow variety is best used on black, dark brown, and other dark leathers.

This distinction can be important as it allows you to avoid even the slightest discoloration of your lighter leather products if such a change would bother you.

Finally, you should also know which materials you should not use saddle soap on. This includes suede, nubuck and other delicate leathers. If you are unsure you can always check the manufacturer’s information, but you will almost certainly find that leather soap is safe to use.

Finally

In summary, saddle soap is one of the oldest leather conditioners used to clean, condition and preserve leather’s original appearance. Regular and correct use provides the leather with much-needed moisture and removes even the most stubborn stains. In essence, it is the most basic and important care product, suitable for almost all types of leather.

You’ve done the important part: you’ve got yourself an excellent pair of boots.

And you’re smart too. You want to take good care of your investment.

But with the large number of leather care products on the market, things can get confusing.

To help you, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that breaks down the difference between saddle soap and mink oil.

Before we get started, please note: although we’re talking specifically about boots (we’re a boots page, after all), mink oil and saddle soap can be used on leather bags, shoes, wallets – anything you want to clean and condition. So the following applies to all leather goods.

Saddle soap vs mink oil: overview

Saddle soap is a cleaning product that conditions, and mink oil is a leather conditioner specifically. Mink oil tends to help with weather resistance, but also darkens leather significantly.

You can use both products on the same shoe if you wish. Start by cleaning with saddle soap and condition your toughest leather items with mink oil.

In our examples you can see that we use Sof Sole Mink Oil and Kiwi Saddle Soap. Sof Sole consists of only 5-10% pure mink oil, the rest is made from a combination of beef and mutton tallow. It’s not the best mink oil out there, but the price is right.

As for kiwi saddle soap, again this choice is a matter of ease as it is readily available in many supermarkets.

For premium leather care products, we recommend Fiebings or Bickmore.

Saddle soap mink oil cleaning yes no care light strong weather resistance yes no

What is saddle soap?

Saddle soap is a compound made primarily for cleaning leather. Many brands add lanolin and other waxes and oils to condition the leather after cleaning, but it is not a leather conditioner.

You can put saddle soap on a cloth or small round horsehair brush, dip in warm tap water and create a nice lather on your boots. Then wipe away the suds with a rag and the saddle soap job is done.

Condition your boots with a different product after you’re done with the saddle soap to restore and replenish the oils and waxes you just washed out.

A great all round conditioner is Venetian Shoe Cream if you don’t want to alter the color of your leather too much:

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Mink oil is also good for conditioning and adding weather resistance, but it will darken the leather many shades.

Pros It is the best leather cleaner on the market.

Light conditions.

Easy to use.

Inexpensive. Disadvantages You have to use a different care product to really care for your leather.

Can prevent other, more effective conditioners from soaking into your leather.

Kiwi Saddle Soap Buy Now From Amazon If you click this link and make a purchase, we will earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

What is mink oil?

Mink oil is a by-product of the fur industry and is literally made from rendered mink fat.

However, most budget mink oils are not pure. For example, SofSole mink oil contains between 5 and 10% mink oil and the rest is derived from beef tallow and other oils and waxes.

Mink oil is a solid choice for weatherproofing your boots and adding extra care and protection to your leather.

Pros Mink Oil is excellent for softening and conditioning leather.

Adds a decent amount of weather resistance.

Protects against water and salt stains.

Cheap and easy to find. Cons Darkens the leather by many shades, usually forever. This will make your leather feel a bit greasy.

This will make your leather feel a bit greasy.

Saddle soap against mink oil

leather cleaning

If you need to clean your leather boots, saddle soap is a clear winner here. Take a dollop of soap on a rag, add a little warm water and lather up these boots.

Mink oil will not wash your leather. If you have a dirt stain on your boots, mink oil will essentially seal the stain.

So if your boots are stained, first use saddle soap to remove those stains. If you are ok with darkening the leather, use mink oil to preserve, condition and waterproof your boots.

leather care

Saddle soap contains some compounds designed to soften and condition your leather, but mink oil does a much better job overall.

Since saddle soap is intended for cleaning leather, it will also remove some of the waxes and oils that were previously on your leather. So while it adds some conditioning effect, it also removes something.

Mink oil saturates leather with a combination of fats and waxes, making it a decent natural-weather roofing compound.

One of the biggest problems with mink oil is that it darkens leather significantly, and there’s a good chance you’ll never see the same color in your boots again.

You can use saddle soap to get some of the mink oil out if you are unhappy with how much the oil has darkened your boots. Saddle soap is effective at cleaning leather, but the cellular structure of leather is far too complex for soap to fully clean and remove all oils. So you will have trouble removing all the darkening oils.

If you want to soften your leather without darkening it, try Venetian Shoe Cream. It softens and conditions leather just as much as mink oil and does a good job of preserving the original color. However, Venetian doesn’t give your boot that much weather resistance, so it’s really up to what your boot will experience in everyday use.

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weather resistance

Saddle soap does not offer weather resistance. Mink oil offers mild water resistance, and that’s mainly because it’s a fat-based compound that saturates leather.

There are several waterproofing sprays on the market that can completely block water, but these are more expensive and more specialized. They do not condition your leather and are therefore not a critical part of a boot care routine.

Still, for most purposes, mink oil can add a solid layer of weatherproofing that will protect your weather in most situations.

Which one should you use?

If you want to clean and restore your leather, start with saddle soap. This is an essential product in any shoe care kit. You may not need saddle soap now, but if you wear your boots in the mud or get salt stains on them, saddle soap will do the trick.

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But saddle soap is not a good conditioner. Yes, it does contain some conditioning compounds, but saddle soap alone won’t do the leather any service.

You should use a leather conditioner on all of your boots, even if you’ve used saddle soap on them.

Mink oil does an excellent job of conditioning and softening leather. As an added bonus, it adds a ton of weather resistance to your boot. But the downside is that it will change the color of your boots forever.

If you don’t want to darken the leather too much, try Venetian Shoe Cream instead. It doesn’t have the same weatherproofing effect as mink oil, but it’s just as good for softening and conditioning leather without darkening it.

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frequently asked Questions

Is saddle soap bad for leather? Saddle soap works well for cleaning leather. It removes some oils and waxes, so it’s best to use a separate conditioner after saddle soap. But saddle soap isn’t bad for leather. Is mink oil bad for leather? Mink oil helps condition and protect leather. It also adds a weather-resistant layer that helps your leather endure harsh conditions. Mink oil is good for leather, but it changes color significantly. Should I use mink oil on new boots? I do not recommend using mink oil on new boots as it darkens the leather several shades. Venetian Shoe Cream will condition the leather without greatly changing the color. However, if you are buying a new pair of boots for work and the color is not important to you, mink oil is great for conditioning and protecting leather. In this situation, mink oil is a good choice for new boots.

Saddle soap is a great product for cleaning leather, but it can be expensive and difficult to find a good one. So what do you use instead? There are many household items that you could use in place of saddle soap and this article will show you which ones and how to use them.

Here’s a list of what you can use in place of saddle soap or a leather cleaner;

Mild dish soap and warm water Lemon juice and cream of tartar Baking soda or cornstarch in warm water Vinegar or lemon juice with water White vinegar and linseed oil Toothpaste

Read on for step-by-step instructions on how to use mild dish soap and warm water, lemon juice and cream of tartar, baking soda, etc. as an alternative to saddle soap.

Details on what to use in place of saddle soap or leather cleaner

I will always encourage you to use specially formulated leather cleaners on your prized leather goods, but I understand that this may not be feasible for everyone.

While some of you are looking for a chemical-free way to clean your leather items, others may be on a budget.

Whatever the case, I’m going to share with you some of my personal best alternatives to leather cleaner or saddle soap. I use these options personally and they work great for my leather items.

1. Mild dish soap and warm water

Dish soap on its own is a super safe cleaner for leather goods and a hugely popular substitute for saddle soap.

Most people have some dish soap in their house, so this is a good place to start. While mild dish soap is meant for your dishes, it won’t damage your leather, but you need to make sure it’s a soap and not a detergent.

Dish soap can be used to safely clean your leather, but you must use it with warm water. Warm water is better for cleaning and only helps to get the dirt out of all the little pores in the leather.

Warm water, on the other hand, is also the safest way to clean leather, and it will help remove dirt or grime that’s stuck in the pores of your leather.

If you need to mix something together, warm water with a few drops of dish soap should do the trick.

For best results make sure whatever you use has been mixed well before using on your products as some dirt and grime can get stuck in your leather.

So use mild dish soap and warm water as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

Add a few drops of dish soap to your warm water and mix well. About a tablespoon of dish soap should be enough to get the job done, but you can add more if needed.

Step two:

Apply your mixture to your leather surface with a clean cloth or sponge and start working it in small circular motions until you see some dirt rising up.

Step three:

Once some dirt and grime has built up on your cloth, use a clean, dry towel to wipe away any excess moisture and allow to air dry or with the help of a fan.

If you feel there is some dirt or grime left, repeat this process until it’s all gone and allow to air dry completely before use.

Step 4:

Maintain the leather item with a good leather conditioner and allow to air dry again before using the item.

2. Lemon juice and cream of tartar

Lemon juice and cream of tartar are two other household items that can be used in place of saddle soap. Lemon juice is great for removing stains and dirt, while cream of tartar is a great alternative to saddle soap for regular cleaning.

Cream of tartar can also help remove some stains left by lemon juice, and it can also help remove dirt or grime lodged deep in the pores of your leather.

Lemon juice is a great natural cleaning agent as it can dissolve dirt or grime trapped in the pores of your leather, but you should never use lemon juice on white or light-colored leather as it can cause discoloration.

Cream of tartar can also help dissolve dirt and grime, but it can also help remove stains lemon juice might leave behind.

Cream of tartar combined with lemon juice can be an extremely effective cleaning agent for your leather, but you must use it with warm water.

So you can use lemon juice and cream of tartar as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to one tablespoon of cream of tartar in your warm water in a one to one ratio and mix well.

Step two:

Test the mixture on a small, inconspicuous area of ​​leather and see if it causes discoloration. When the mixture is safe, then go ahead and apply to your leather with a clean cloth or sponge.

Step three:

Work the mixture into your leather using gentle, circular motions until you see the stains or some dirt get onto your cloth or sponge. Be very gentle with your leather as you don’t want to damage the material.

Step four:

Once you get some dirt on your cloth or sponge, use a clean, dry towel to wipe away excess moisture and allow to air dry again.

Condition the leather item with your favorite leather conditioner and allow to air dry again before using the item.

3. Baking soda or cornstarch in warm water

Using baking soda or cornstarch in warm water can be a great alternative to saddle soap if you need something milder.

Baking soda and cornstarch are two other household items that can be used in place of saddle soap. Baking soda is great for removing stains and dirt, while cornstarch can be used for regular cleaning.

Baking soda combined with warm water is a great natural cleaning agent as it can dissolve dirt or grime in the pores of your leather, but it should never be used on white or light-colored leather as it can cause fading.

So you can use baking soda or cornstarch as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

Add a small amount of baking soda or cornstarch to your warm water in a one to one ratio and mix well.

Step two:

Test the mixture on a small, inconspicuous area of ​​leather and see if it causes discoloration. When the mixture is safe, then go ahead and apply to your leather with a clean cloth or sponge.

Step three:

Work the mixture into your leather using gentle, circular motions until you see the stains or some dirt get onto your cloth or sponge. Be very gentle with your leather as you don’t want to damage the material.

Step four:

Once you get some dirt on your cloth or sponge, use a clean, dry towel to wipe away excess moisture and allow to air dry again.

Step five:

Condition the leather item with your favorite leather conditioner and allow to air dry again before using the item.

4. Vinegar or lemon juice with water

Not only do these two household items smell amazing, they also do a great job of cleaning leather.

Some people like to mix them together, while others prefer to just use one or the other. Vinegar is especially good because it has properties that help dissolve dirt and grime, while lemon juice can also help remove stains that may be on your leather.

So you can use vinegar or lemon juice with water as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

Use a 50/50 ratio of water to vinegar or lemon juice and mix well.

Step two:

Test the mixture on a small, inconspicuous area of ​​leather and see if it causes discoloration. When the mixture is safe, you can now apply it to your leather with a clean microfiber cloth or sponge.

Step three:

Rub the mixture into your leather using gentle circular motions until you see the stains or some dirt come out onto your cloth. Be very gentle with your leather as you don’t want to damage the material.

Step four:

Once you get some dirt on your cloth or sponge, use a clean, dry, lint-free cloth to wipe away excess moisture and allow to air dry again.

Step five:

Condition the leather item with your favorite leather conditioner and allow to air dry again before using the item.

5. Toothpaste

Toothpaste not only cleans your teeth, but can also be used to clean leather. Because toothpaste contains mild abrasives that help dissolve dirt and grime, it can be used as a mild alternative for people who don’t like the smell of saddle soap.

Toothpaste is especially good for cleaning white shoes, all types of smooth leather, patent leather, patent leather and leather boots.

So you can use toothpaste as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

Apply a small amount of toothpaste directly to your leather with a clean cloth or sponge.

Step two:

Rub the mixture into your leather using gentle circular motions until you see the stains or some dirt on your microfiber cloth. Be very gentle with your leather as you don’t want to damage the material.

Step three:

Once you get some dirt on your cloth or sponge, use a clean, damp, lint-free towel or cloth to wipe away excess moisture and allow to air dry again.

Step four:

Condition the leather item with your favorite leather conditioner and allow to air dry again before using the item.

6. White vinegar and linseed oil

These two household items are not only great for cooking, but also for cleaning leather.

White vinegar is especially good because it can help dissolve dirt and grime, while linseed oil will also be able to condition your leather.

Linseed oil gives your leather a nice shine, but please note that it can darken light-colored leather.

So you can use white vinegar and linseed oil as an alternative to saddle soap.

Step one:

First, measure equal parts white vinegar and linseed oil into a bowl.

Step two:

Take your microfiber cloth or sponge, pour some of the mixtures on it and then apply it to your leather using gentle circular motions.

Step three:

Rub the mixture into your leather using gentle circular motions until you see the stains or some dirt come out onto your cloth. Be very gentle with your leather as you don’t want to damage the material.

Step four:

Once you get some dirt on your cloth or sponge, use a clean, dry, lint-free cloth to wipe away excess moisture and allow to air dry again.

Step five (optional):

Condition the leather item with your favorite leather conditioner and allow to air dry.

Tips for cleaning leather without saddle soap or leather cleaner

Always test your cleaner on an inconspicuous area of ​​the leather item before cleaning the entire surface.

Be gentle with your leather as you do not want to damage it when applying cleaners/conditioners.

Be sure to condition your leather with a saddle soap alternative after cleaning. Condition the leather even if the ingredients you used contained some form of oil – in which tin you would only apply a very thin coat of leather conditioner.

Sodium carbonate pH adjuster

Sodium carbonate is a pH adjuster that is also found in bath, skin and hair products. It changes the pH of a product to improve stability over time. Each formula has an optimal pH level to work at its best. For example, a more acidic formula is better at removing soap scum. The opposite, a more alkaline formula, might be more effective as a carpet cleaner. We use pH adjusters to ensure we get the best pH for a specific task. A formulation’s pH can also affect how long it lasts in a container – for example, by limiting its tendency to corrode a can, container or dispenser. Sodium carbonate can also be used as a builder, making a product formula cleaner by influencing the molecules in the formula to work better together.

Methods for conserving archaeological material from underwater sites

by Donny L Hamilton

leather preservation

pre-cleaning

Treatment of brittle and/or dried out leather

Treatment of wet or soaked leather

PRE-CLEANING

As with all porous materials, it is necessary to remove most of the soluble salts present in leather recovered from marine environments. The procedure is the same as that previously described for bone and ceramics. Archaeological leather must be washed prior to conservation to remove ingrained dirt. Ideally, leather should only be washed with water. Depending on the condition of the leather and the specific cleaning problem, different mechanical cleaning techniques may be required. Soft brushes, water jets, ultrasonic cleaners, and ultrasonic dental tools are effective mechanical cleaning tools for leather. If dry cleaning is required to remove ingrained dirt, a small amount of nonionic detergent (about a 1% solution) or sodium hexametaphosphate can be used. If Calgon (a commercial water softener) is used, first ensure the pH is between 3 and 5; The addition of additives can make it unsafe to use on leather. Rinse the leather well after washing. Do not use chemicals that damage the leather’s collagen fibers.

A safe storage solution for soaked leather or any other organic material in that matter can be made by making a 50 percent water/50 percent ethanol stock solution. Add 10% by volume glycerin and two to three drops of formaldehyde to the solution.

The restorer should always keep in mind that it is often better to leave stable stains on the leather than to damage the leather by trying to remove them. To remove stains, especially iron stains, use 3-5% ammonium citrate or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (disodium EDTA). Trade names for EDTA are Titriplex III and disodium deterate. Let it soak for two to three hours while watching it closely, then rinse under running water or standing tap water until all chemical residue is removed. Check the pH of a standing water bath containing the leather to determine if chemical removal is complete. Always remember that chemicals used to clean rust and mineral deposits (e.g. oxalic acid, EDTA) can cause further hydrolysis of the proteinaceous collagen fibers in the leather. They can also remove tanning and/or dyes, painted decorations, and other attributes that are part of the leather object’s diagnostic attributes. Care should be taken when using these chemicals on leather as diagnostic attributes should never be removed.

Freeze drying and solvent dehydration are the most common preservation treatments for soaked leather. However, the drying behavior of each piece of leather is dependent on its condition at disposal, the burial environment, the species, species, health and sex of the individual (human or animal), the location of the skin on the body, the manufacturing or tanning method used and finally the History of the leather object. Very good results have been achieved in the preservation of bog bodies by freeze-drying with 15 percent PEG 400. The PEG acts as a lubricant to minimize skin and bone shrinkage during drying.

TREATMENT OF BROKEN and/or DRIED LEATHER

The following treatments involving the addition of lubricants have been used successfully on brittle and/or dried out leather. Glycerin, which is soluble in water and alcohol, acts as a humectant for the leather.

SMITHSONIAN GLYCERIN TREATMENT

59 percent glycerin (glycerin)

39 percent water

1% formaldehyde or 1% Dowicide (TM) 1 OR 25% glycerin

75 percent alcohol

Submerge the artifact in the solution until the leather is pliable. (If an alcohol solution is used, it is difficult to tell when the leather is pliable because the alcohol makes the leather stiff.) Treatment can take several weeks. Treatment restores flexibility, but glycerin is hygroscopic and can support mold growth. Despite this fact, Smithsonian glycerin treatment has been used successfully.

Soaked leather recovered from excavations at the Museum of London is preserved in a solution of 30 percent glycerin and 70 percent alcohol (ethanol) for two weeks. The leather is then dried in three consecutive acetone baths, each for three hours (glycerin is not soluble in acetone). Similar results can be obtained by using 10-40% glycerin mixed with 90-60% alcohol or water. Avoid using concentrated glycerin. While the solutions in alcohol can remove tannins, alcohol speeds up the preservation process and gives the leather greater mechanical strength than an aqueous solution.

The glycerin treatment has also been applied to wicker, mats, sandals, etc. to restore suppleness, quite often with disastrous results. It should be noted that there is no reason to make something flexible or pliable if it wasn’t particularly pliable in the first place. Glycerin treatment can be used in combination with PEG. To store items that have been preserved with glycerin, such as B. Wickerwork, remove the glycerin by successive changes of alcohol baths.

BRITISH MUSEUM LEATHER DRESSING TREATING (BML)

200 g (7 oz) anhydrous lanolin

30 ml (1 oz) cedarwood oil (acts as a fungicide)

15 g beeswax (optional)

350 mL diethyl ether (bp 15-25°C) or 330 mL hexane

Heat the first three parts together (beeswax can be omitted, its function is to act as a polish) and then pour the melted liquid into the ether or hexane. Let cool while stirring constantly. Be extremely careful as ether and hexane have low boiling points and are very flammable. Apply sparingly to the leather and rub in well. Wait two days and then buff the treated leather with a soft cloth. Very tough leather can be soaked in a solution of one part BML: three parts Stoddards Solvent. BML darkens the leather but is a treatment with a good track record.

TREATMENTS WITH POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG).

Dry leather can be saturated with water or alcohol and treated with PEG 1450, PEG 540 Blend, PEG 600 or PEG 400. In the past, leather was treated in PEG, which was heated to a temperature of 40-50°C. Currently, most leather treatments are performed at room temperature as heat is generally detrimental to leather.

PEG treatment consists of immersing leather in a diluted PEG solution (i.e. 10 percent) in water or alcohol and increasing the PEG concentration in 10 percent increments as it is absorbed by the leather. A final PEG concentration of 30 percent in solution is sufficient for most archaeological leathers. Leave the artifact immersed in the 30% PEG solution for several days until the leather is flexible. Once pliable, remove from the solution and remove excess PEG from the leather with toluene or water. Allow treated leather to dry slowly under controlled conditions.

As mentioned in the previous chapters, there are several types of PEG and each has its own characteristics. PEG 540 Blend (equal parts of PEGs 1450 and 300) is slightly hygroscopic and becomes wet in high humidity; For this reason, the surface of leather treated with PEG 540 Blend is sometimes sealed with a hard wax, i. H. a mixture of 100 g microcrystalline wax and 25 g polyethylene wax. PEG 3250 is very hard and not very hygroscopic. Its main disadvantage (in some cases advantage) is that the treated leather is stiff. If using PEG 3250, shape the treated specimen into its final shape while the wax is still warm and then allow the artifact to cool. PEG 1450 gives consistently good results. The various PEG treatments are more commonly used to preserve dry leather. A 15% PEG 400 solution is commonly used as a pre-treatment if the leather is to be freeze dried.

PEG treated leather can be hygroscopic, greasy and dark in colour. There is the additional possibility that the PEG may migrate out of the leather.

BAVON TREATMENT

Bavon ASAK 5205 is a water soluble emulsion while Bavon ASAK ABP is a solvent soluble emulsion. The exact chemistry of Bavon is unknown. In some sources it is described as a mixture of alkylated succinic acid and mineral oil. Bavon ASAK-ABP is described as a copolymer of a polyhydric alcohol and a partial ester of an unsaturated hydrocarbon. In archaeological conservation, Bavon acts as a lubricant, making leather supple and giving it a natural brown appearance.

Very hard, dried out leather has been successfully softened by soaking in a Bavon concentrated leather treatment consisting of six parts Bavon ASAK ABP and four parts 1:1:1 trichloroethane. Soak until satisfactory suppleness is achieved, then place the leather between the quencher and the glass and allow to dry.

TREATMENT OF WET OR WATER SOAKED LEATHER

Leather, like many organic materials from a marine environment, undergoes some complex changes in a marine environment (Florian 1987). The difficulties in achieving natural-looking, chemically stable results have long been known to conservators (Jenssen 1983). The best review of the current most common treatment is provided by Jenssen (1987). The most relevant treatments are discussed. under.

Soaked leather should be soaked in water containing 0.1 percent Dowicide 1 before treatment. If the leather is to be treated in an organic solvent, the leather can be stored in 50 percent water/50 percent ethanol or straight ethanol; a fungicide is not required. Treated leather should not be stored in an environment with a relative humidity higher than 63 percent.

TREATMENTS WITH POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL (PEG).

Using the method above for dried out leather, treat with PEG 400, 540 Blend, 600, 1450 or 3350. Gradually increase the concentration of PEG in the solution to 30-100 percent. Treatments with aqueous solutions of PEG are slower processes but less expensive than treatments with solvent solutions. Some restorers prefer alcohol treatments, while others find that alcohol treatments cause the leather to shrink more than comparable aqueous treatments. However, solvent solutions produce a lighter leather with more even shrinkage. All PEG treatments for soaked leather are satisfactory in themselves, but the treatment is greatly enhanced when the leather is subjected to a final freeze drying step. The freeze drying process is identical to that previously described for wood. A commercial freeze drying vacuum chamber works best; however, very good results have been obtained using domestic chest freezers. The former only lasts a week or so, while the latter can last for several weeks. Progress can be determined by weighing the item periodically to determine weight loss as the leather loses moisture.

BAVON TREATMENT

Wash leather in a 1% solution of Lissapol, Castile Soap, Soft Soap, or Saddle Soap; Never use commercial leather cleaning products as these can extract tanning agents. If iron stains are present, these can be removed by soaking the leather in a solution of tap water and 3-10 percent disodium EDTA (pH 4) or 3-5 percent ammonium citrate (pH 5) for a maximum of one hour (less if). possible). EDTA has been reported to damage leather fibers but is relatively safe when used selectively and with care. Ammonium citrate is recommended over disodium EDTA by the Canadian Conservation Institute. If chalky material is present, soak the leather in a 2% hydrochloric acid solution for up to an hour. Rinse the leather thoroughly under running water for 30 minutes to lower the pH to 3-6 or the pH of the rinse water. Dehydrate the object in acetone. Use two or more consecutive one-hour baths. Air dry until leather is supple, then place between absorbent paper and glass to dry for 24 hours. Apply Bavon leather dressing (below) with a brush. Flex and manipulate the leather while applying the Bavon.

Bavon leather dressing

1 liter stabilized 1:1:1 trichloroethane

1 gram Dowizid 1

50 grams of anhydrous lanolin

20 grams of Bavon ASAK-ABP

GLYCEROL TREATMENT

Soaked leather recovered from Museum of London excavations is preserved by soaking in a solution of 30 percent glycerin and 70 percent alcohol (ethanol) for two weeks. The leather is then dried in three 3-hour acetone baths (glycerin is immiscible with acetone and is therefore not removed in the acetone baths). Good results can also be obtained with a solution of 10-40 percent glycerin mixed in 60-90 percent alcohol or water.

FREEZE DRYING

Freeze drying is the best way to preserve wet leather. The leather is first dipped in a 15% solution of PEG 400 which acts as a humectant and prevents excessive shrinkage (a fungicide such as 1% boric acid should be added to the PEG solution). After immersion, the object is frozen to -20 to -30°C. As with biological samples, a quick freeze is best. This can be achieved by immersing the leather in acetone with dry ice (frozen CO 2 ). The piece is then placed in a vacuum freeze drying chamber for a period of two to four weeks. Some acceptable results have also been obtained using non-vacuum freeze-drying in a (preferably frost-free) chest freezer.

DEHYDRATION WITH ORGANIC SOLVENTS

In this treatment, water in the leather is replaced by a water-miscible organic solvent. In most cases a series of solvents of decreasing polarity are used, e.g. B. A series of x percent water/x percent isopropanol baths, followed by a 100 percent isopropanol bath, a 100 percent ethanol or methanol bath, 100 percent methyl ethyl ketone, 100 percent acetone, and finally 100 percent ether. The slow drying out of sticky collagen fibers makes their surfaces less sticky and less brittle and therefore more flexible. This example is a very conservative treatment method. In most cases fewer baths are used and some leathers only require acetone drying. The following solvent dehydration treatment, described by Plenderleith and Werner (1971:34), allows the leather to dry in a flexible state without excessive shrinkage.

Remove iron stains with 5-10 percent disodium EDTA (pH 4). Rinse the leather with clear water and brush lightly. Remove excess water by soaking the item in methyl ethyl ketone or acetone. Dip the item in carbon tetrachloride with a fungicide such as naphthenate oxide. Dry between blotting paper and glass plates. Apply leather dressing and shape the leather if necessary.

Of the treatments discussed above, solvent drying treatments followed by application of a leather treatment are the most effective. Controlled air drying from an aqueous state never works. The contractive forces of the escaping water pull the protein fibers together, causing the leather to harden and shrink. Some conservators prefer freeze drying with a pre-treatment of PEG 400. These are the two most common treatments and both can give acceptable results, but there is always the problem of the leather feeling greasy, overly stiff and/or too brittle when dry they are treated with one of the methods commonly used today.

SILICONE OIL

The process for treating soaked leather with silicone oil is very similar to treating soaked wood. However, when treating soaked leathers, best results are obtained when the catalyst is brushed onto the surface of the leather after it has been saturated with silicone oil and a crosslinker.

You may have noticed that our leather cleaners and leather care products are very similar to cosmetics or skin care products that you see and use regularly in stores. Ah ha, you found us! LOL! Yes, our products are very similar in design. We want our products to be very gentle and the principles of leather care are very similar to skin care.

However, a key difference between our cleaners and conditioners and your skin care products, as well as many other brands of leather care products, is that we do not use glycerin in our products. Zip, no. Why? Seems strange doesn’t it?

At first we were quite surprised that glycerine is so taboo for leather. This cosmetic workhorse is used everywhere in skin care – lotions, face creams, the list goes on. Ok, that makes sense because glycerin is a humectant. This means that glycerin actually attracts water and sucks water into your top layers of skin like a big sponge – a great property if you want to moisturize your face, but not so hot to ensure your leather stays healthy.

Wait – don’t we want our leather to be moisturized and supple? Sounds like glycerin would be great for that! I know, I know; we thought the same. But let us explain…

Only use what you need

We firmly believe in giving your leather only what it needs to stay in great shape = clean and supple with just enough moisture. For us, that means paying attention to our tack and not just slapping products out of habit when our leather really, really doesn’t need them. Minimalism….Yes!! So… we don’t add glycerin because your leather really doesn’t need it. Why isn’t it needed? Read on Macduff!

Clean like you mean it

In keeping with the minimalist theme, we don’t use any conditioners or moisturizers – glycerine or otherwise – in our leather cleaner. The goal of cleaning your bridle is…to clean your bridle. Period. In addition to attracting moisture, glycerin is a sticky substance that can act like a sealant. When included in a cleaner, the glycerin sticks to the very leather you want to clean, trapping dirt and grime in its pores and fibers. Also, these leftover residues of glycerin dirt attract more and more dirt. Talk about counterproductive!

Stop conditioning so much

Over-hydration of the leather is one of the deadly sins of leather care. (We could get poetic about this for quite a while, but we’ll save it for another day). Your leather should NOT be conditioned with every cleaning. That’s why we don’t add glycerin or other moisturizing agents to our Leather Cleaner. Establishing cleaning and conditioning as two separate leather care steps ensures you have the best control over the care and health of your leather. You’re in the driver’s seat to judge when and how much care your leather needs to be happy – and we dare say it stays in a safe and useful condition.

Water is not your friend

Also, we don’t include glycerine in our Leather Conditioner. Yes, glycerin would no doubt help moisturize your leather, but at a cost. Unfortunately, the glycerin will accomplish this by pulling water vapor from the air into your stickiness. Water really isn’t your leather’s kindest comrade, leading to mildew, weakened leather and a whole host of other undesirable consequences (read our article on how to deal with water for more on that). Also, as previously mentioned, glycerin is sticky. I don’t know about you, but I would be terribly upset if my saddle was still sticky and sticky after cleaning and conditioning it. Yippie, it’s good that there are other extremely effective ways to supple and condition your tack without using glycerin to draw water into the fibers and cause damage.

Ok, so the bottom line is that we’re not fans of glycerine in leather conditioners at all. As we mentioned, yes, leather is essentially just like your skin (our skin is similarly acidic and you can learn why leather’s acidity is so important in our article here) and should be treated with the same gentle care. The difference, however, is that your skin has the ability to constantly renew and repair itself. Leather is incapable of repairing itself, so we are the gatekeepers to prevent damage to our leather accessories.

Just like you, we are very meticulous about the products we use to care for our leather, because we want it to be healthy and last a long time. Ha, finally an excuse to be persistent!! 🙂

Would you like to find out more? Visit our learning page for more tips and guides or take a look at our products!

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On top of that Heavy Duty LP is our test team’s pick for the best overall leather care. This industrial grade leather preservative was originally developed to impregnate firefighters’ leather work boots, but now serves additional purposes. This product is made with natural oils and Obenauf’s beeswax formula. Obenauf’s suspension formula of beeswax and propolis protects against heat, water and abrasions.

The suspension formula of beeswax and propolis strengthens against abrasion and is naturally waterproof. Natural ingredients like vegetable oil are gradually released into the fibers of your leather product for long-term lubrication. Obenauf’s has been tested in the lab and in the field to withstand manure acid, salt and chemicals. The manufacturer points out that you must use a brush with soft bristles, especially with nubuck leather.

Our rating: 5 out of 5

main features

Made from natural ingredients

long-term lubrication

Beeswax/Propolis suspension formula

What customers say

Obenauf’s Heavy Duty LP has over 7,500 reviews on Amazon and receives generally positive feedback from customers. In fact, 86 percent of reviewers give this leather care product a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, while only 1 percent of reviewers give it just 1 star. Around 95 percent give no less than 4 stars.

Individual reviews state that this leather conditioner works wonders on old leather surfaces and gives them a high-quality, new leather shine. Still others praise this product for what it has done for their leather boots. Many reviewers are impressed with the conditioner’s ability to work on different types of leather. However, one reviewer recommends that others not use this product on suede.

What is it good for?

This leather conditioner is safe to use and is said to be effective on most leather products. In addition to leather seats, you can use it for: