Leather Care, Part 3 - Products: What, When & Why?

As stated in a recent answer about leather care, consistent care is your best defense against problems that may arise in leather condition from excessive moisture, over-drying, general use, etc... There are a variety of leather care products on the market today to satisfy every need from initial care to daily cleaning and conditioning to restoring old, worn leather. Although we may occasionally refer to a product brand, our intention for this post is not to list specific leather care products, but to give you general insight about the types of products you would use to properly care for you saddles and leather strap goods.

Oil – When and Why? Generally, I recommend only lightly oiling tack when it is new. This will aid in the break-in process as well as darkening the leather in many cases. If the leather is very dry from storage or non-use. Oiling may be necessary to soften it enough to make it usable once again. The leather should be checked for any signs of dry rot or deterioration. If any signs of either of these situations exist, the equipment should not be used and should be disposed of.

Cleaners & Soap – How often? I recommend cleaning the equipment after each ride. The sweat from the horse can cause the leather to dry out and can also stain it. Regular cleaning will prevent this problem from occurring.

Conditioners – When & How Often? After the cleaning process a light coat of conditioner should be applied. The soaps will tend to remove some of the oils that are in the leather and the conditioner will restore these necessary oils.

Polish – What should never get polished & When is it OK to use it? I don't recommend leather dye or polish to darken leather. The oils in your saddlery leather prevent dyes and polishes from adhering to the leather. This will cause the polish or dye to rub off all over your hands, breeches, chaps, horse, etc... I do not recommend this for saddlery leather.

Metal Polish can be applied to any metal hardware. Brass polish works well on the brass and nickel hardware and stainless steel cleaners or just warm water can be used on Stainless steel.

Up Next... Leather Care Part 4 - Do's and Do Not's of Leather Care: An Overview

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