What do you use saddle soap for? If you own leather boots, if you live on a farm and you have horses, you know what this product is used for. However, not everyone does. As you will see here, it is one of the must-have products for leather enthusiasts.
So, what does saddle soap do? It helps keep your leather equipment from drying up, cracking and forming mold especially when exposed to moist conditions. This product is mostly used on horse tack gear to keep it in good working condition but it is also used on leather boots.
To reiterate, while this product is mostly used on horse tack, it can also be used on leather boots. Therefore, in the upcoming sections, we will be finding out how you can use it to maintain your horse tack and boots in top-notch condition and how it helps.
Keep reading.
Can you use saddle soap on boots?
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Yes, definitely.
If they are leather boots, you should use this product on them alright. It will help prolong their life. At the same time, it will also help maintain them in top shape.
This is a cleaning agent for leather. It gained its name from the fact that it was initially used to clean horse gear. However, today, it can be used on all types of genuine leather items. You just have to find the right soap for your product.
Therefore, the main question should be: How often should you use saddle soap on boots?
It is recommended that you use this product on your boots at least once in every 3 months. This soap contains ingredients that soften the leather.
Lanolin is the most common of them all. It also contains beeswax, which helps in preserving leather. As you can see, this is why it comes highly rated for keeping your leather products in top shape all the time.
How to Use Saddle Soap
Using this compound is not as simple as ordering it online and using it. The reason for saying this is that leather products come in different forms and shapes. They are diverse and so are their cleaning and maintenance products.
Select the right soap
The first step in using this product is getting the right one. With so many of them in the market, it can be hard to choose one since they all claim to be the best.
However, before ordering one online, find out what the manufacturer recommends you use it for. For example, if you have boots made of full-grain leather, you want to ensure that you get a product that can work with the same. You should read the product description so that you get the ideal one.
You could also check your leather items cleaning and care instructions. You want to see whether the manufacturer has recommended a certain kind of soap for its cleaning. If they have not, you can email them and ask them to recommend a cleaning product that you can use safely.
How to clean horse tack
Pre-cleaning – First, remove all the metal parts from your horse tack. Stirrups and bits have metal parts that you must remove before you use this cleaning product on the gear.
Secondly, you will need warm water and clean towels/rags. Dip your rag in wam water and squeeze the excess water out. While the towel is still warm and damp, wipe the saddle down thoroughly.
This pre-cleaning process is very important because leather has the habit of darkening up after using this special soap for cleaning. When you pre-clean it with a warm, damp cloth, you prevent darkening.
Cleaning – Clean the saddle, but only after it is dry from the pre-cleaning process. To do this, dip a sponge in warm water, squeeze it out and then touch it thoroughly on the soap.
With the soapy sponge, rub the saddle in circular motion. When you are done, wait a bit and then use a dry and clean rag to wipe the soapy solution from the saddle. Wipe it thoroughly so that there will be no white residues forming on the surface.
It is good to have a soft-bristled brush when cleaning, just in case there is stuck-on stuff. You can use it to remove the stuff.
Therefore, if you have been asking; do you wash off saddle soap? You now know the answer. You should never leave it on.
Finishing – After wiping down the lather from the saddle, let it dry up completely. After that, if you have a leather conditioner, you can apply it following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Cleaning leather boots with saddle soap
The process is not very different from that of cleaning the saddle. However, start with a visual inspection of the boots. If they have stuck on mud, remove it first. To do that, many people prefer knocking the boots against each other to remove stuck mud.
You can then dip a rag in water, squeeze the excess water out and then wipe them down thoroughly. It is important to use warm water because it can open up the pores in the leather.
Wipe the boots dry and then apply some of your soap onto a damp sponge or piece of cloth and apply it in circular motion on the leather parts of the boots. Please note that you should apply the soap thoroughly until it lathers.
When the boots are covered in lather, let them dry with the lather on. Later, you can wipe them down with a dry, clean piece of cloth.
If you would like to shine your shoes with this soap, just wait until the shoes are dry. Take a clean piece of cloth, dip it in water and touch it on the soap. Apply the soap evenly over the entire shoes and leave it to dry. The leather will look fresh and sheeny.
How often to use this soap on your boots
Can you use saddle soap on cowboy boots? Yes you can. However, you should not use the product on the boots for more than once in two months maximum.
Actually, it is recommended that you use the product on your footwear once every three months. However, if your shoes are exposed to dirt all the time, you may use this product on them once in 60 days.
The reason for such rare usage is that this compound strips the protective layer off your boots. Therefore, you might have to recondition your boots again after cleaning them with this product.
Conclusion
What does saddle soap do for your boots or leather items? It cleans them thoroughly and prevents them from developing mold. Boot care is very important because it can prolong the life of your footwear. If you have horse tack to clean and maintain, get the right cleaning product.