STOP Ruining Your Boots With Saddle Soap | How to Clean and Condition Leather Boots The Right Way!
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- Опубликовано: 14 мар 2023
- My father-in-law has done it. My friends have done it... They grab a big ole dollop of saddle soap, rub it all over their boots, and treat it like shoe polish. The problem is that saddle soap is an astringent. It has lye and other acids that will actually hurt your leather over time if you don't completely remove the saddle soap after application. In this video, I'll show you how to properly apply saddle soap and how to condition and protect your leather boots so they can stand up to the elements, work, and play.
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Saddle soap "makes water wetter" so dirt can be washed out. Thanks for sharing Ray Holes Saddle Butter with your viewers. Our family still makes Saddle Butter using my grandfather's original 1936 recipe. The beeswax and carnauba wax waterproof the leather. You may want to put another coat on the stitching if you will be exposing the boots to water/snow/barnyard. The waxes also hold in the rich conditioners in the leather to keep conditioning.
Jeri Mae (Holes) Rowley
Generation III
Great tip!
Good video. it's surprising how many people have multiple pairs of very expensive handmade boots and are still completely clueless about conditioning and think saddle soap is a conditioner.
Exactly!
It says on the bottom of the Fiebing's Saddle Soap tin that it restores oils. Though not if you apply like this moron does. Apply it in a thick lather using a brush, scrub it in really good and let it dry. Buff it off with a brush and you're done. Some saddle soap can destroy your leather, but Fiebing's does not. You really have to read up on the products you use.
I have never wiped off saddle soap. I rinse it off using cold water using a soft brush to take sure all dirt and soil are removed. After a couple hours on a boot dryer with a fan blowing on the exterior to dry it. Then I thoroughly condition the leather as you did, using a brush to remove any remaining conditioner around the stitching. An old guy who'd been making and maintaining saddles and tack for several decades showed me how to do it in exchange for a few bottles of 12 year-old scotch. I have boots and leather motorcycle gear that have been used for over three decades (and more than a few resoles) that look almost new.
Yeah it makes zero sense to apply it wet. Then try to get it off dry.
Many saddle soaps contain glycerin which causes leather to absorb water. Fine for cleaning, just rinse it off thoroughly with warm water and let the boots dry overnight.
great info to maintain and protect leather.
Saddle soap should be used only when needed, I only use it if I want to strip waxes, stains, and heavily soiled leather. Usually a dry brush pass a warm damp towel after should be ok to take off dust surface dirt. Whichever you use leather needs to be conditioned after cleaning, you want a light conditioner bick4 is good. If you want a heavier conditioner I like red wing oil, cobblers choice conditioner, walrus oil leather oil. If you want to really give a workboot a good conditioning and waterproof it Huberds shoe grease. I don’t use mink oil, I don’t like mink oil, if I want something similar I would use Dubbin for work boots. It all depends on the leather, the use you give it and conditions. Most conditioners will darken leather bick4 is the only one that doesn’t but it is not a deep conditioner. Suede, nubuck and roughout you need different brushes, different cleaners and waterproofers it’s a different ballgame. Exotics stick to bick4 or exotic leather conditioners. It has its learning curve.
I talked to a leather worker in Wellington that works on tons of riding boots and such. He said fats like mink oil aren’t good unless you have very heavy duty applications. The example he gave was farming equipment used to have leather belts that would turn equipment and farmers would slather animal fats on them.
The reason being, is that any waterproofing type grease will “lock up” the leather. Just like our skin, it is porous and needs to breathe. If you lock it up, it will eventually start cracking.
Soooo, use 'animal fats'?
I have some new buck Wolverines they’re 4-5 years old and beat up. The saddle soap and conditioner made them much darker and they look like a whole different pair of boots. I knew it would darken them but I like it.
I enjoy the darker shade as well
But they’ll get lighter in a few months
One thing i'd say, if you have veg tanned leather, or aniline leather (think shell cordovan, horween dublin or horween essex) DO NOT USE SADDLE SOAP. It will suck up all the oils from the leather and leave it dry and prone to cracking. Instead use only water, and if the boots are really REALLY grimy you can add just a couple drops of castile soap (bronner for example). Let them dry overnight and then condition them with Saphir Renovateur (don't use oil or grease, it will nourish the leather alright, and won't damage it per se but it will darken them forever. If that's what you want then go ahead as the conditioning will be great anyway).
What you’re describing doesn’t really make sense. Red Wing specifically recommends saddle soap for its iron rangers. In fact, the black ones use veg tanned saddle leather, which they also specifically recommend saddle soap for.
Of course you oil your boots after they dry off though. It’d be very stupid if someone used saddle soap. Then just let them dry and did nothing else to them. That would of course destroy a boot
As an auto mechanic in the rust belt this needs to be done monthly saddle soap and all. Otherwise they get too gummed up with motor oil, chemicals, coolant, salt and whatever else. Wiping them down at the end of each day seem to be helping my new boots but it is kind of a pain but probably worth it when considering that they are extremely expensive hand made boots.
I got some whites and some JKs and also a mechanic. I clean them once every 4-6 months and don’t have any issues with oil and coolant harming them. At least that I know of lol maybe it is affecting them
@@Lexidezi225 what soled do your boots have and how long do they last? I have red x soles on 1 pair that lasted 1.5 years and on a white x now on a different pair and time will tell.
@@johnnymissfire8464 the red x vibram are specific heat resistant soles. They don't last near as long as normal vibrams. So don't get them if you're not a wildland firefighter or need the high heat resistance
I use a turbo towel to wipe the gunk off my boots and snow seal to coat them with. Works great for North Dakota weather.
Great video! What brand are those cowboy boots shown at 02:15? I instantly fell in love with them.
After reading most of the comments, l find it rather amusing to see all the opinions on a such a simple thing as taking care of your leather boots . If your boots are really dirty, use saddle soap , let them dry . I use a peet dryer myself. Works great . Dries with convection heat . Then condition them with a quality leather conditioner. Not petroleum jelly or other petroleum based products. Take your pick, Bick4 , Blackrock, Lexol etc for dress boots . Obinoffs, mink oil, Skidmores neatsfoot oil for your workboots . Not that complicated kids.
Have a link for saddle soap and or butter or the products you like to use
In my experience with saddle soap there are two rules i always follow. The first rule he only breifly mentions in this video. I also use two brushes, not just one like you almost always see people demonstrating.
One, do not leave the product on the leather too long. Saddle soap can be invasive. Just like cooking with salt, you can always add more later, but you can never undo it and take it out. I clean only one panel of leather at a time.
Two, I clean off the saddle soap just like I would soap in a shower. This means I “rinse” the product off the leather. I wipe down the leather with a clean cloth, just like in the video. This does not remove all of the soap.
So, I then take the extra step to use clean warm water and a second brush to “rinse” the remaining soap off the leather. I dip a clean second brush into warm water and repeat Step One, but without the soap.
Be careful not to soak the leather in Step Two. I wipe the leather as dry as I can get it, and allow it dry at least 12-24 hours in a warm, dry location. No direct heat. I rotate the boots and flex the leather every 4-6 hours during the drying.
The leather is usually pretty dry after this process. Dyed leather will have smeared the dye evenly across the leather panel. Burnished toes and heels are gone forever.
You would need to hand dye them again. This is what saddle soap does to dyed leather, which is why it is important to clean one panel of leather at a time.
I hope this helps someone.
Excellent advice
@thesharpercoder 👍Finally someone that know how to do it correctly.
Thank you, I have a pair of old boots in good condition that I want to clean and use again
Do you condition right after the saddle soap or wait a few hours for the rinsed leather to dry and then apply the conditioner?
Don’t place your leather boots or shoes too close to a heat source, they will shrink! If they are wet, don’t attempt to accelerate the drying this way, you would ruin the sizing…
Just for a few minutes is fine. Not there overnight
I use mink oil on mine. Have heard obenaufs conditioning oil is good too.
I clean and condition mine with lotion and rub it in with my hands and use a soft bristle brush to get in tight spots. It’s made for skin and leather is skin so it works pretty damn good. My boots always look like the one on the right. Don’t use soap or water to clean your leather boots. It strips the conditioner off of the leather and they dry out. Use a baby wipe to get the dirt off and then Put lotion on them and let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe it down with a soft paper towel. It’ll bring that dark rich brown color back. My boots always look brand new and if you follow these simple steps, yours will too.
What kind of lotion do you use?
@@edcvibes what I use is called studio selection body lotion for men but I’m sure any will work I just love the scent it leaves on the leather it’s almost like a new car smell. Its water based it keeps the leather hydrated for quite a while. I think you’d be very satisfied with the results
Nice demonstration. I learned a lot
@@hamwallet8446 how about neatfoot oil
Thanks for the video! I got myself a second pair of cowboy boots that I work in. I conditioned then when I first got them with what I do. It's been a few months and they are already in need of some TLC. I kick myself s little as this is my second pair of boots and the first pair only lasted me a year (I never did anything for the leather) Ngl young me was an idiot.
Chamberlain’s is my favorite conditioner, it doesn’t darken the leather.
Use neatgoot oil as well
I washmine with a bit of water n kirks castile soap... wipe with clean warm damp cloth.. dry in sun or over my house heat vent with blanket over it.. wait til next day n put on mink oil buff with clean cloth
Love Castile soap. I’ve never tried under a blanket on a heat vent. That sounds like a great way to dry without over drying the leather
Misleading heading; most saddle soaps are nearly pH neutral, far from acidic or alkaline. They lather like any glycerin soap sold for people's skin; as he shows, lathering, gently scrubbing, then wiping, cleans and leaves a fairly inert lubricant in the fibers. Repeated wetting and drying without replacing lost oils eventually dries the leather, and as some mention here, heating can actually destroy many vegetable tanned leathers, irreversibly shrinking into hard bricks. Chrome tanned hide is the most impervious to water damage, but is a silver grey, until it gets retanned and dyed for aesthetic uses. Waterproofness is a separate matter, and quality, dense full grain leather can be waxed with compounds like SnoSeal, to near total proofness. Modern things like NeverWet are on another level, invisible yet very effective - but further treatments with polish or waxes will negate its performance.
Confusion reigns with car seats, jackets, and fashion items that generally are leather only underneath, then "finished" with some plastic coating, sealant, and products meant for such are less leather conditioners, than vinyl treatments - if you must go that route, Original Formula 303 Protectant is actually far better than most containing silicones, and it also does work on actual leather, minimally altering color or sheen, but likely not adding restorative oils, either.
It still holds true that repeated uses of saddle soap and only saddle soap to both clean and polish leather boots will eventually lead to dryness and damage. Many people think that saddle soap is the only step when cleaning boots so the headline is not misleading. I’ve seen many people use saddle soap without even wetting it. They apply it to leather on globs as if it’s a conditioner.
For me it is a 3 stage process
- clean with saddle soap, [usually don't need this, water does fine] set aside till dry
- Apply leather food [conditioner] mainly neatsfoot oil and lanolin give this a few days to soak in.
- Waterproofing - 80% mixed waxes, 20% mineral oil applied hot with a brush onto a hot boot and allowed to soak in well. As the boot cools, first brush off with dry bristle paperhangers brush or similar and a couple of hours later, buff with a cloth wad. [Always take the laces out and pay attention to the seams and the tongue, especially at the base
I'm not bothered how they look so long as they bend where they should, keep my feet dry and don't crack. They will have a pleasant sheen, but are not in any way 'pretty'
I make all my own mixes but won't bore you with them - everyone swears by his own mix
How do you deep clean and condition WILD BOAR boots?
Hello. I have a sword with a dark blue leather grip that has darkened to almost black from mineral oil and sweat, would saddle soap be good to remove oil and bring it back to the original colour? What would you recommend?
Use a mild soap or baby shampoo and really get some suds going. Wash the grip with just the suds and then wipe with a dry cloth. While still damp work saddle soap or leather cleaner into suds and apply with a brush or towel. You might need to do this several times to see any change. Make sure to add a conditioner after the leather has dried and you might want to consider a sealant to provide a barrier against future sweat stains
been taking care of leather boots for many decades. never used saddle soap. brush, damp rag, leather conditioner. all you ever need.
1:50 I'm sitting here typing "why would you use something for saddles on boots?" to be a smart a$$ and I hear this🤣I guess it is a concern with some people. It's the same material😂
I see talk of people using saddle soap for burnishjng leather ends. Does this appy to that as well?
Leather burnishing gum is the best but Saddle Soap works in a pinch and won’t darken the leather like water would
Where I live at. Its mostly corn fields, Milo, and soybeans. A majority of us wear western boots. I hate seeing Boots dried out and neglected
I’m right there with you! Hurts the soul
I have a leather purse I acquired when i was in Germany, can i use a leather conditioner on that?
Yes, as long as the purse doesn’t have a sealant on it. Some leathers like car upholstery will have a top layer sealant that appears clear and glossy. Attempting to condition a sealed leather can dull the color. If the leather appears dull and not slick to the touch then it should be fine for condition
After using saddle soap then applied the leather conditioner. Can I still use leather balm for extra protection on my leather jacket ?
Over application can lead to mildew and a bad smell. Wait at least 2-3 weeks before applying balm after initial conditioning.
I only use saddle soap to get rid of mold if the shoes didn't dry properly after being worn in the rain, which can happen.
For sure. Saddle soap can be too aggressive for general maintenance of a boot.
I have chelsea boots, the dirts stick to the boots. I try to removing it with saddle
Soup. The colour of the dirts change from white colour to become light brown. It is better than the original one, but is it normal for the change of colour after applying saddle soap?
If they were white they probably had white leather dye that was removed by the saddle soap in the process of cleaning. You can buy new leather dye or leave them brown depending on your preference
Those Wolverine boots were manufactured that way, distressed. We get a good look at the sole at 6:22 and they look almost unworn.
Fresh out of the box they don’t look distressed: www.amazon.com/Wolverine-Rancher-Steel-Wellington-Brown/dp/B0842S2RJR/ref=asc_df_B0842S2RJR/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=522427867625&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18367527313585841034&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1026984&hvtargid=pla-1288539165335&psc=1
@@edcvibes
Heard. They must have been re-soled then.
Thank you so much for sharing how to use saddle soap. I actually had an argument with my husband about this very topic. I can’t wait to make him watch this. 😁😂
Haha happy to bring families together
How often should saddle soap be used, I have cowhide leather boots
Depends on how dirty you get them. If you’re just getting some dust on them then just wipe them down with a a damp rag and use leather conditioner. If you’re getting them seriously dirty and caking on a lot of buildup I’d say every three months, for not a lot of use I’d say about twice a year
Does mink oil work to condition boot and prevent cracking ?
Yes, mink oil is great for boot conditioning with a few precautions. It will darken your boot by six or seven shades and should only be applied every few months. You'll also need to make sure your leather is very well cleaned up before application since mink oil will permanently darken any splotchy leather stains left behind. :)
Mink oil comes from the wholesale slaughter of minks. There are too many other good options for conditioning leather, so supporting cruelty is really unnecessary.
My Dad puts his boots in the oven for a little bit.
Then he'll clean & put on mink oil.
Seems to make his boots last many years.
I just use Neatsfoot Oil on mine after cleaning & I haven't issues.
My boots last years of riding, working cattle in the mud & poop, or just going out on the town. The right pair of boots will fit better than shoes. At least for me.
I never thought to put boots in the oven before but that's a great option for a quick warmup haha
Just be careful - some modern day work boots have a glued sole and if you get them too hot they will let go on you. I prefer to heat the boot with a hairdryer - you have much more control over where the heat is applied, and they don't need to be that hot anyway, just enough to melt the wax and open the pores.
Keep it below 300 degrees haha
With this approach... my saddle soap ends up getting moldy. Even if I let the soap dry, after I add the lid back on mold starts to form. Does this happen to anyone else? ... and if so, would you happen to have any suggestions?
there are multiple factors affecting the mold! most likely from the dirt, humidity, and how dark the place is where u store ur soap. i'd suggest wiping the soap off with a clean piece of cloth if u see any dirt on it and storing it somewhere with better conditions
Believe it’s called “bloom”. Had happen to my Smokejumpers that stank of forest fire ash. Had to use lots of water, baking soda, and cleaner on them. After multiple brushing sessions bloom stayed disappeared. Yes I conditioned them to. 👍🏻👍🏻
Shouldn’t there be a gap of 24 hrs between saddle soap and conditioner?
I tend to wait a few hours up to overnight. I’ve found that letting your boots fully dry after saddle soap could lead to more cracking. Best to condition sooner than 24 hours
Ur meant to clean with saddle soap as its least damaging to leather and does provide some moisturising to the leather
I use my wife's hair dryer to warm boots when I don't have warm sun to warm them before conditioning
That’s ingenious haha
Aren't you supposed to keep leather away away from heat sources? Especially fireplaces and heaters?? That's one of the main leather no-nos if I remember correctly. Your leather doesn't need to be warm to "accept" conditioner... that's what the friction from you hands/brush/cloth is for...
Indirect, gentle heat like a fireplace or by a sunny window for a short amount of time won’t damage the leather and generally will help the conditioner absorb deeper into the leather grain. I think as long as you warm up the conditioner in your hands so it’s liquid before it hits the leather the temperature of the leather isn’t super important. Just something I’ve always done :)
If you put them in a plastic bag and put it in the sun it’ll soak in well….a tip I learned from Whites Boots I believe.
@@doombot4357 That sounds like a good tip! Thanks!
Wildfire Fighters use leather boots as they don’t burn quickly.
You have to keep them well looked after is all, and stay on top of the care they need when they need it. Environment is also a factor as yes you do not want them to excessively dry out, so you don’t want to store them by the fireplace or dry them off in that fashion.
He was simply warming them to advance the process by not having the wax lose its liquidity, and maximize the absorbtion of the mix. It may haven been a chilly room I dunno… but damage was not being done in the making of this video haha! Cheers😎👍🏾
That's kind of a silly thing to believe when you think about it. Here where I live in TX temps can get to a dry 114 easy in the summer. Sometimes higher. We wouldn't be able to wear boots if that was the case, you know.
interesting
any permanent solution?
Consistent maintenance is necessary for any leather good that isn’t fully sealed like car interior
What about mink oil?
Mink oil is excellent. It will darken your boot quite a bit though.
You use saddle soap to clean then you let the boots dry for 24 hours then use a conditioner.
4:37🤣😂
7:00
That must be why it's called saddle conditioner
Real
Bick 4….nuff said
Bick 4 works great but I would still clean the leather before applying because Bick 4 is primarily a conditioner. Also it doesn't offer any waterproofing. Thanks for the suggestion! :)
What I do is Put CAR 🚗 oil it makes it shiny Like that my mom was laughing when she found out I use car oil
I’ve heard of wood and leather preserved in car oil before. How does it smell though?
Word of advise: saddle soap is a base while your leather is acidic and is tanned at acidic pH levels of about pH4 to 5. using saddle soap „even correctly“ will stress the leather as the leather itself is acidic just like skin. Many leathershampoo products have acidic pH values and are better suited for washing ur leather boots. Sometimes u have to dig to find the pH values but u could measure yourself as well with indicator stripes
I understand the concept of what your saying but from what I’ve seen it doesn’t work like that. I usually get about 4 years out of my work boots. I get them resoled every year and have the uppers redone after about 2 years. I use saddle soap to clean them regularly then condition after every wash. I’ve never had leather crack or breakdown. The only reason I replace them is because they get to the point where doing a rebuild isn’t much cheaper then buying a new pair.
@@MrLongboarder87 good to know. Maybethe saddle soap today is acidic as well
@@MrLongboarder87 I’m guessing you got some real boots as well. Pacific Northwest handmade boots are the best boot money can buy. I also use saddle soap and obenaufs leather oil with good results. Hunting boots I use a cream tho for water resistance
Advice*
*when did using correct spelling fall out of vogue?
Obenauf's!
And no Wolverine's!
Obernauf is very similar to saddle butter as a beeswax oil conditioner. Yeah yeah everybody body hates on the Wolverines but I wear what I wear
Saddlesoap is great for boots like elephant where dirt hides in the pores otherwise normal leather is easy to clean without it
Agreed, sometimes saddle soap is overkill. I usually only use it on VERY dirty boots
What is the boot at 7:51???
That’s a CAT steel toe boot. I forget the exact name. I just sold them haha
@@edcvibesdid you not care for them? I seem them here and there and like them. But if they're not worth it I won't keep searching. Thanks for the reply!
They’re great boots but they’re really “loose” at the top since the leather isn’t very sturdy. I kept getting rocks and sand down in them
@@edcvibes I still can't seem to find them! 😆
I never use shoe polish on mg leather boots, Instead I use "Petroleum Jelly" for my leather boots
things went sexual too fast
..not that im complaining
Saddle soap dumb rubbing it on leather
Cleaning leather takes hours of soaking in
Good video but for God's sakes please FIX YOUR AUDIO! Literally sounded like you were running around me the whole video.
Just keeping boots clean in the first place is easier and quicker.
Neetsfoot Oil. That’s the only thing leather needs. Period. Once a year.
Depends on use, but yes Neetsfoot is great
I need a fireplace so I can own leather boots was my take home message from this video.
I wish you had better lighting and not a black floor
My lighting is excellent haha
Saddle soap is neither acidic or astringent. Nice content though
On a PH level saddle soap lands around 9-10 which is slightly higher than neutral. It’s not crazy acidic but shouldn’t be left on leather like a conditioner which is how it is most commonly misused :)
Stop mins no hours
Disagreed. Washing and conditioning your boots doesn’t have to be such an exact science. I think this shows a good alternative to just applying saddle soap which is what a lot of people do.
Those people would be wrong. Using water to remove soap is not exactly quantum physics.
Using saddle soap as conditioner on your boots is like trying to wax your car with dish soap.
@@KinseiSensei lemme moisturize my hands with isopropyl alcohol.
Cannot tell you how wrong you are. Sounds like something a conservative would say😂 … won’t listen to the truth
@@johnhenson4054 lol I bet you still believe in Russiagate.
@@johnhenson4054 You just made yourself the stupid one here, congratulations.
I don't want to be that guy, but you used the wrong utensil for saddle soap application. And a cloth is the best way to remove. That shit should lather up like a second run of shampoo in your hair before you remove it. Some foamy brush or sponge would have done better
And it should be quicker than your pace too, bc it is as you say. Not good to keep on
I’ve never tried a sponge before but a horsehair brush is fine for spot checking. If I was working on a severely dirty pair of boots I’d definitely sud up the brush more. Thanks for sharing:)
No need to dress up and play cowboys anymore these days. They make boots with heals that actually lace up and still have a heal to ride a horse.
I like slip ons just for the ease of putting them on. It’s also a style choice but hey, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea :)
Yikes…your sound!!!
What’s wrong?
@@edcvibes The volume peaks and wanes and jumps back and forth from side to side, It made it difficult to listen to.
Any intelligent person who knows a thing about leather knows once you clean you should condition. Not with butter products! Proper conditioner wouldn't have darkened the leather as if you used a fiebings leather dye on them! Keep studying and try again!
What’s wrong with that? Especially if its a work boot.
I ain’t worried about the color of the boot. I’m worried about water resistance and longevity.
@@rjduhon Yeah if it's a work boot, color doesn't matter. If it's a leather boot/ shoe that's worn more casually, maybe go with something that doesn't darken the leather.
Different conditioners tint leather different ways. Saddle butter is still a conditioner. There are tons of options out there but I happen to really like saddle butter because of the beeswax that helps with waterproofing.
Bick 4 or Angelus leather balm for the win... i never buy boots thinking that they would look better darker.
another infomercial disguised as a pseudo leather video
What?
Stupid title
Stupid comment