Leather Care Step-by-Step
What do I need for leather care?
You need the following accessories for leather care:
- sponge
- soft brush
- soft cloths (at least 1 x to rub dry and 1 x for applying the care products)
- water
- suitable leather care products
Most types of leather are sensitive to mecanical stimuli. Therefore, make sure to have soft care accessories at hand that do not leave scratch marks. Our household tips: deep-seated dust in hard-to-reach places such as on punched western bridles and saddles can be cleaned well with a toothbrush and old nylon hosiery is ideal for polishing leather.
Care of leather equipment
Saddle, bridle, stirrup leathers & co. are part of the basic equipment of riders. The riding equipment, which in most cases is made of genuine leather, but sometimes also of artificial leather, must be cared for regularly, if only for safety reasons. If the material becomes brittle due to lack of care, it will eventually no longer be able to withstand the stresses and strains of riding.
- Coarse dirt should always be removed with a damp cloth immediately after riding so that it does not dry out.
- If you store your leather gear carefully, you will save time when caring for it. Perfect storage conditions (dark, dry, room temperature) and saddle covers or bridle bags protect the leather in the long term.
- Thorough cleaning with intensive care should be done 3-4 times a year.
Basic cleaning step by step
1. Take apart the leather equipment into its individual parts. Make a note of which holes were used for buckling the bridle etc.
Our tip:
You can use clamps from the DIY store to clamp the saddle flaps together at the top so that you have two free hands for cleaning and care under the saddle flap.
2. Thoroughly clean the leather goods with water and saddle soap. Also consider the areas that are not so easy to reach (e.g. under the saddle flap with the help of a toothbrush).
3. The cleaned, damp leather is then dried with a dry cloth.
4. After cleaning, treat the leather with leather balm or leather oil. When using leather oil, use it carefully, because too much oil softens the leather. Very dry and brittle leather benefits from the extra grease.
5. After the care products have been left to work for a short time, the leather can be reassembled.
In the meantime, there are numerous „combination care products“ on the market that clean the leather at the same time as giving it lasting care. This is a good alternative when things have to be done quickly. Nevertheless, every now and then you should take the time to completely disassemble the equipment and thoroughly clean each individual element.
SELECTED LEATHER CARE PRODUCTS
SHOWMASTER Saddle Soap with Sponge
from £4.94
SHOWMASTER Leather Care Wipes
£10.71
SHOWMASTER Leather Oil
from £5.39
SHOWMASTER Leather Balm
£5.39
SHOWMASTER Leather Balm with Beeswax
from £7.19
SHOWMASTER Leather Cleaning Spray
£8.99
SHOWMASTER Back to Black Leather Blackener
£8.99
SHOWMASTER Leather Care Spray
£10.71
SHOWMASTER All-in-One Leather Care
£11.61
4
£5.49
4
£11.90
£5.99
£5.99
3
£7.99
3
1
£9.99
1
£9.99
£11.90
£12.90
Care of leather shoes
Expensive riding boots or ankle boots made of leather serve us loyally in equestrian sports. But the stables environment is a great test of endurance for the material. Moisture, temperature fluctuations, dirt and the ammonia from the horse manure put a lot of stress on the leather in the long run. With regular care, you can prevent a loss of quality.
- After wearing, you should always remove coarse dirt with a damp cloth.
- If leather riding boots are not in use, you should always use boot trees to support the shaft. Otherwise there is a risk of irreparable creases and breaks in the leather in the long term! To protect expensive footwear from dust and dirt, it should be stored in a boot bag, or textile bag.
- Basic cleaning and care should be carried out once a month for riders who wear their riding boots daily.
Subject Express Care
Leather is a high-maintenance material and thorough cleaning requires a lot of time, including the drying and soaking phases. In between, there are leather care cloths and other care products that quickly make the material shine. Nevertheless, you should regularly take the time to give your riding boots and shoes an intensive care treatment.
Basic cleaning step by step
1. First clean the shoe with cold or lukewarm water, a cleaning agent and a sponge, paying attention to the seams and, if necessary, removing the laces to reach hard-to-reach areas.
2. Then wipe off the residual moisture with a dry cloth and leave the leather to dry in a dry and dark place at room temperature.
Never expose leather to direct sunlight or place it by the radiator to dry. This will only dry out the leather and make it brittle. To speed up the drying process, newspaper can be stuffed inside the shoe.
3. With a soft dry cloth, the care product can now be applied. Apply some of it to the cloth and work it thoroughly into the leather. A special attention is given to the crease, which is subject to increased stress and therefore prone to cracking. Let the boot rest for at least an hour so that the care products have enough time to take effect.
Special attention should be paid to zips, as wear is very high due to frequent putting on and taking off. Therefore, also apply a zip spray during basic cleaning so that the slide can continue to glide smoothly over the fastening links.
4. Leather shoes should be regularly treated to make them more resistant to moisture penetration, but also to protect them from dirt.
Care products are adapted to the individual requirements of the different types of leather. A smooth leather boot needs a different care product than a waxed leather boot. There are various household tips circulating on the internet, such as using banana peels, cooking oil or body lotion to care for leather. These „household miracles“ are not adapted to the properties of leather and are not suitable for the long-term care and protection of the material. In the worst case, the leather will be damaged or unsightly stains will appear. Therefore, please use special shoe care products!
SELECTED SHOE CARE PRODUCTS
SHOWMASTER Small Cleaning Brush
£1.79
SHOWMASTER Leather Care Sponge
£0.99
SHOWMASTER Boot Cream
£4.49
SHOWMASTER Zip-Spray
£9.81
SHOWMASTER NATURE Shoe Brush
£4.04
2
£1.99
2
6
6
2
£4.99
2
1
£10.90
1
£4.49
The special case of synthetic leather
In equestrian sports, synthetic leather is now often used for riding boots and shoes, but also for saddles, snaffles, etc., because it is more affordable than real leather and the equestrian community is turning to alternatives to animal skins for animal welfare reasons.
Another pleasing argument in favour of synthetic leather products is that they are easier to handle when it comes to care. Comprehensive care instructions are not necessary. Products made of synthetic leather can simply be cleaned with water and placed in a dry and shady place at room temperature to dry. Special artificial leather care sprays speed up the cleaning process and care for the material in the long term.
