Clean a Saddle

After the hours of riding in dusty arenas and long trail rides, dirt gets imprinted in every crease of the saddle. But there is nothing a little work can't get out.

Steps

  1. Soak a sponge in a bucket of warm water.
  2. Wring out the sponge till damp and wipe your saddle and tack(this opens the pores of the leather in the saddle to thoroughly clean and condition your tack when saddle/leather soap is applied.)
  3. Rub the sponge onto some saddle soap to get it nice and sudsy.
  4. Work in the soap into the leather from top to bottom,underneath and everywhere in-between.This may take some elbow grease and you might get a sore hand but the finished result is a nice supple saddle fit for a show.
  5. Use a dry rag to wipe ALL the suds off the saddle.
  6. Still some hard pressed dirt in there? A toothbrush should do just the trick. Get the bristles sudsy and get all the cracks and crevasses. Yes, this job may have been time consuming and work, but a simple cleaning with some saddle soap and a sponge, even just once a month, can make all the difference.
  7. Since you're already covered in suds and want your saddle to look brand new, why not shine it up a bit. A saddle shine and conditioner will make the leather supple, and look like it did when you bought it.
  8. You can usually wipe all non-leather parts of a saddle with a damp cloth, or sometimes use a carpet cleaner.



Tips

  • Regular saddle cleaning can be short and give your saddle a longer life.
  • Remember to get your saddle checked to see if it still fits your horse periodically.
  • There are different forms of saddle soaps and conditioners: wipes, sprays, and bars. Use whichever you prefer.
  • Steaming hot water help cleans the saddle better.

Warnings

  • Read your labels. Some soaps are meant to be left on, some have to be wiped off before they dry.
  • Saddle soap can dry out leather so use a leather conditioner that is also a cleaner more often. Use saddle soap when it is really dirty. You can also use a wet cloth to get dirt off before using the cleaner or conditioner.
  • You can clean bridles and other leather tack the same way you clean a saddle, but beware DO NOT use saddle soap on the bit. If you get some on, wipe it off immediately!
  • Some surfaces of a saddle cannot be cleaned with saddle soap, so use alternative cleaners. Saddle soap may damage these areas.

Things You'll Need

  • Saddle
  • Saddle soap
  • Saddle shine/ conditioner
  • Soaps and conditioners, that can be bought at your local tack store or online
  • Sponge
  • Toothbrush
  • Water
  • Rag/Towel

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