Caring for leather properly

Good leather care extends the life of your saddle, bridle, riding boots and so on. Alongside proper cleaning, care and waterproofing sprays, fine leather balsam and leather grease are above all the right products to slow down the ageing process. Because one thing should not be forgotten: leather is skin, and skin needs care to withstand the ageing process.

How animal hide becomes leather

To turn the reused animal hides into durable leather, the material is tanned. Natural tanning with plant-based substances is a gentle process that increases the value of the leather and secures its quality in the long term. This tanning method dispenses with the widespread use of allergenic chromium. After tanning, the leather is dried. Our leather, for example, is exclusively hand-picked buffalo leather, produced by a leather manufacturer that has been family-owned for more than three generations and specialises in horse harness. Tanning is carried out exclusively with ecologically safe, plant-based tanning agents (a closely guarded family recipe) made from extracts of various woods, barks, leaves and fruits, without the use of toxic chromium. This special tanning process produces a firm and robust, yet very supple and break-resistant leather, which has to rest for at least six weeks after tanning before it is processed further. This gives our leather its typical patina and its own incomparable character.

Why should you clean and care for your leather?

To prevent leather from becoming brittle and to make it last a long time, every kind of leather should be cared for properly and regularly, because the tanning agents and dyes in the hide react with the various substances in the environment. For this reason, the properties of the leather can deteriorate over time and with use. You should clean and condition your leather about four times a year. It is best, however, to keep an eye on the condition of the leather in between and to act with the right care accordingly. Otherwise, as already mentioned, the leather can become porous and cracked or harden. More than one rein or stirrup leather has snapped through lack of care, leading to serious accidents. You can easily prevent this.

Cleaning with saddle soap

It’s similar to our own skin. Before conditioning, the leather should be cleaned so that residues of dirt, sweat and the like can be removed first. Saddle soap comes in solid and liquid form. Which one suits you better is a matter of personal preference. The fact is that saddle soap lets you carry out a first, gentle clean and preserve the leather.

Saddle soap can be used without gloves. To look after your hands, however, as with any cleaning, it is advisable to wear rubber gloves or simply use our grooming gloves. Solid soap should be worked into a good lather with a damp cloth and applied to the saddle in small areas. If it is very dirty, you can leave the soap to work on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes. While applying the soap, you should wring out the cloth several times. After application, all soap residues should be removed with a dry, soft cleaning cloth. Once everything is dry, leather balsam, oil or leather grease can be applied to the surface to stop the leather drying out.

Leather is particularly easy to clean with our functional fibre, as it removes dirt, absorbs moisture and then polishes.

Care products for delicate leather

Leather products need moisture and fat. Dust, dirt, wet, sun and chemical and mechanical influences quickly make your leather goods at the yard look old. Leather balsam is a product with added value. It brings out maximum shine while nourishing the material with conditioning waxes and oils. Leather balsam also gives leather products a water-repellent finish. Simply apply sparingly after cleaning with a suitable cloth or sponge and gently massage into the leather. Then leave to dry. The same applies to leather grease. Grease guarantees strong protection against wet, repels water and, thanks to its re-greasing effect, makes your brittle leather supple again. It is also applied after cleaning and then massaged thoroughly into the material, removing any excess grease. Thanks to leather grease, old becomes as good as new in no time. Just be careful with the saddle – you should leave out the seat so that you don’t get your breeches dirty. For this reason, it is also always safer not to use coloured products.

Modern care with sprays, wipes and other products

There are special leather cleaners on the market that you simply spray on and wipe off. These are ideal above all for items such as bridles and cavessons, or for a quick clean after riding. Once your tack is in good shape, care sprays can be a great way to give the leather a quick dose of moisture so that it doesn’t need a big clean again too soon. At the same time, regular leather care prevents the growth of mould and mildew. Depending on the manufacturer, these sprays are quickly sprayed on, left to work briefly and then wiped off again with a cloth. Some can also be massaged in very well with our cleaning gloves. The advantage of our cleaning gloves here is that your hands stay completely dry and clean.

Waterproofing properly

Leather is impregnated or made hydrophobic to make it waterproof. The best-known waterproofing products come in aerosol cans, available in every department store or shoe shop, and are used to re-proof leather. Waterproofing is needed above all by leather products that are by nature sensitive to wet and dirt, i.e. all open-pored leathers such as suede-type leathers (nubuck and velour suede) and aniline leather. Waterproofing is usually applied as a spray and gives the leather water-repellent properties. Saddles, bridles and other leather products that lie directly on the horse do not necessarily need to be waterproofed. Fashionable riding boots made of suede or nubuck are a different matter. With these types of leather you should not reach for grease or other products, as the colour and texture can change considerably. A light spray of waterproofing is the better choice for you here.

To waterproof the leather, ideally find a dry spot in the fresh air so that you don’t breathe in the fumes released by the waterproofing spray. Spray the leather evenly and all over, but thinly, with the waterproofing spray from a distance of about 30 centimetres. Make sure the leather does not get too damp. Leave the waterproofing to work for about 20 minutes and repeat the process two to three times. For optimal protection of the leather, then wait 24 hours before wearing your boots again. You can repeat this process every quarter to keep the leather in good shape.

Finish and polish

Last but not least, we recommend polishing with a suitable cloth to give your leather the final touch of shine. Don’t forget that although leather isn’t cheap, with the right care it is particularly long-lasting.

We hope you enjoyed this magazine article and that we have been able to help you care for your leather products. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us at any time.

Your EQM Team