Your tack was made from leather treated with special oils called "fat-liquors". Those same emulsions have always been in Lexol Conditioner, keeping good leather at its best for over 70 years. And when you start with Lexol-pH® Leather Cleaner, you'll avoid the damaging alkalinity of saddle soap. Now shouldn't you have plenty of Lexol on hand?

Cleaning with Lexol

The best time to clean your tack is right after you finish riding. Put your saddle on a saddle rack (a sturdy sawhorse will do). Hang the remaining tack from a good sturdy hook. To clean the leather, you must first remove the superficial oils that bind dirt to its surface. Do not use soap. Its high alkalinity is destructive to leather. Lexol-pH Leather Cleaner, with its unique non-alkaline formula, is the safe choice for all your tack and boots. Clean your saddle in relatively small, manageable sections. Try starting with a fender or flap. Unfasten buckles and inspect all parts for safety. Work with plenty of water. Apply Lexol-pH Cleaner to a wet sponge or cloth and scrub briskly to work up a good lather. Use enough cleaner to produce maximum suds – it won't take much. A soft brush or covered sponge helps in difficult areas and around hardware. (If the brush scratches your own skin, it's too stiff for leather.) Rinse or wipe off the suds, removing dirt as you go, then towel dry. Continue this process until finished. Don't miss any areas – covered or open. Be sure to get all the folds and crevices.

Conditioning with Lexol

For a saddle with heavy dirt, use Lexol-pH Leather Cleaner before conditioning. For light cleaning and conditioning, use a sponge or cloth dampened with Lexol Leather Conditioner.

To begin, pour a little Lexol (size of a half-dollar) on a damp sponge or cloth and wipe onto the leather surface. Old, dry leather will absorb conditioner much faster than newer leather. Repeat the process to condition the entire saddle. Where the back of the leather is accessible, be sure to condition both sides. Let the conditioner soak in for 20 to 30 minutes, then rub down the leather with a dry towel.

After the conditioner is dry, a warm, glowing patina can be brought to the surface with a soft brush or a piece of shearling sheepskin.

If you prefer a neatsfoot product, try non-greasy Lexol-NF® Neatsfoot Formula, with additional oils to give the leather extra protection (without darkening it like ordinary neatsfoot oil).

Care and cleaning of leather made easy