How to Clean Western Saddles

The ornate tooling and silver accents can make western saddles more of a challenge to clean. While English saddles have smooth leather, western saddles often have deep tooling, as well as silver conchos and other accents that must be protected when the leather is cleaned. Taking the time to clean the leather properly and ensure it is well protected can lengthen the useful life of the equipment and save you a lot of money in the long run.

Things You'll Need

  • Saddle stand
  • Masking tape
  • Saddle soap
  • Soft cloth
  • Soft-bristled toothbrush
  • Leather conditioner
  • Silver polish
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the saddle on a sturdy stand that allows you to easily move around to all sides of the saddle. It is easier to clean the saddle if it is sitting on a solid surface.

    • 2

      Cover any silver conchos and other accents with a quality masking tape that peels on and off easily. This will protect the leather from the saddle soap and leather conditioner.

    • 3

      Wet a soft cloth, then wring it out until it is only damp. Dip the cloth in saddle soap and work up a good lather.

    • 4

      Work the saddle soap deep into the leather, focusing on one section of the saddle at a time. Allow the saddle soap to soak into the leather for five to 10 minutes, then wipe away any excess with a clean, dry cloth. Continue to clean each section of the saddle until the entire thing has been cleaned. Focus on areas that tend to collect more dirt, like the stirrups and stirrup leathers.

    • 5

      Use a damp soft-bristled toothbrush dipped in saddle soap to clean any hard-to-reach areas and to remove dirt from the ornate tooling on the saddle. Scrub those areas thoroughly with the brush, then wipe away any excess with a soft cloth.

    • 6

      Wet a soft cloth with leather conditioner and rub it into the leather. Work on one section of the saddle at a time. Allow the leather conditioner to soak in for several minutes, then immediately wipe away any excess. The saddle should feel soft but not wet when you are done.

    • 7

      Peel the masking tape off of the silver accents and wipe away any residue. Wet a soft cloth with the silver polish and carefully clean each piece of silver. Do not get any silver polish on the leather--if you do, immediately wipe the silver polish off the leather with a soft cloth.