Bit wipes question

Hi! I have very sensitive skin and am allergic to a lot of hand sanitizers, sunscreen, skin products, etc. The barn where I ride just purchased new bit wipes that also give me allergic reactions, so I have been looking to buy my own. Is there a specific type or brand that is hypoallergenic/would not trigger my allergies? Is it ok to just use normal face wipes or makeup wipes?

May I ask why not just dunk the bit in the horse’s water bucket and rub it off with a towel?

Face and makeup wipes contain cleansers other than water and I wouldn’t want to put them in my mouth, so I wouldn’t want to put them in my horse’s mouth, either.

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^^^agreed with @Renn_aissance, face and makeup wipes aren’t made to go in mouths. I just use a wet wash cloth or towel, or if you want disposable, a wet paper towel.

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Agreed with the above.

I only ever clean my bits with plain water and a plain scrubby sponge.

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Bit wipes just sounds like another unnecessary, wasteful (environmentally and financially) product aimed at us horsie types. If it’s irritating your skin, why on earth should it go in a horse’s mouth? Another vote for rag and water.

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If bridles from several horses are being cleaned, I often use some sort of disinfecting mouthwash (generic Listerine?). You can put it in a spray bottle. It also helps to cut through the gunk. At a show I rinse the bit in that horse’s water bucket. If I’m dealing with one horse and one tack cleaning bucket, I dunk it in that tack cleaning bucket.

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I don’t have easy access to water near my barn’s grooming stall or tack room, so I sometimes grab a WaterWipe (baby wipes that are 99.9% water) to wipe down my bit after riding. They’re what I use for my kids and I always have them on hand.

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When I was aboarding at a barn I brought a cloth in one bag for me and a cloth in another bag for the bit and horse.

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I dunk my bit in my horses water bucket. Gets most of the gunk off. If the bits are gross, remove them, soak in hot water or even cold water while you groom.

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I had not heard of these before. They seem like a good tool for lots of things.

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I make my own and it’s super easy. Plus it’s cheap! All you need is an airtight container, water, and shop towels. I buy this brand:

Shop towels:

All you do is fold them up, put them in the container, and put enough water in to get it really wet. Then put the lid on. Viola! Bit wipes. I make enough in one sitting to last about 2 weeks.

I use this kind of container:

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water is sufficient. If done after every ride there should be no build up of scale and there is certainly no reason to disinfect a horses bit. There is no magic in a “bit wipe” .

If the bridle is being properly taken care of, a wet cloth wipe down of the bridle leather should be part of the routine , water in a bucket or spray bottle should do

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It sounds like the OP rides at a lesson facility so has no control over what is done with the tack when they are not riding. They are just looking for ideas on what they can use when they are there, that will not bother their skin.

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I am sorry you’re dealing with allergies. I think using a spray bottle with water may be your best bet. For me, I like this stuff: https://justforponies.com/moss-bit-cleaner-12-oz-peppermint-spray/ . Maybe I just use it because I like the smell. :slight_smile: But honestly, it does clean the gunk off easily and better than water for me, anyway. Once in a while my DH forgets to clean his bits – okay, often my DH forgets to clean his bits, so when I see them, I use this spray and it’s a pretty easy clean.

Good luck!

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I’ve found the best bit cleaner is toothpaste. Horses like the taste and it gets the bits shiny… Stainless steel that is. If I want to really clean I use toothpaste, otherwise I’m a waterbucket dunker. I

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You wipe your kids’ mouths out with these?

What? No. They’re baby wipes. I use them on my (young) children for the kinds of things baby wipes are commonly used for - diaper changes, cleaning messy hands/faces, etc.

At one barn I rode at, a few riders used them in peppermint flavors, claiming that it made the horses easier to bridle. :upside_down_face:

I assume they’re being given out because it’s less hassle to have kids line up at the sink to rinse off the horse’s bit, and the horse’s bucket might have hayseed or bits of grain in it, if it’s dunked there.

OP, I would just tell the barn owner that you have an allergy and ask to rinse it off with water at a sink or spigot. Or bring a spare washcloth, wet it with your water bottle, and wipe off the bit, if for some reason it’s not possible.

A friend of mine is allergic to propane glycol, which is a stabilizer in many household products, so that might be an issue, if you’ve had other topical reactions. It’s good to know what it is, not because cleaning a bit is a big deal, but for the stuff you use on your own skin.