How do you clean your spurs and stirrup irons? Do you just wipe them down when needed? Any special polishes, creams, etc that you like to use to make them extra shiny?
My spurs tend to get dirtier faster than the irons. I wasn’t sure if I should go to a store and get something to clean them with, or if good ol’ fashion water and a bit of soap would get them shiny and looking new. TIA!
Have you tried silver cleaner for like China dishes? Haven’t tried it but it really works on the dishes :yes:
I get all the grime and dirt off with soap and water, then use metal polish. I got a sample packet of some metal polish from a goody bag at a horse show that works really well, but I can’t remember the name!
Remove from saddle and take the straps off the spurs. Toss them and the bit in the water I use to clean tack. When done with the tack rub any goo off the metal parts. If they need polishing rub with tooth paste… paste not gel. Buff with clean cloth.
I’ve used the Herm Sprenger diamond paste on both bits and spurs, its helped a little, but it didn’t revive them at all or make a considerable improvement in the appearance of the metal. my next try would be regular silver polish you can find at a hardware/jewelry store that is purple and slightly grittier with a more paste-y/solid consistency…i’ll let you know how it works out!
I teach at a military school, so at the end of the year when the custodians are cleaning out whatever’s left in the lockers, I ask them to save me all the half-empty bottles of Brasso or other metal polishes and all the half-used tins of Kiwi boot polish. (;
Eagle One Original Nevr-Dull Wadding Polish
Nevr-Dull is amazing it works great for everything- spurs, irons, halter plates, brass buckles, brass on breastplates, basically everything – just don’t use it on bits. One of my friends recomended it, he’s a police officer and thats what he uses to shine mall his stuff (buckles,name plates,etc) It’s super easy to use to all you have to do is rip off some of the cotton in the jar and the stuff is already soaked into the cotton when you pull it out. Then wipe irons or whatever your polishing clean with a rag. A must have for shows!
My spurs, bits and stirrup iron (I take out the white pads) all go in the dishwasher. Mom doesn’t love it, but it gets them really clean!
Wipe them off with wet towel to get the horse grime off and then polish them using Simichrome polish.
Lazy lady weighs in…
I drop them in the dishwasher. The night before a clinic or sow i dump spurs, stirrups and jumping boots (clearly not the leather ones) in the dishwasher and run it on a normal cycle with no dishes. I’ll also put in plastic grooming items like curry combs, mitts, shedders, mane + tail combs…
I second never dull! Works great. Kinda stinky tho…wear gloves.
I just crack open a can of Never Dull. A ventilated room in a must, though!
[QUOTE=Rockfish;6071653]
I just crack open a can of Never Dull. A ventilated room in a must, though![/QUOTE]
Haha, that’s for sure!!!
Why didn’t I think of that!?
I ditto the sentiment of wanting rubber gloves for NeverDull. I’ve helped my SO polish racecars and trailer trims with it for years. A little pinch of it goes a long way.
Sadly, I’ve never considered using for my stirrup irons…thank you COTH!
[QUOTE=Midwest girl in an East coast world;6071682]
I ditto the sentiment of wanting rubber gloves for NeverDull. I’ve helped my SO polish racecars and trailer trims with it for years. A little pinch of it goes a long way.
Sadly, I’ve never considered using for my stirrup irons…thank you COTH![/QUOTE]
When I first realized it I was so excited…it’s the little things in life!
Dishwasher. Why reinvent the wheel and spend money on trendy brand names to clean plain old stainless or aluminum items just because they go on a horse???
If you have a tough spot? Then, after washing, the Nevr Dull and/or their used to be a product called Met All-same thing maybe even the current name of the same product. Came in a tube or big tin and stunk.
Stuff gets tough spots off everything from stainless flatware to car bumpers-we used it on airplanes. Get it at any car parts shop-cheap, lasts a long time. So when you finish with your bits and irons, you can detail your car.
I throw them in the dishwasher, or use whatever metal polish I happen to have at home at the moment, I’ve also tried tooth paste, all methods work equally well IMO.
[QUOTE=findeight;6071694]
Dishwasher. Why reinvent the wheel and spend money on trendy brand names to clean plain old stainless or aluminum items just because they go on a horse???
If you have a tough spot? Then, after washing, the Nevr Dull and/or their used to be a product called Met All-same thing maybe even the current name of the same product. Came in a tube or big tin and stunk.
Stuff gets tough spots off everything from stainless flatware to car bumpers-we used it on airplanes. Get it at any car parts shop-cheap, lasts a long time. So when you finish with your bits and irons, you can detail your car.[/QUOTE]
This.
I use a Brillo pad on mine. Usually, that is enough to make them really clean and shiny, but if I want a little extra sparkle, I use a dab of Simichrome. I also like to use Simichrome on the metal fittings on my bridle and saddle (occasionally). If you do this, just be careful not to get any on the leather.
I used to use brasso, but when they changed the formula it stopped working as well 
I now use a german metal polish. It is the best to get metal stuff clean!
