Hi there!
I’ve been doing a fair amount of research on saddle soap/glycerin reactions on leather. So far, I’m leaning towards using Lexol, as it’s PH balanced and should be benign on my new saddle. I wanted to ask around about people’s experiences using different saddle soaps, and what they found to be best on their leather. Also, I’d love to hear from someone about how glycerin soap works on leather, and whether it’s okay to use or not.
Thanks in advance!
Glycerin soap can be used on leather but there is better stuff out there. I use Leather New or Lexol.
I have used Lexol products, both Cleaner and conditioner for MANY years. They have been good to my various saddles bridles and harnesses. I suggest applying several coats of conditioner for softening, allowing leather to dry between applications. Conditioner is thin and runny, so you may want to apply with a rag in crevices to get it just where you want.
It will soften your hands too, so if your callous is needed, you may want plastic gloves. Husband was using conditioner on the harness (4 sets) and it softened his hands so he got cut doing his Farrier work the next day!
I like the Cleaner too. Leather is not dried out after washing and drying. I do let leather dry after cleaning, before applying Conditioner.
Mostly riding and using your saddle will soften it the best, without discoloring the leather. My old saddle is a rich brown now after MANY years of use and Lexol products on it. Leather is soft, strong, despite the age. Started as a light tan of western saddles.
Leather Honey is a good product too, BUT IT WILL DARKEN LIGHT COLOR LEATHER, in just a couple applications!! Tan to dark brown!! We use it on black harness, so darkening is not a problem. If you have a black saddle, it is a great product for softening leather.
I never use any saddle soap. Leaves leather feeling gummy despite strong polishing efforts after. Dirt sticks to gummy things. Pessoa Lederbalslam is another good product to rub into clean leather. Let it absorb for a bit, then polish with a rag. Warm hands help it absorb. It may go under a slightly different name but the blue cans are almost exactly the same. We won a couple cans, which I used. Great stuff but too expensive for me to use on all our harness. Nice on your hands too.
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Whatever soap you use to clean leather, the key is to rinse it off well with a damp clean cloth! Treat leather like your skin. First wipe it off with a damp rag to remove excess dirt/debris. Then apply the soap/cleaner of your choice with another damp rag. Rinse and remove the soap with a clean damp cloth. Let it air dry and then condition lightly. Keep it simple and avoid “all in one” products that say they can clean AND condition! PH balanced soaps are best, but any leather soap should be left on so briefly before being rinsed that it “almost” doesn’t matter. I worked for a Master Saddler and this is what I was taught.
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Like Lusolov above, I was handed a bar of glycerine soap by a master saddle maker once upon a time and taught the exact same thing process as above. I despise any conditioner that leaves a saddle sticky, gooey, slimy… hence why I will only use Higher Standards https://www.hsleathercare.com/index.html – made by a COTHer! 
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Isn’t Leather New also glycerin? It says “cleans and conditions” but I don’t know that there is a conditioner in it…
Glycerine itself will soften. Maybe that’s why it says that?
Yes, I just ordered some Lexol, you have validated my own thoughts. Thank you!
Thank you! This is GREAT information to know. I really appreciate it. I’ve taken note of all of this, and will order some conditioner as soon as I can (I only got the cleaner, thinking that would be enough as I have Effax Leather Balsalm.
I’ll look into it, thanks for the link! I’ll admit, I don’t have a ton of money so I’m looking for something a bit on the cheaper side, but if it’ll really take care of my leather, it’s worth spending on.
Very interesting, this is great to know. I’ve always just left cleaner on and then conditioned, but that’s with the spray stuff that just soaks right in. I was using one that says it both cleans and conditions, which I now know is a bit of alie. Thank you!
I’ve used Higher Standards for many years now and I think it removes the color from the leather. My water comes out very dark dark brown when my tack isn’t really dirty. It’s great for removing a lot of grubby dirt so it’s used on dirty boots and gloves.
I’ve switched to Leather Therapy cleaner and restorer. The last two tack rooms where I’ve boarded have been very damp in the summer and it’s done a pretty decent job preventing mold. Passier Lederbalsam is used in the winter, rubbed in with my hands.
If I remember correctly, I thought glycerin soap was used to protect leather from water damage.
It all depends on where you live and the relative humidity and how much wet weather you ride in:
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Wet Pacific Northwest - Clean with Murphy’s Oil Soap, condition and waterproof with Mink Oil. Ride in drizzle all winter.
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Utah/Colorado/Intermountain - Clean with glycerin saddle soap/castle soap, condition with Neatsfoot or Leaderbalsam. Ride in dry heat and snow.
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Humid Texas/SE - Clean with Murphy’s + white vinegar, condition with olive oil. Ride in humidity and damp all year.
This has worked on everything from my stock saddles, dressage and foxhunting saddles, side saddle, pack saddle and associated bridles.
I’m in Southern California… I guess it’s pretty dry most of the time here? It’s fairly temperate, generally speaking, so what would I be using?
A show groom a while back told me to wipe any dirt off the saddle with a damp sponge or towel, let it dry, apply conditioner, then apply gylcerine soap with a slightly damp towel or sponge (not dripping wet, it shouldn’t be sudsy) and work the soap in. No need to wipe off.
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HorseTech.com has a wonderful saddle soap. I’ve used it to keep my 1999-vintage special order Albion Original Comfort dressage saddle clean and I don’t need conditioner. It is easy to use, very light with very fine suds. Not gooey or gummy or sticky. It doesnt’ take much and It’s easy to get into tight spots. I dry it off with a soft cloth.
I am in SoCal and soaping up, rinsing clean, and then conditioning is my current approach. I had read of using saddle soap to seal and protect the leather, but it never made much sense to me. The same with using Murphys Oil soap, as I thought that was for wood floors?
I have a new Custom Saddlery saddle and they suggest no cleaners at all, just conditioning with Effax.
I think I have tried it all, but my cleanest, non-tacky, tack cleaning has been this: I use water (I even hose off my saddle), and sudsy saddle soap, and rinsing really well, and conditioning.
This is a good article, too:
https://stablemanagement.com/articles/tack-maintenance-wash-leather-29487/
