My DH asked me this afternoon how often riders take bridles apart and thoroughly clean bits.
My personal answer is a) not nearly enough, and b) if I’m truthful about 2x a year.
So, how often do you break bridles down and clean bits? Everytime you wipe down your bridle? Only before a show?
And what do you use? I’ve always been afraid of using metal polish, so have used toothpaste, and once in a while, the bit wipes you can buy.
But, it got me wondering how often other folks do it?
I do a thorough clean a couple times a month. Best bit cleaner I’ve found is denture tabs! Hot water to cover the bits, toss in a couple denture tabs, and let soak while cleaning the leather. I dunk my bits in water after every ride, so gunk doesn’t really get a chance to accumulate.
I am pretty anal about my leather, so I do clean and condition it pretty regularly. Haha. Higher Standards and its addictiveness helps too 
I clean my bit well after every ride. So usually water and scrubbing works fine. Bridle comes apart before shows or clinics. So not nearly often enough!
Dishwasher.
Not the bridle, the bits!
Bit gets wiped off after every ride, and scrubbed when I do a take-apart clean of my bridles about once a month. I let the bits sit in a pan of hot water while I clean the bridles and they come out really clean.
I just use hot water to clean the bit. And I am bad about not taking the bridle apart and cleaning it except before a show. Although I fox hunt most weeks in the winter, so then it gets done much more often.
I clean my bit after every ride with a scrubby washcloth and water, and wipe down the bridle as well with saddle soap. Full disassembly varies.
When I use soap on a bit it’s dawn and hot water rinse.
Well, I used to take apart my bridles and clean my bits about 2 times per year… Back when I only cleaned my tack about 2 times per year (basically before county fair and then before state fair :lol:).
Now that I’m a.) Not a child b.) Eventing (versus just showing in 4h) and c.) Addicted to Higher Standards… I wipe down my tack (including the bits) after almost every ride. And I completely take apart my bridles and scrub the bits with hot water and a coarse cloth about every 4-5 weeks.
Bit is cleaned throughly after every ride, and bridle is wiped down. Bridles are taken apart and throughly cleaned at least once a month, but more often if they need it.
My bridle is wiped down after every ride, either with a glycerin-type soap or a wipe like Lexol. I’ve yet to use Higher Standards… I’m waiting for my castille soap and glycerin to run through before indulging 
I usually bring my bridle with me to the wash rack and hose off my bit there, while it is attached to the bridle. I dissect my leather weekly, at least - I HATE the black gunk that accumulates in the folds of the reins/bridles in the hook/stud or buckle closures. I’d say I break down my bridle completely at least once a week - I also alternate bridles and on their ‘off weeks’, condition them with an arsenal of things: Leather Therapy Wash, Passier Leaderbalsam, Belharra, you name it. I use Leather Wash fairly often, so my bridle stays sweat/moisture resistant – so I don’t fret too much about when I hose the bit down.
For cleaning the bit, it depends on the bit. If it is something with a porous or plastic surface, I’ll soak it for a while and then throw it in the dishwasher. If it is metal, I’ll soak it in hot water w/ ivory soap, and then scrub and rinse thoroughly. I think the Ivory does a great job of making the bit seem brand new, but I clean my bit so often it doesn’t accumulate gunk much.
But, I’ve used everything for cleaning bits: listerine or denture tabs work great, in a pinch I’ve also used just about any soda on hand: tonic, club soda, coke, ginger-ale, etc - the carbonation does a good job of breaking down gunk, and I rinse it off after! :yes:
Wipe down everything with a damp rag after every ride. Break down once a month. An S.O.S. pad and hot water really shine up a bit:yes:
The “good” stuff that gets used for lessons/ events gets taken apart and cleaned cleaned pretty much every time. The everyday bridle just gets wiped off occasionally. I just soak bits in hot water and then towel dry. I haven’t found that the newer ones need polish. The old ones yes, and honestly some of them got phased out partly for that reason. I only polished the cheeks on those though, never the mouthpieces.
I officially just became the most lame “tack parent” ever.
I never should have read the responses …
The bare minimum I do is wipe my bridle and rinse my bit after my ride, but I usually clean with my handy-dandy Higher Standards after every ride. Sky is a sweat machine, even if we just walk.
I try to take tack apart and do a thorough clean once a month. I usually run bits through the dishwasher when I do this.
I try to take my bridle apart every 2 weeks or so. I try to do a basic wipe down after every ride, but I do skip a day or two here and there…
My only tack cleaning products are Higher Standards, so that’s what gets used on the leather. The bit usually gets a bowl of hot water and Dawn dish soap.
I take apart my bridles before every show but wipe them down weekly or more and clean the bit after every ride.
Wipe down leather bridles after every ride, and rinse off bits. The biothane stuff gets rinsed off after every use.
Can’t remember the last time I took things apart.
Uh oh. I’m in the same category as ACME. Maybe we’re on the Group W bench?
My bit gets wiped off with hot water and bridle gets wiped off with either a damp towel or glycerin soap every ride…Can’t remember the last time I took it apart completely. Probably should do that today on the pony’s day off! Thanks for the inspiration folks :lol:
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