ILC - How to Use Fiebings Saddle Soap for Leather: Test & Results

Leather University™

How to Use Fiebing's Saddle Soap on Leather

Picture of by Dan Concord

by Dan Concord

Author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques.

How to Use Fiebing's Saddle Soap for Leather: Test & Results

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap is a leather care product primarily intended to clean, condition, and offer some water resistance and wear protection to horse tack and other leather goods. It is also formulated to help soften and make leather a little more flexible, especially for hard saddle and tack leather. For some applications, this can be excellent; for others, it might vary.

To learn more about the product, we will explore the manufacturer, the history, and the product itself, including the ingredients. Then, we’ll do a step-by-step example so you can see if this will be great for your project.

So, with that, let’s dive right in.

Key Notes:

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap is a trusted leather care product known for its ability to clean, condition, and soften leather.
Fiebing’s Saddle Soap contains a blend of ingredients that offer practical care for tough, frequently used items like saddlery and tack.
Proper application of Fiebing’s Saddle Soap is essential for achieving the best results in leather care.

Fiebing's Brand History

John H. Fielding founded Fiebing’s in 1895 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While working in the chemical department of a local tannery, he decided to develop a product for leather care.

This was his version of saddle soap. It was a huge success, and the company continued to grow from there. His saddle soap also became popular with some groups of the U.S. cavalry to help clean, soften, and condition their hard saddle and tack leathers. The soap has been popular ever since.

Product Overview

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap is available in various forms, including two main paste varieties, a glycerin-based spray, and a bar formulation. The paste varieties typically come in yellow and white packaging. The yellow variant is pigmented, while the white version is clear or white, lacking pigmentation. Fiebing’s, a well-known brand, assures consumers that neither version will leave any pigment on the leather after cleaning. The distinction between the two is mostly for marketing and consumer perception.

The Fiebing’s Saddle Soap pastes generally include:

Water
Gum rosin for a binder
Sodium tallowate, a mixture of animal fats
Tallow
Sodium hydroxide
Lye
Caustic soda
Tallow fatty acid
Bovine fats
Tricyclic monocarboxylic acid
Rosin
Sodium carbonate
Water soluble salt filler
Paraffin wax
Petroleum-derived wax to help soften fibers
Borax, a water-soluble substance that has a very basic pH and is often used as a household cleaner

These ingredients can be beneficial, offering a convenient way to clean and condition leather in one application step. However, it’s worth noting that prolonged use over decades might lead to oxidation of the leather.

When choosing a saddle soap, it’s essential to understand the ingredients and their potential impacts on your leather goods.

While some users may prefer a gentler product, others might find saddle soap particularly effective, especially for items like saddlery and tack that require frequent cleaning and maintenance. These products are designed with functionality in mind, making them a practical choice for those needing a robust solution to clean and condition leather in one easy step.

As with any product, the best choice will depend on your specific needs and preferences.

Demonstration Setup

Let’s see the product in action. For this demonstration, we’ll start by laying down our mat. We’ll be using the white version of the product, but we’ll keep the yellow variant on hand for reference. We have two leather samples prepared: one is clean, and the other is noticeably dirty. The dirt on the second sample will allow us to see the effectiveness of the cleaning process clearly.

To begin, we’ll need a soft brush such as a horse hair brush and a small amount of distilled water. Distilled water is ideal for cleaning leather because it’s free from minerals and impurities, ensuring nothing unwanted is left behind. Using distilled water enhances the cleaning process, providing a better result for your leather goods.

Applying Saddle Soap to Leather

Wet the brush: Begin by dipping your brush into water, making sure it’s slightly damp.
Create a lather: Use the damp brush to work your saddle soap into a lather. Think of it like preparing shaving cream—you want to build up a nice, foamy lather.
Apply the lather to the leather: Once you’ve created a good lather, start working it over the leather surface. Use circular motions to ensure the lather covers the leather evenly.
Clean and condition: As you work the lather into the leather, it’s cleaning by cutting into surface fibers and lifting out dirt and grime. Simultaneously, the oils and conditioning agents in the soap are being absorbed, helping to nourish the leather.

Removing Saddle Soap From Leather

Set aside brush: After applying saddle soap, set aside your brush and allow the leather to dry for a moment.
Prepare lint-free cloth: Ideally, use a soft cotton cloth that won’t scratch the leather and minimizes lint residue.
Wipe off excess soap: Gently wipe the leather with the cloth to remove as much saddle soap as possible.
Monitor cloth for dirt: As you wipe, notice the cloth picking up dirt. If it becomes too dirty, switch to a clean cloth to avoid rubbing dirt back into the leather.
Repeat if necessary: If the leather is heavily soiled, you may need to repeat the process multiple times for a thorough cleaning.
Final wipe: Take another lint-free cloth, dampen it lightly, and gently rub it over the leather to remove any remaining soap residue, leaving the leather smooth and clean.

Drying and Conditioning

After cleaning, it’s essential to allow the leather to dry thoroughly, typically for about 24 hours. During this time, you’ll notice that the leather’s color may lighten as it dries out. This is a normal part of the process.

Applying a conditioner will initially darken the leather, but as it absorbs and dries, the color often returns to something close to its original shade. However, some conditioners can permanently darken leather, depending on your particular type of leather and conditioner. So, it’s important to test the product on a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure you’re happy with the result.

Final Thoughts

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap has stood the test of time, with a history rooted in quality leather care. Its ability to clean and condition makes it a staple for many leather enthusiasts. Whether you’re maintaining tack or refreshing your favorite leather goods, understanding the ingredients and proper application of this product is key. With its proven track record, Fiebing’s Saddle Soap could be a valuable addition to your leather care routine.

If you have any questions or experiences with Fiebing’s Saddle Soap you would like to share, please let us know.

And there you have it. Until next time.

Picture of About Author Dan Concord

About Author Dan Concord

Dan Concord is a professional leather crafter with 15 years of design experience and expertise. He is founder of the successful Liberty Leather Goods studio, and also a published author, speaker, teacher, and educator on leather working tools and techniques. He lives in the USA.