Cleaning Leather.
TrinityScrimshaw
Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
I have been having a running gun battle on a few Face Book post with folks talking about & asking about cleaning leather items. Of course a lot depends on the type of leather & what its being used for. Like vehicle interiors, and your leather sofa isn't going to be as hard to clean like a saddle, of even some gun leather or even clothing that has been ridden hard & put up wet.
Most folks thinking they are giving good advice will come right out & say "Use Saddle Soap, or Murphy's Oil Soap. But, I replied "Not, for deep cleaning items this isn't best." I get some real mean screams from some serious Barn Witches who use Saddle Soap for their go to cleaner for all things leather.
I recently replied to an individual who posted a picture of the holster he had been keeping his Ruger Six in (stored in the rig) for longs periods of time. His holster had developed mold & mildew on the leather around the pistol. This was my reply to him.
"Trust me on this. Once mold or mildew sits in do not clean it (first) with saddle soap, or Murphy’s. Use “Scrubbing Bubbles”, work it in with a tooth brush, and wipe off. It will not hurt your leather. Once dry use a good leather cream such as Skidmores, or a good Mink oil to condition & rub it back into the leather by hand. Some times mold may leave a darkened stain. This isn’t coming out. Doesn’t mean the leather is harmed, it’s just darker now. You can try applying Neats-Foot oil to darken the entire rig, or in extreme cases just dye it darker. Mold & mildew won’t actually harm the leather unless never cleaned. It means your leather is good enough to support life, and hasn’t dried & cracked. Mold that stays on too long will die & just become a grayish blue looking dust. If this happens the leather will crack soon. You will never get it totally out of the leather. It is now in the spores of the leather, and will need to be kept cleaned. Only use saddle soap & Murphy’s oil soap on cleaner products. They are not a deep cleaning products, and are not a soap as we have come to know soaps. They are glycerin products & will seal in deep dirt & grime. I have a leather shop, where I recondition & refurbish a lot of tac & saddles. I use this cleaning technique all the time. Also, try and not leave your pistol in the holster for long periods of time without using it. The mold & mildew will grow on Gun parts if allowed."
I'm getting a lot of messages now from a few individual's who can't believe I would tell someone to not use saddle soap to clean leather. That's not what I said. I said don't use it first, and don't use it for items needing deep cleaning.
I think I am going to stop giving advice, at least on this topic.
Trinity +++
Comments
Good advice is hard to come by. Dont quit giving it! Many people talk a lot but dont say much. They think a lot of themself or want to build post count. Your advice is always spot on and welcomed.
TrinityScrimshaw , some folks are so stubborn and set in their ways that no amount of good advice will change their mind. I have had a few problems with mold on bike jackets and boots that aren't used on a daily basis. Especially the coats when they were stored in a dark closet. I no longer do that anymore. I have used mold control by Concrobium to remove the mold and then Lexol products to clean and preserve.
Don't stop giving advice. If you compare to members that welcome it against any complaints, I think you will agree to continue.
Best,
Mirrors in part what old timers taught me back in the 60's.i got my first horse at age 14 . Grandfather had done some mule skinning in the war . No horses now and only holsters to take care of .
Another good & inexpensive technique you can use for cleaning some lighter leathers is Cider Vinegar mixed with Lemon Juice & water. This will help clean most smooth leathers, such as cars seats, expensive leather furniture, and even some suede's. Work it in with a soft rag an allow to totally dry. Some items like hats or jackets & smooth fancy foot wear may need to be worked in with a toothbrush.
If it its a heavy leather item such as Horse Tac, work boots, or holster rigs, use the deep cleaning method I mentioned in the first post.
Trinity +++
For some, it's simply poor reading comprehension, which is endemic these days. For others, it is a matter of contradicting what Grandpa taught them. No fact you can present will be allowed to cast aspersions on Ol' Gramps. People will stick with extreme stubbornness to what their parents told them was true. (Religion, for example.)
If you want to kill the mold and mildew then use some tea tree oil on it. Won't hurt the leather, at all. I consider it to be beneficial to it.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Which is why old wives tales persist. And persist. And...
@TrinityScrimshaw there will always be naysayers. Always.
You don't owe it to them to change their mind, and even your most perfectly formed argument won't do it, regardless the evidence and experience you present.
With many people you simply will not prevail. They are stuck in their thinking, God bless them, and you're not going to "fix it". Their personal sense of self worth is so entangled with having to "be right" they don't dare let go and admit they're wrong.
Present the facts, and let them work it out themselves. Release them, it's out of your hands, and not your responsibility. It does not matter if they agree with you.
Tell the truth, even if it's through gritted teeth. The truth can stick up for itself.