Saddle soap to clean shoes?

[GBer]

Anybody use saddle soap is part of their regular shoe care/ maintenance? Any techniques or brands you would like to share?

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by GBer

Anybody use saddle soap is part of their regular shoe care/ maintenance? Any techniques or brands you would like to share?
Better than nothing but not by much...saddle soap will leave a thin residue on the leather that will pick up dust and dirt. Sometimes, depending on the formulation that residue is tallow, sometimes it is glycerin. Better to use a shoe cleaner like Lexol Leather cleaner--a ph balanced liquid soap...and rinse thoroughly. Or even baby shampoo which is ph balanced as well.

 

[MyOtherLife]

For regular shoe maintenance I would never use any soap of any kind in the first place.
After each wearing take a damp rag and wipe off the shoes. Let them dry.
Apply sparingly, once a month, some Lexol or leather lotion, let dry, wipe with dry cloth, brush then buff. Use shoe trees to maintain shape and have several pair of shoes in your rotation so you don't wear the same shoes 2 days in a row.

 

[dsmolken]

Regular maintenance, no. Restoring something very old and dried out, possibly. I've used it on a hundred-year-old leather mandolin case once.

 

[GBer]

What about Saphir Renovateur?

 

[madstaxbro]

Just today I was looking for ways to clean oil/wax off shoes because I brushed it in too hard with a pair I got today that darkened unevenly. Now, I hadn't opened the tin for a few months and when I did just a few minutes ago I see several blotches of black fuzzy-looking spots on the surface. It doesn't seem to be the residue from the brush because it looks to have sprouted away from where I usually rub into the soap. Would any experts mind enlightening me on what it is? Apologies for the bad focus.

 

[Dorothea]

Do not force the rub, to regular maintenance

 

[DWFII]

Originally Posted by madstaxbro

Just today I was looking for ways to clean oil/wax off shoes because I brushed it in too hard with a pair I got today that darkened unevenly. Now, I hadn't opened the tin for a few months and when I did just a few minutes ago I see several blotches of black fuzzy-looking spots on the surface. It doesn't seem to be the residue from the brush because it looks to have sprouted away from where I usually rub into the soap. Would any experts mind enlightening me on what it is? Apologies for the bad focus.

That's mold. Saddle soap is tallow based, if the tallow is not rendered properly it will mold.

 

[GBer]

Originally Posted by DWFII

That's mold. Saddle soap is tallow based, if the tallow is not rendered properly it will mold.

Ouch! So he has to throw it out...

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Man Of Lint

For regular shoe maintenance I would never use any soap of any kind in the first place.
After each wearing take a damp rag and wipe off the shoes. Let them dry.
Apply sparingly, once a month, some Lexol or leather lotion, let dry, wipe with dry cloth, brush then buff. Use shoe trees to maintain shape and have several pair of shoes in your rotation so you don't wear the same shoes 2 days in a row.
This is consistent with what cobblers have told me.

 

[pk977]

What is the different between Saddle Soap and Saddle oil use for leather jacket and shoes

 

[msulinski]

The only shoes I use saddle soap on are my AE rough collection shoes. They don't take polish though, and are the exception to the rule