# What to use to clean a saddle seat?



## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

After putting leather new and such on suede, I am not sure what will work now.

For Suede Seats I always uses soapy water and dip a course bristled brush in the solution and then let the excess solution drain off and then gently scrub the suede, place clean towl on suede and pat off excess moisture, then clean brush and do same procedure with plain water, pat dry with clean towel to 90% of moisture is gone.



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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

I only used the Leather New on a tiny spot, trying to see if it would do anything. I will try the soap and water today. One last try before she gets it.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

WHatever you do, remember that you are running the risk of making the dye run.

Suede cleaning is an art filled with technology.

Always do a spot test on any suggestion made to you.
If you have some similar fabric try any suggested solution out first.

The risk is that you end up with a clean saddle seat but one left with patches of different colours.

Go talk with a dry cleaner who claims to be able to clean suede clothing. Speak with the manager and not the shop assistant.

It is likely that the product you need (maybe a chlorinated solvent) is no longer available to the public but the manager should know.

Then phone up the saddlemaker and ask him.

But trust noone - still do a patch test before you tackle the whole of the seat. Then cross your fingers, make an offering to a charity and hope. 

As the man said, warm soapy water is a great cleaner but choose very carefully a pure natural soap - not detergent ,
no perfumes. We still can buy over here traditional saddle soaps.

If the saddle is very important to you for showing, then I would try to find an old saddle with a suede seat and experiment on it.

Be lucky

B G


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

Barry, thanks. This is a saddle that has been in my family for about 35 years so it's old and worn. It is not a show saddle. I think I'll probably leave it as is so not to ruin anything. My daughter won't care that the seat is worn because it's HERS, and it has a history. She'll care more about the history and that it has a story than a clean seat. The rest of it cleaned up amazingly well though.

I appreciate the advice.


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## xxBarry Godden (Jul 17, 2009)

Over in the UK we have a programme called the Antiques roadshow. Family heirlooms are presented and an expert examines them, gives a potted history and suggests a valuation. All fascinating stuff.

But when it comes to furniture and one or two other items - then the patina - ie the shine and colour developed over the years is to be retained and is perceived to be confirmation of the age of the item.

I would perhaps wipe the saddle with a moist soapy sponge to get the surface dirt off but otherwise I'd leave it - perhaps as a memory of all those folks who have sat on it. 

I would be more worried about whether the saddle fitted the horse.

B G


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

Barry Godden said:


> Over in the UK we have a programme called the Antiques roadshow. Family heirlooms are presented and an expert examines them, gives a potted history and suggests a valuation. All fascinating stuff.
> 
> But when it comes to furniture and one or two other items - then the patina - ie the shine and colour developed over the years is to be retained and is perceived to be confirmation of the age of the item.
> 
> ...


When it was given to me, I took it to her instructor and it does fit on her lesson pony, plus the other horse she rides on occassion. Right now the stirrups are a little too long for her, so it'll be late summer at the way she grows. She loves it.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

SouthernTrailsGA said:


> After putting leather new and such on suede, I am not sure what will work now.
> 
> For Suede Seats I always uses soapy water and dip a course bristled brush in the solution and then let the excess solution drain off and then gently scrub the suede, place clean towl on suede and pat off excess moisture, then clean brush and do same procedure with plain water, pat dry with clean towel to 90% of moisture is gone.
> 
> ...


thats exactly how I clean my wintec 2000 suade seat... and it really does work


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

My dad looked at it and said it's an old saddle with a story, and it's supposed to look like that. He told my daughter that each mark has a story, and that someday maybe Auntie (his sister with whom he hasn't spoken in almost 10 years) will tell him some of the stories. I think her giving me this saddle for my daughter is the begining of fixing a broken relationship. It doesn't matter, because she loves it.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

fowl play - thats really cool


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