Cleaning heavily greasy tack

[appaloosacaz]

So at my job we have sets of tack to clean, and we have horses who we take responsibility for.
One of the other members of staff has left and I’ve had to pick up one of their horses. I am really struggling to get the tack clean, it’s very very heavily greasy and in certain places is slightly discoloured. We clean all the tack every day.
Does anyone have any suggestions/products to get this tack looking any better?
I have so far tried scraping as much off as possible and using steam. I’ve also tried just using hot water (squeezed out as much as possible without soap as I feel the soap might be part of the build up) the tack is safe and usable however the quality seems to have diminished slightly as much as I would love to have it all replaced it is still entirely usable

Thank you

 

[honetpot]

Water as hot as your hand can stand, then a micro fibre cloth. If its really, really bad, hot water, a veg soap, immerse and scrub, but as it dries out naturally you have to replace the oils lost and keep putting saddle soap on it or else it will crack. I use spray glycerin soap now.

 

[outdoor girl]

In the old days, we used to use hair from the horses tail. We'd twist it round into a little knot and rub that on the grease. It removed it without damaging the leather.

 

[Baywonder]

I always used a sponge and warm water with a bit of washing up liquid to clean my tack. Afterwards, good quality saddle soap and a buff with a soft cloth (not glycerine though).

 

[Goldenstar]

I would start with a piece of old towel, hot water a three drops of fairy liquid wash it using the piece of towel, well dry it well and leave it to dry out then a light soap ( or whatever you use ). You might have to do it a few times .

 

[sbloom]

Saddle soap is the build up in so many cases. Hand hot water with a tiny squirt of Fairy, old fashioned cotton dishcloths, just the ones in packs at the supermarket, are good for every day cleaning. Horse hair may well help right now! Then use a good conditioner, when needed, such Saddler's Blend from @cremedemonthe on here.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I always used a sponge and warm water with a bit of washing up liquid to clean my tack. Afterwards, good quality saddle soap and a buff with a soft cloth (not glycerine though).

This! Good old soap and water, dry with a towel or cloth and a generous application of saddle soap or conditioner

 

[tda]

Washing up liquid, warm water and sponge with scourer. Use gently

 

[sbloom]

This! Good old soap and water, dry with a towel or cloth and a generous application of saddle soap or conditioner

Saddle soap is part of the cause, most are glycerine based. Witness that if you don't use it you'll seldom see grease jockeys (though of course if you clean your tack super regularly, even with glycerine saddle soap, you'll probably keep them away with effort). Conditioner, a good one, is entirely different.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Saddle soap is part of the cause, most are glycerine based. Witness that if you don't use it you'll seldom see grease jockeys (though of course if you clean your tack super regularly, even with glycerine saddle soap, you'll probably keep them away with effort). Conditioner, a good one, is entirely different.

Ive used stubben saddle soap since I was 10 but I clean my tack regularly never gets greasy

 

[sbloom]

Ive used stubben saddle soap since I was 10 but I clean my tack regularly never gets greasy

As I said if you clean it really often it won't cause you the same problems but it really has little benefit for leather, being a poor cleanser and poor conditioner. It should always be rinsed off if used as a cleanser. I used it for years but found it much easier, cheaper and effective not to use it.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Hot soapy water and a old scourer sponge thing meant for washing up but I only use the scratchy bit on the rough side of the leather.

I use renapur cleaner and conditioner on my tack and all my leather boots it's great stuff.

 

[Widgeon]

Water as hot as your hand can stand, then a micro fibre cloth.

Same here, this is my technique. Mucrofibre cloths are so useful! Plus Ecover washing up liquid (which I use to clean everything). Then, as others have said, some sort of cream leather conditioner instead of saddle soap. I am happy to say that with this regime you can get away with minimal tack cleaning (*beams with joy*) although I realise that is perhaps not the point....

 

[Widgeon]

I use renapur cleaner and conditioner on my tack and all my leather boots it's great stuff.

This looks interesting, might try this. Because I am immensely lazy (see above) I like to be able to use the same stuff on my tack, boots, and any other leather items that might need caring for....

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

This looks interesting, might try this. Because I am immensely lazy (see above) I like to be able to use the same stuff on my tack, boots, and any other leather items that might need caring for....

It's brilliant stuff I bought the whole lot a few years back at Hoys but you can buy on line, I just line up all my leather boots and do the whole lot the conditioner actually waterproofs them the water just runs off, I also have a suede and nubuck protector spray as I have a lot of suede boots as well.

 

[Birker2020]

So at my job we have sets of tack to clean, and we have horses who we take responsibility for.
One of the other members of staff has left and I’ve had to pick up one of their horses. I am really struggling to get the tack clean, it’s very very heavily greasy and in certain places is slightly discoloured. We clean all the tack every day.
Does anyone have any suggestions/products to get this tack looking any better?
I have so far tried scraping as much off as possible and using steam. I’ve also tried just using hot water (squeezed out as much as possible without soap as I feel the soap might be part of the build up) the tack is safe and usable however the quality seems to have diminished slightly as much as I would love to have it all replaced it is still entirely usable

Thank you

White spirit which will remove all grease, but this must be followed immediately by a good conditioner.

 

[honetpot]

Same here, this is my technique. Mucrofibre cloths are so useful! Plus Ecover washing up liquid (which I use to clean everything). Then, as others have said, some sort of cream leather conditioner instead of saddle soap. I am happy to say that with this regime you can get away with minimal tack cleaning (*beams with joy*) although I realise that is perhaps not the point....

They also strip the grease out of your hands, so I have to wear gloves when I use them.

 

[Lady Jane]

A used kitchen scourer (sponge with green on back), something like fairy liquid and a knife.

I give my bridle and quick scrape with the blunt knife every time and it has never done any harm. Obviously only rough side of leather

 

[Birker2020]

Same here, this is my technique. Microfibre cloths are so useful!

I can't stand the feel of them , horrible if you have any rough skin on uour hands. Like nails on a chalk board to me

 

[Widgeon]

I can't stand the feel of them , horrible if you have any rough skin on uour hands. Like nails on a chalk board to me

I agree they're not very nice, I just wash and moisturise my hands afterwards though.

 

[Parrotperson]

Another for fairy liquid washing up stuff and hot water. Plus a v blunt penknife so it can’t damage the leather but scraps off the grease.