Should I saddle soap my boots?

[FairyLights]

I've bought a pair of Sherwood country boots, 2 shades of brown. They say they are treated leather to be waterproof. Should I boot polish the dark brown bits or saddle soap them or the whole boot? or do nothing?
they are these ones, I dont want to ruin them.
http://www.outofthecity.co.uk/sherwood-forest-cambridge-brown-standard-p-4440.html

 

[Syrah]

I'll be interested in the replies, I was wondering whether I could do the same to the leather parts on my bromonts.

I would imagine you'll have to spray them with waterproofing stuff afterwards though.

 

[Keenjean]

No!! You a waterproofing wax footwear cleaner on the leather and suede/nubuck proofer on the other bits if that's what they are. Nikwax make both these things, as do ariat. If you saddlesoap your boots you won't do them any favours, they're a different leather to tack and it won't protect them or help the waterproofing. You also risk ruining the guarantee by doing this as if they leak they'll say u haven't looked after them, happened to my friend unfortunately. They did send her some new boots but stated improper care was why the boots had failed as she had cleaned them with tack cleaner. Hope this helps

 

[sbloom]

I don't recommend my customers to use saddle soap on anything! It IS a soap and is the wrong pH for leather, just as it is for skin. It's a poor cleanser, a poor conditioner (it is a humectant ie it attracts moisuture which is what makes it sticky, and it attracts dirt!) and should never be used as a one step product - you need to remove dirt and a one step product is highly likely to just push the dirt back into the pores.

I use a gentle conditioner on non-polished boot leathers - Effax Lederbalsam, but on a waterproof leather I'd use the maker's own product if they have one, otherwise something like Nikwax.

 

[Lotty]

Eeeeek!! When I clean my ariat boots and gaitors I wipe over with a bit of fairy liquid in water to get most of the muck off. I then clean them with Albion saddle soap. They always look nice, am I ruining them??

 

[sbloom]

Glycerine makes things look lovely, that's why everyone uses it (and it's cheap!). You're not ruining them to that extent but it's not the best thing to use on them. Ariat has its own products, otherwise do what I do - regular boot polish (on short Performer Pros) so they come up dark again, and top off with Nikwax.

 

[FairyLights]

Thanks everyone, Glad I asked the question! off to buy something more suitable now.

 

[Lotty]

Glycerine makes things look lovely, that's why everyone uses it (and it's cheap!). You're not ruining them to that extent but it's not the best thing to use on them. Ariat has its own products, otherwise do what I do - regular boot polish (on short Performer Pros) so they come up dark again, and top off with Nikwax.

Thank you