Tack cleaning tips?

[ApacheCob]

So, I’m looking to start up a local tack cleaning service to earn some extra money while I’m at school. I’ve done a few years of groom work at a private yard, cleaning old saddles n that, but I’d really like to expand my cleaning skills more than just ‘rub on some conditioner and call it done’. Does anyone have any nifty tips and tricks about tack cleaning, leather care and repair, what to do and not to do with leather, polishing metal, getting off grease and gunk, that they could share with me? Any really good products, tools, or techniques that could help me make my service that little bit better? It would be a big help, thank you

 

[pansymouse]

I'm a bridle maker and restorer and am passionate about correct cleaning and car of leather. The first thing you need to do is get rid of any products containing glycerine - it's basically sugar and makes leather horrible and sticky and provides a base for dirt to stick to and a food for mold. Secondly do not use oil - it expands the fibres of the leather and weakens them. I only use two products - Wilf Whites Saddle Soap and a leather conditioner that I make myself from bees wax and animal fats. I do use a dilute Milton sterilising fluid wash on very dirty or moldy tack before I clean it with the Wilf Whites. For metal I use Bar Keepers Friend to clean off the dirt and rust and bring it back to a regular metal surface; I don't usually polish metal. I've just restored some WW1 Stirrups and leathers which I've got from crispy leather and heavily marked metal to supple leather and smart metal using the products above.