I have used several leather care products in the past few years, all with quality reputations. But the Otter Wax combination of Saddle Soap, Leather Oil, and application brushes is giving me BY FAR the best leather cleaning/restoring results I've ever had.
The Saddle Soap is a necessary prerequisite to the Leather Oil.I scrub my boots and leather belts thoroughly to clean them, using the stiff bristle brush (I use the metal brush for stained areas), with a lot of warm water and plenty of Saddle Soap. I then wait 24 hours for the leather to dry completely.
After the Saddle Soap cleaning, I apply the Leather Oil using the soft bristle brush. I use a generous amount, brushing it in thoroughly, and again let it dry at least overnight.
A final light coating of Leather Oil is the last step, again using the soft brush and allowing it to dry completely, usually overnight.
This leaves the leather soft but still firm... just the way good leather should feel. When I lace my boots while putting the boots on, the leather is pliable enough that I can feel the leather conforming to the shape of each foot. Terrific!
I also rub the Leather Oil into the boot laces. This makes them last a long time, and they no longer come loose easily after tying and can be tightened as much as you wish without loosening.
The entire process leaves the leather with a soft, clean glow. It's not a shine, but a glow. It makes the leather look and feel great. I clean the boots 2 or 3 times a year, the belts once or twice a year.
Otter Wax Saddle Soap, Leather Oil, and the brushes are topnotch products.
