I think Deb offers some great advice on how to treat leather that is going to be put to use (ie., tack actually used to ride horses). Glycerine soap is great for "working" leather that is constantly being flexed--but my experience is that when tack treated with the soap is left on static display, it develops a rather off-putting, whitish "soap scum." CCI Notes on cleaning leather recommends gentle sweeping with a soft brush towards a vacuum cleaner nozzle that has be covered with gauze. Slightly ground-in dirt on smooth leather in good condition may be removed by gentle rubbing with a white vinyl eraser or powdered erasers. CCI specifically recommends avoiding any dressing or soap, citing instances of dressings further dehydrating stiff leather, oxidizing over time, and being very alkaline which contributes to further degradation. ------------------------------------------------------------ Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery 1302 Bomford Crescent S.W. Medicine Hat, AB T1A 5E6 (403) 502-8587 [log in to unmask] Disclaimer: The information transmitted is intended only for the addressee and may contain confidential, proprietary and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, distribution or other use of or the taking of any action in reliance upon this information is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete or destroy this message and any copies ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).