My experience using black Italian leather saddles for a long time, is that over time they get dirty with accumulation of dust. At least once or twice a year, I notice the leather appears dry or leaves a dirt mark when wiped with a light towel. What I do is clean it with saddle soap (Kiwi brand), following the directions on the label. The result is a clean and moisturized leather that looks newer and leaves no dirt mark. I've not used Proofide, so cannot say whether or not it is the equivalent or different from saddle soap. Would anyone who's used both products comment on a comparison of Proofide vs. saddle soap? Thanks.