1. Crep Protect Shoe Protection Spray
2. Scotchgard Suede & Nubuck Shoe Protection Spray
3. Rust-Oleum NeverWet Boot and Shoe Protection Spray
4. Apple Brand Garde Rain & Stain Water Repellent
5. Kiwi Protect All Rain and Stain Repellent
6. Bickmore Gard-More Water & Stain Repellent
7. ForceField Waterproof Leather and Suede Protector
8. Moneysworth & Best Pro-Tex
9. Reshoevn8r Shoe Water & Stain Repellent Kit
10. Kiwi Select All Protector 2 Pack
Shoe Protection Spray Buying Guide & FAQ
How We Chose Our Selection Of Shoe Protection Spray
Shoe protection sprays are relatively simple products. You spray or wipe them onto your shoes and other leather, suede and cloth items and they provide a waterproof barrier that works like wax on a car. As such, while a particular name brand like Kiwi might provide warm fuzzy feelings of familiarity we’re not really bowled over by warm fuzzies and are more concerned with whether or not the product actually works. Which in this case is pretty easy to determine. You put it on and your shoes either get wet or they don’t.
Because of the straightforward nature of the product, we don’t find ourselves relying too heavily on 3rd party reviews either. Not that we ever do. But in this case, sifting through hundreds of customer reviews is especially pointless because, as we say, the product either keeps your shoes dry or it doesn’t. And no amount of glowing or scathing reviews is going to change that. As for price, well, there’s nothing here that’s going to cost more than a large pizza. So the price is not a major concern either. At the end of the day, all we care about is if the product keeps your shoes dry. And whether it does so without turning your shoes some funky shade of yellow-green.
Features To Look For In Shoe Protection Sprays
Quantity/effectiveness - The quality of this type of product is inexorably tied to its effectiveness. You simply can’t separate the two. Its primary purpose is to keep water from penetrating and damaging your shoes. Not to raise your social standing, help you become more productive at work or taste great. If it keeps the water and stains and wet socks at bay and does that reliably without a lot of effort, then it’s effective and therefore a quality product. On the other hand, if you apply it and find that water gets through and stains your shoes anyway then it is most definitely not effective and can only be considered a poor quality product. The kind that would not have made this list.
Suitable application - Before you purchase a shoe protection spray make sure it is intended to work on the type of item I want to apply it to. It may be you’re looking for a way to waterproof your canvas Chuck Taylors. In that case, the waterproof spray for shoes will need to be made for fabrics as well a leather, suede and other animal products. Conversely, if you want to waterproof your new blue suede shoes you need to be sure the leather protector spray was formulated to handle suede. Not all are. And lastly, if you’re looking for a way to improve the waterproofness of your old rain slicker keep in mind that many types of shoe protection spray are not formulated to handle vinyl.
Discoloration - Discoloration is where we separate the men from the boys when it comes to shoe protection sprays. There are any number of sprays on the market that will prevent water from penetrating and ruining your shoes. Unfortunately, many of them add a very unwanted yellowy film on your shoes that’s unattractive and could actually remain with your shoe for a good long time even after the shoe protection spray wears off. There are 2 main issues when it comes to this type of sealant: does it work and does it turn your shoes a funky color? All other considerations are secondary or tertiary.
Smell - This type of product is formulated from chemicals that the world spelling bee champion would have a hard time spelling. As such it’s a bit unrealistic to think that it’s going to smell like freshly cut roses. In fact, it’s often going to have an aggressively unpleasant smell to it. One whose unpleasantness will be all the more magnified if the delivery vehicle is an aerosol can. If you have purchased an aerosol shoe protection spray make sure you always use it in a well-ventilated area. A) Because it will help dissipate the smell and B) because it will minimize the amount of shoe protectant you wind up inhaling.
Number of applications - In a perfect world we could take everyone’s word for everything and that would be that. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. We live in a world where, as a former president once said “trust, but verify” is what reasonable people do. Many shoe protection sprays claim that they will provide months and months of protection with just a single application. The fact is that some will. Others won’t. And still, others won’t provide any real protection with just a single application. The only way to know is to try the recommended number of applications and see what happens. Since we didn’t have years to verify the accuracy of manufacturer claims regarding the number of applications this is one area where we had to fall back to some extent on user reviews and feedback.
Re-application time - This is closely linked with the number of applications. And like the number of applications you can’t just take the manufacturer’s word on how long the product will last before it needs to be re-applied. Some will say a year. Others will say a few months. The fact is that, since no two people are going to apply precisely the same amount of shoe protection spray the re-application time is likely to vary at least some from manufacturer claims.
Shoe Protection Spray FAQ
Q: How can I make the application dry quicker?
A: Most producers of these shoe protection sprays recommend that you allow the protectant to dry naturally. This will ensure that the material sets in the way it’s intended which will allow for it to last as long as possible and deliver the most thorough protection possible. That said there are a couple of workarounds you can use if you are in a hurry that will dry the film faster. Although be aware that the manufacturer makes no guarantees as to the effectiveness of the material if you do. The first is to simply set the shoes or bag or jacket in front of a fan. This will certainly dry the material faster but it’s also likely to project dust into the film that will wind up drying into the protective coating. The other method is to use a hairdryer. Although again, if you heat the material up too much you run the risk of compromising its composition and, by extension, its effectiveness.
Q: Do different climates and conditions affect shoe protection spray?
A: Unless it says on the package that the spray material is only intended for warm or cold weather (and the best shoe protection spray will never say something like that) the weather should not in any way impact the effectiveness of the sealant. The only caveat being that the material must be applied in the recommended way under recommended conditions and in the recommended amounts.
Q: Should I wear a respirator mask when applying a waterproof spray?
A: For the most part it depends on the type of water repellent spray for shoes you’re using and where you are when you apply the spray. If you’re using an aerosol spray in a closed room then you should definitely wear a protective dust mask. If you are using a non-aerosol spray outdoors or in the garage then there is no compelling reason to use a mask. Some people will want to err on the side of caution and wear a protective mask no matter what. And there is certainly nothing wrong with that approach. The only time it may be necessary to consider an actual respirator is if you are applying the material in a tiny, completely enclosed space, like a walk-in closet. That said, however, you should not be applying any type of chemical sealant in such a tiny enclosed space.
