A Shield For Your Shoes: The Best Shoe Protector Sprays Of 2022

Why Trust Us

There is nothing more miserable than finding yourself on a hiking trail with wet shoes. In colder weather conditions this is not only uncomfortable, it can also be hazardous for the health of your feet and your wellbeing in general. Keeping your shoes dry ensures your adventures are about the journey, not the pain you went through so we took the time to experiment with some of the best shoe protector sprays to keep your shoes and your feet dry. After all, we're all about the best gear and keeping your gear protected.

Who This Is For

Shoe protector sprays are for anyone who values their shoes. Good quality footwear isn't exactly cheap and for this reason, you want your kicks to last. The best protector sprays will not only prevent your shoes from getting wet but also resist stains. This guide has been put together to help those who place value on exceptional quality footwear for all occasions and make sure they get the most out of their investment.

How We Picked

We pulled the best of the best shoe protector sprays out into one convenient list, but now it’s time to show you how we deliberated. After checking out dozens of new products and reading hundreds of customer reviews, we consulted with the outdoor professionals on our team who hike and camp all year round, as they know everything there is to know on how to keep shoes, backpacks, and gear dry during rainy and snowy weather.

Features To Look For In Shoe Protector Sprays

Spray capacity - Everyone wants more bang for their buck and although each container of shoe protectant spray will have the ounces stated on the bottle, you still need to understand how much you need to use to ensure you get the best value. Some of the bottles in our selection are considerably smaller, but they are nonetheless useful, especially for travelers.

Effectivity - User reviews come in handy here. When a company says that their spray has been formulated to last for 14 days, you have to think of the fact that it’s all lab tested, and most likely has not seen action out there in the real world. Use this information as a guide and check your shoes after each outing so you can see for yourself, just how long the product will really last with each application.

Suitable material application - Not all sprays are designed for all materials. While some sprays work best on leather, others are designed for canvas and fabrics. Always check the manufacturer's instructions before making your selection.

Discoloration - Waterproof sprays for boots have been known to discolor certain materials. We’ve done our best to select products that have little to no accounts about discoloration. User reviews come in handy here, and as a reminder, only spray a small area on your shoe at first to ensure it won’t discolor them.

Price - Fortunately, shoe protector sprays are not expensive and with the varieties available, there are plenty for your to choose from. In most cases, a bottle will last you for six months so it makes economical sense to always have one or more of these shoe protector sprays in your shoe closet and one for travel as well. They certainly cost less than replacing your shoes on a regular basis.

What To Do Before Using Shoe Protector Sprays

To get the most out of your shoe protector sprays, you need to follow a few steps to ensure the process is done right. As with all worthwhile processes, following the right steps means you can step out in confidence and know your shoes are safe.

• Dry brush your shoes - Use a good shoe brush with soft bristles to clean off caked-on mud and grime from your shoes. Spraying shoe protectors on dirty shoes is pretty much pointless.
• Spot clean any stains - Dry brushing will only remove so much dirt and grime so if there are still marks on your shoes, use a mild detergent and a damp cloth to address any stains.
• Give your shoes a thorough washing - If your shoes are really filthy, give them a complete cleaning. In some cases, you may be able to toss them into the washing machine with a load of towels, but do check the manufacturer's care instructions before doing this.
• Ensure they’re dry - If you apply this to shoes with even a hint of moisture coating the outside, you’re wasting your spray, time, and slipping into a false sense of security that your shoes will be okay.

Once your shoes are completely clean and thoroughly dry, you can follow the instructions on the bottle of the shoe protector spray you have chosen and apply the product to your shoes. If you don’t start with a perfectly clean shoe, you’re coating the dirt with the spray, which isn’t helping at all. Start with a clean slate for maximum protection.

Q: What is shoe protector spray?

A: A shoe protector spray forms a thin, protective layer or a shield that repels liquid from the surface of your shoes. Protectors act as a waterproof barrier for boots and shoes, and also help ward off other environmental damages, including salt, strong sunlight, dry heat, mud, and dust. You can use a shoe spray for work boots, dress shoes, your daily runners; basically, anything you’re putting on your feet could use a shoe protector spray as a means of inexpensive upkeep.

Q: How far away should you be from the shoe/boot you’re spraying?

A: First of all, be sure you’re in a well-ventilated area before spraying any of this stuff. It’s good for your shoes, not for your lungs (or pets, for that matter). Stand at a full arm's length distance, so your face will be as far away from the airborne spray as possible. Go in quick bursts, and ensure you cover each shoe/boot evenly. It’s not a bad idea to invest in a few disposable face masks just for this occasion, especially if you’re in less than ideal conditions and have to spray more often than you’d like. As an extra precaution, it is advisable to apply shoe protector spray outdoors.

Q: How often do I need to apply shoe protector spray?

A: This depends on how often you wear your shoes. If you’ve got half a dozen or more stashed in your closet, chances are you have one or two that you wear for daily use, and others for specific attire or occasions. Let’s break down a few scenarios to best describe how often you should apply shoe protector spray.

• Daily wear - Your kicks, your beaters, trainers, whatever you want to call them, have undergone hundreds of thousands of steps with you. They’re tired, so it’s time to slap on the protective barrier. You should spray your shoes down once every two weeks, allowing a full 24 hours for them to dry. Read further below for more information on specific climates and what that does to your shoes.
• Special occasions - Apply your protector 48 hours prior to use (since we’re assuming your special occasion shoes are all leather), and you’ll be good for your day or two out in the sun. These should be good for another 1-3 uses, but if they’re being shelved for weeks on end again, you’ll want to sit on the side of caution and apply another coating 48 hours before the event.
• Work wear - We can only imagine what you’re treading through every single day. You know, and that’s what matters. This is half our experience and half your judgment call. Assuming you’re working the nine-to-five grind and have the battle scars to show for it, you should apply your spray when you get home on Friday night, and just let them dry until the next Monday. You’re putting them through forty or more hours of hell; once a week will be your best bet.

Q: What about certain climates and conditions?

A: Seasons come and go, and each brings its own problem for your footwear. We’ve broken it down by season and different extremes below.

• Spring - You’re fighting massive amounts of pollen, rustled-up dust and a fair amount of heat. Spring is mild on your footwear, so you can stick to the guidelines we’ve listed above for proper maintenance.
• Summer - Dry, high heat can cause a number of different issues. Your spray is still partially comprised of liquid, which will evaporate and cook in the sun. If you’re out all day in the summer months, even for your regular kicks, you’ll want to dial it back to one application of shoe protector spray per week.
• Fall - Just like spring, it’s fairly mild. You mostly have to watch out for mud (water doesn’t evaporate as easily with declining temperatures), and other than that you’ll be good. Apply as explained above.
• Winter - When it’s stone-white cold outside, you know, when the ground actually looks like it froze over, the spray on your shoes doesn’t hold up quite so well. Apply once per week, especially if these winters bring a series of snowstorms.
• Dry, dusty desert - Midwest means shoe distress. It’s always dry, never humid, and your shoes are going to suffer for it. Dust is common here and will stick to and quickly degrade your shoe protector spray. Apply once weekly.
• Salt and snow - This one can be tricky. Winter means you need to apply once weekly, but if you got stuck in an unexpected snowstorm or kicked through slush on the side of the road while walking home, you need to dry your shoes and apply the spray immediately. You’ll burn through your protector quickly, but it’ll be worth it.
• Always raining - Rain kills your protector spray; there’s no getting around it. If you’re seeing 30% of your calendar covered in rain, you’ll need to go once weekly. For those weeks where it just doesn’t let up (we’re talking all week), do it twice weekly.
• Humid as hell - Humidity is water in the air, which just like rain, damages your protector. Once weekly should do the trick.

Q: Is it okay to use a hair dryer on your boots to dry them quickly?

A: It depends on what you’re working with. Shoe spray doesn’t inherently damage your shoes and boots, but applying it and waiting for it to dry is a totally different conversation. Whether it’s water repellent spray or you’re applying this for leather shoe care, this is what you need to know.

• Canvas - Canvas is durable regardless of temperatures, so using a hairdryer won’t be an issue here.
• Textiles (nylon, wool, polyester) - These will be able to handle the heat fairly easily, and you should have no problem using your hairdryer on them. Textiles often come with a bit of stretchiness to them, so unlike thicker materials, the heat will absorb and dissipate fairly quickly.
• Rubber - You probably don’t have full shoes made of rubber, but your outsole is bound to be rubber. Concentrated heat from your hairdryer won’t severely damage the rubber, not right away. Over time, rubber breaks down, and while the heat will accelerate deterioration, it won’t warp or damage your sneakers immediately.
• Synthetic fiber - You’ll see these in a lot of Under Armour shoes, and this is a judgment call on your part. Because the heat will penetrate the breathable materials, your rubber insole will take some damage. This material is probably the quickest drying (in our experience) when it comes to the dreadful wait after applying shoe protector spray.
• Leather (top or full grain) - This is where you hit a dead end. They take far longer to dry than other materials, yet you cannot, under any circumstances, use your hairdryer to speed up the process. Leather has an all-natural set of oils trapped inside, meaning that intense heat will dry them out. This is how you get fading (the unattractive kind), splitting, flaking, all the bad things that leather lovers don’t want to happen.
• Suede - Avoid using a hairdryer at all costs. Suede is a type of leather, and while it has less locked-in natural oils than full or top grain leather, you’ll still be destroying them with that the blast of concentrated heat from a hairdryer.

Sources:

1. Applications of Waterproofing Chemicals - World Of Chemicals
2. Swell For Leather: How To Properly Take Care Of Shoes And Sneakers - The Guardian
3. Waterproofing - Wikipedia