When purchasing a shoe protection spray, you need to consider the benefits you need it to provide. Do you want to protect your shoes from water, or is it stains that you’re worried about? What is the climate like? Depending on how much rain you get where you live, you will need to consider whether you need your shoes to be waterproof, water resistant or water repellent. These are three very different categories, and should not be confused. It is also important that you are aware of the limitations of your footwear. A pair of leather flats cannot be expected to keep you dry in knee-deep snow, so your footwear choice should be made according to the weather as well.

There are three levels of protection that sprays may offer:

There is a number of elements you will want to protect your footwear from. Whether it's your favorite pair of everyday shoes, a fancy pair of loafers you wear on special occasions, or your trusted work or hiking boots, prevention can go a long way. One of the most obvious reasons for this is the fact that life can be quite unpredictable, and you never know if you're going to be caught in rain, if you're going to accidentally spill your coffee, or if you'll step in a puddle.

There are several factors that shoe sprays featured on this list take into consideration:

Water – this is one of the most widespread culprits of damage in shoes. Whether it’s from a light drizzle when you’re out in your fancy shoes, a huge downpour, melting snow or your everyday working environment, water can easily ruin shoes. From discoloring them to affecting their shape and flexibility, to even drying out leather, it’s to be avoided. Even more, moist areas are the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria which can compromise your foot health.

Salt – one of the worst things that can happen to your leather shoes is to be stained with salt. This will not only lead to stains but will also dry out the material, causing cracking and overall shortening your footwear’s lifespan. Shoe protection sprays which work against salt are not common, so if you live somewhere with lots of snow, make sure to choose a product which will eliminate any salt damage to your footwear.

Stain – If you just want your shoes to look new for a longer period, you may want to consider a stain-resistant spray. These will help prevent dirt from getting into your shoes, and will generally make cleaning easier.

Oil – although closely related to stain protection, oil damage on shoes can get much worse than an accidental spill. Usually, people who work in environments around oil and oil-based liquids will appreciate this additional level of protection which is meant not only to keep their shoes looking clean but more importantly, to keep these oily substances from getting in contact with the foot, which can be a health hazard in some situations.

One of the more important factors when choosing a shoe protector spray is the way it is used and applied. Some protector sprays are fairly easy to put on, while others require more skill, patience and time. No matter what spray you get, one of the first things you need to ensure is that your shoes are properly cleaned. This will enable the particles in the spray to bind with the shoe material, making it more efficient.

Before application, remove any laces from your shoes, and wash them. Make sure you wash the shoes properly (suede and leather are not to be submerged in water) and allow your footwear to thoroughly dry. Note that this may take up to a few days, but it is best to leave the drying process to happen naturally, so as not to compromise the build of your shoes.

Once your shoes are dry, test the spray on a small, less visible part of the shoe to ensure that there’s no damage to the material, color or flexibility of your footwear. If everything looks good after 24h, then you can safely apply the substance to the rest of your shoes.

According to the instructions on the spray bottle, apply the spray in an even coat. Let it dry for the prescribed amount of time (this can vary from 10 minutes to 36 hours), then repeat the process as instructed. Some sprays will need to be applied in two or three coats, while others are effective enough with just one.

An important factor to consider when choosing a spray is how long the protection lasts. Some protector sprays offer just a few days of protection, while others will keep your shoes safe for weeks or months. To get the best protection possible, don’t forget to re-apply the spray regularly.

In addition to how effective a certain spray is in protecting your footwear from weather or signs of use, you should also consider how it can affect you, seeing that you'll be using these chemicals, and they may even come into contact with your skin. Here are the most important aspects to consider:

Environmental impact: While this doesn’t affect the effectiveness of the shoe protector spray and it doesn’t confer any unique benefits on your shoes when the spray has been applied, it is an important aspect if you’re concerned about the environment. You don’t necessarily have to choose between environmental-friendliness and effectiveness anymore, as technology has progressed to the point where shoe protectant spray manufacturers can create effective and environmentally friendly sprays. You can spray biodegradable shoe sprays on your shoes with no guilt over your impact on the environment!

Materials: Before you go to town with your favorite pair of shoes and a can of protection spray, it is crucial to see whether said spray is appropriate for use on the material your shoes are made of. This will save you from a lot of regrets, as it will ensure you don’t ruin your footwear.

Side Effects: Some sprays, especially those based on silicone will leave behind a residue or a translucent glaze, which gives the appearance of spots and uncleanliness. Look for a protection spray which dries clear. Be sure to confirm that it does, in fact, become a clear coating by researching the reviews and product information on the product. Otherwise, you may wind up with a pair of dark-colored leather shoes with a sticky, white residue that makes it look like you walked in salt after a hard snow.

Safety Hazards: If you have pets, you don’t want to use a protection product that is toxic, especially if they are going to be around or near the shoes you are protecting while the spray dries or while the spray is being applied. Similarly, you do not want to use a spray that is toxic inside your house without a lot of ventilation. It could make you and your pets ill. As securing your pets away from the shoes and spray and then opening all the windows in your house can be inconvenient, you should look for shoe protection sprays which are non-toxic.

Odor: Most shoe protection sprays will have some odor which is a product of the chemicals they’re made of. Make sure you check the manufacturer information, and that you use the spray outside. While some sprays will dry to be odorless, they still may have a strong smell while wet, which means that you should avoid spraying them inside.

When purchasing products such as sprays, you will need to consider how often they need to be applied to be effective. Additionally, certain brands may require a heavier coat to provide your favorite shoes with protection, while some may need more than just one. Overall, this can easily add up, bringing the price of protecting your shoes significantly up, making it cheaper just to purchase a new style than to re-apply the spray every few weeks or even days.

When choosing the products for this list, we tried to pick only the ones that had a longer time of effectiveness, which should help bring down the overall cost. Additionally, we looked at the size of the can, as well as whether the item in question was available in a value package with two or more cans.

Last but not least, the number of materials the spray can be used on was also consider, ensuring that you could apply it to more than just one pair of footwear. Of course, some specific materials such as suede or mesh require special attention, and investing in a product made for those specifically is a good idea if you want to keep them looking new, but overall, one or two types of products should be enough for most people.