Does anyone genuinely enjoy holidays? The middle of winter, the snow and slit, the permanent rush for presents and activities! If you love wearing white shoes as much as I do, you will know just how impossibly dirty they get during the holidays.
Good protector sprays are essential and I have been going through them like crazy over the past few years.
How Can I Protect My White Shoes?
Presents! I just summed up everything that was good about my ‘vacation’. By now, most people realize that I might have a slight inclination (read: clinical obsession) with everything that is shoes. You may even go as far as calling me an expert in this particular field – the shexpert. Shoes in every color are beautiful, but anything white truly has my heart. Notably, it is also what I gift to others.
Now, unless you plan to just keep them packed up, white boots will inevitably start looking ashy. Fret not, I will always come to your rescue, well, at least for your footwear. While there are ways to make your shoes look new again after some damage has occurred, why not just adopt certain practices to protect them from the get-go?
Note that I will be talking about sprays designed specifically for white shoes, check out my article on the best shoe protector spray if you own regular shoes.
There are many options available, but your best bet will be using a spray which is tailored to the material of shoes you own. While one particular spray can be used on different fabrics, a spray which is custom-made made for a certain material will provide a maximum shielding affect.
The most common type of white shoes is leather, canvas, and tennis. Leather provides shoes a more formal look, while still being flexible as well as supple. Canvas, on the other hand, is a more breathable and lightweight material generally used to make athletic shoes. However, all of these materials are still susceptible to the forces of nature.
The purpose of such protectant sprays is to act like a wall between your precious shoes, and the cruel world. The dangerous activity of walking can cause scratches on footwear which might in turn scratch your soul. If fate decides to be unkind, you can accidentally step in a puddle.
Spraying shoes beforehand will keep them looking fresh even in the severest conditions. I have prepared a list that will cater to all your different kinds of shoes, and the sprays to use.
Shoe Protector Spray for White Leather Shoes
Cadillac Select Premium Water Repellent & Stain Protector
When I read the name of this product, I too thought that it is the same company that manufactures cars. Alas, no one has thought to combine shoes and vehicles under the same umbrella. Cadillac Select Premium Water & Stain Protector acts as a barrier around your shoe.
It is specifically designed for all types of leather. This particular product is immensely popular with suede leather as well. Suede, as compared to normal leather, has a texture akin to velvet and easily gets ruined in muddy areas. There is also the factor of scuff marks, stains, and sunrays. Nothing worse than unnecessarily dried out boots.
The product itself is relatively easy to use. Clean off all impurities with a dry cloth. Keep the bottle at a distance and completely cover the shoes with the liquid. However, there is a difference between spraying on a layer and drenching your shoes in the product.
It will not harm your shoes, but they will take ages to try and by then you yourself might be old and withered. There you have it folks, a quick and easy way to ensure no harmful element dares to come near your shoes. And the best part, there are no silicones in the spray which means that your shoes will have a longer lifespan.
Coming back to how most of the gifts I gave were white shoes, I am pretty sure my family and friends wanted to hit me with them. Instead, I got them additional gifts, shoe sprays. I too think of myself as a generous giver.
My cousin Bash, I love that dude, but I swear he is the messiest eater in the world. Probably should have rethought white for him. Anyway, according to him, despite spilling soda, pasta, and ketchup on his boots, they still remain scot-free because of the spray. One point for Cadillac.
Solemates All Weather Protector
Ah, solemates. There is a smile on my face every time I read this name. It just makes you think of love. The warm kind filled with the smell of a shoe store. Or you know, whatever floats your boat.
Besides having the cleverest name for retail, Solemates realized that other kinds of sprays are filled with poison for both the environment, and the people using them. Ingredients used to include very harsh chemicals that would do more bad than good.
That is, until Solemates re-vamped the whole scene. They started producing products which not only protected their surroundings, but lengthened lifespans of footwear.
The spray itself does not have any odor as to not irritate senses. To use it, think of how you spray yourself with a deodorant. This is said assuming you use deodorant, which I sincerely hope you do.
Just spray the can evenly on the surface of the shoe, and your leather or suede will have a magic shield around it. It will not cause the material to change any texture or color. This All Weather Protector will keep your feet stain free.
I have these really close friends who live in England, Helen and Troy. The two are the definition of actual soulmates. They are the nauseating couple everyone hates, but also secretly envies, for being so cute. They actually met when Helen was running late for work and showed up in completely wet and ruined shoes.
Fortunately, it was also the day her new boss started, who was none other than Troy. The rest is history. As a running gag, I send her new pairs of suede shoes to remind her of that fateful day.
But ever since she has been using Solemate’s water repellant spray, her shoes remain in pristine condition. No more days of standing out because of muddy shoes.
Shoe Protector Spray for White Canvas Shoes
Sneaker LAB Shoe Protector Spray
I always wanted to be the cool kid on the block and own a pair of sneakers. A flawless white sole, an abundance of laces, and every color you can imagine. Yet again, white still stood out the most.
The elegance of that color just draws you in. Unfortunately, it is also the one color that gets dirty the quickest. It is just a matter of wearing them outside for a minute. Canvas is also the kind of material on which imperfections show clearly.
Sneaker LAB Shoe Protector Spray was designed to keep your status as the cool kid. Infused with sunscreen, it also keeps your converse from fading in the sun. Say goodbye to throwing your shoes in the washer, and hello to this spray for defense.
The positive factor of this brand is that they donate a portion of their earnings to a charity of their choice. These charities are usually linked with helping the younger generation grow in South Africa. The plastics they use to manufacture the bottles are also biodegradable.
It is a win-win situation where your shoes are protected, the environment benefits, and there is another uplifted child.
Buying anything white for your own children is one of the worst decisions you can make as a parent. Especially, if that thing is a white pair of sneakers. No matter how cute the size looked, understand that you are projecting your childhood dream of being popular onto your kid. They will put on those shoes.
Then they will go find a puddle even if it has not rained for a month. They will jump in it. Your dreams will shatter. However, as tested on my nephews, Sneaker LAB spray will keep your dreams hanging on for a little while as the layer of spray acts as a repellent. Every piece of gunk is just easily scraped off.
Youge Water & Stain Repellent
You think you know what heartbreak feels like till an event occurs that you just cannot come back from. It is the stuff of nightmares. I would not wish this even on my worst enemy.
Yes, you have probably guessed it by now, I am talking about spilling ketchup on your pristine white sneakers. They look like they have been through war. All that red. After witnessing that incident, I was never the same. Neither was my colleague who was now afraid of wearing white.
I decided to help him conquer this trauma. He had ordered Youge Water & Stain Repellent some time ago but had just received it after the incident. I remembered he had a bottle lying around but no will to actually try it.
So, I did the unthinkable. I got him another pair of white sneakers, similar to the ones he had lost. The look on his face when he opened were a mixture of elation and pain. A lost lover had returned, but not the same.
He decided to try out the spray on his own time. The plan was to get a packet of ketchup and spill it over these shoes. All the rest of us saw was that when he came back the next day, his shoes were white, and his essence seemed lighter.
He explained that after applying the spray and letting it dry, he did the deed. What ended up happening was that instead of being absorbed into the fabric, the ketchup started to coagulate and slid right off the surface. Truly a miracle, indeed.
Shoe Protector Spray for White Tennis Shoes
TriNova Stain Guard
Why are they called Tennis Shoes when most people do not even wear them to walk around, let alone do some sports. They are the trusty kicks to put on for a casual meetup with friends. What better way to flaunt than wearing your brand-new white shoes and pretending you came straight over here from the gym.
TriNova is more of an all-purpose spray. Since it does not have an aerosol function, it is less likely to be flammable, and safe to use indoors. It is more commonly used to make household furniture, such as dining chairs, more stain repellent. So, why would I be recommending this product for shoes?
TriNova Stain Guard has a simple story attached to it. My mother-in-law (not monster, she is nice) loves entertaining guests. Guests though, tend to leave a mess. One particular evening, a family with plentiful children were coming over.
She had been previously using this spray religiously. Since last time, her favorite tennis shoes were ruined by said children, she decided to spray her shoes as well. And the gathering began. All seemed to be going well until one of the kids crashed into her and made her spill wine all over.
The downside was that her pants and rug were ruined, and yet, her new shoes seemed as white as ever. That is how fate works at times.