Ever polished your shoes well, and you know there’s still room for more gloss but you don’t know how to make the shoes glossier? I have! I’m a sucker for shiny shoes. I like to take pictures and see that my shoes are reflecting the sun.
Perhaps the gloss is not your primary goal. Your primary goal might be finding an easy and fast way of polishing your shoes when you’re running late for an appointment or you’re done with work for the day but still want to look as neat as you were before leaving home.
Whatever your goal may be, as far as you need a convenient, fast and easy way to polish your shoe and make it glossy, your aim should be to get the best shoe shine sponge.
How Do You Use a Shoe Shine Sponge?
You’re probably used to polishing your shoes using only a horsehair brush or a soft lint-free cloth. While this is effective, it won’t make your shoes as glossy as a shoe shine sponge would.
How you use a shoe shine sponge will depend on if it comes attached to the mouth of the shoe polish- which will be liquid, or if you buy it on its own.
If the shoe shine sponge is attached to the mouth of the polish;
The first thing you want to do before polishing with anything- shoe shine sponge, horsetail brush or soft cloth- is spread a newspaper or rag over the area you’ll be polishing to avoid staining the area.
Secondly,
gently squeeze the polish to release some liquid polish. Apply around the shoe.
Make sure you’re not exerting pressure on the bottle while applying so more
polish doesn’t flow out.
Observe the surface of the shoe while applying. Is it glossy enough? If it’s
not, squeeze a little more till you get the result you desire. You should know
when to stop.
There are numerous shoe shine sponges, below are reviews of the 10 best Shoe Shine Sponge
1. Kiwi Express Neutral Shoe Shine Sponge
This shoe shine sponge already has a clear shine liquid, so you’ll not have to use polish with it. The shine liquid which is neutral so it can be used on any shoe color- talk about an economical shoe shine sponge! So you don’t wake up one day to a dry sponge, there’s a gauge which lets you know when you need to replace the shine sponge.
Apart from an exhausted shine liquid, exposing the sponge by leaving it open could make the sponge dry and hard because the liquid will be lost in the atmosphere. To prevent this and make both your sponge and shine liquid durable, you should always replace the cover after use.
Dry sponges get hard, break and fall out with time, making them useless. That’s why it’s usually advised to preserve the dry sponge by dropping a few drops of olive oil in it and covering it, especially if you’ll not use it for long. This helps to keep the sponge moisturized.
With this sponge, a horsetail brush or buff won’t be necessary. It produces a good result on its own.
Kiwi advises against using this shoe shine sponge on suede, fabric or nubuck. Remember to always keep out of reach of children.
How to use a Kiwi Shoe Shine Sponge
- Clean your shoes with a dry lint-free rag to remove loose dirt
- Rub the shoe shine sponge over the surface of the shoe till you are satisfied with the result. You’ll notice the new glow the shoe will have if there’s still clear shine liquid in the shoe sponge
- If the shoe shine liquid is exhausted, dip the sponge into a polish and rub over the shoe’s surface. Keep dipping and applying till you get the shine you want
- You could also apply some oil or wax, e.g. olive oil or beeswax, on the surface of your shoe and use the shoe shine sponge to rub over the surface of the shoe
- Always remember to close the lid after use to help the sponge retain its moisture.
2. Kiwi Express Brown Shine
My number 2 choice is another Kiwi shoe shine sponge, but unlike the previously reviewed shoe shine sponge, this one has been filled with brown shoe shine liquid making it suitable only for brown shoes. If you’re almost running late, you can always use this sponge to quickly give your brown shoes a nice shine. You could also use it if you want your already polished shoes to look glossier.
You should know that the shoe shine liquid is made to nourish the shoe, treat the shoe’s leather of scuffs and scratches to keep the leather looking healthy. Most users have confessed that this sponge has helped resuscitate their dry looking shoes with the shine it gives the shoes.
It also has a gauge that indicates the level of the liquid, so you know when to buy another sponge.
Always buy from trusted sellers, because the fake of this shoe shine sponge abounds in the market. The polishing liquid in an original Kiwi express brown shine could last for 3 months, depending on how often you use it.
Another advantage of using this shoe shine is that, unlike other shoe shine sponges- especially those that come on the cover of liquid polishes, it doesn’t mess up the place or soil your hands. You’ll probably not even get any of the liquid on your hands if you carefully hold the plastic end made for being held while rubbing over the surface of your shoe.
For long-lasting results, use this shoe shine after applying polish and buffing your shoes. This will make the shoe shine serve as a protective layer for the polish on the shoe’s surface.
3. Penguin Instant Shine Sponge
Ever had a presentation at work and needed to look good, but you weren’t feeling the present state of your shoes? Things like that can easily reduce your confidence level during the presentation and make you deliver poorly. That would never happen if you got this shine sponge. You should always look good for a presentation because how you look affects how the ideas you present will be accepted.
This shine sponge is one step ahead of other shine sponges that can be used on only leather. You could use this shine sponge on both leather and vinyl. To help save money, Sof Sole has made this shine sponge suitable for saddles as well as regular leather shoes and boots.
The sponge works on all shoe colors and provides over 100 shines.
In case you want to use the shine sponge on another material that’s not leather or vinyl you can try by applying it to a small section of your shoe. Clean off immediately if you notice any discoloring.
Sof Sole did a really good job with this shine sponge as most users leave positive comments about the product, one said she wasn’t prepared for how shiny her shoes were after she used it.
It pretty much follows the usual shine sponge guideline, but you are advised not to apply too much on the shoes because when they dry, they could leave your shoes looking drier than they were before you applied the shoe shine.
4. Hunter Boot Shiner Sponge
Hunter has over 163 years of experience in boot production. They have leveraged on their experience, skills, and knowledge to provide us with this boot shiner sponge which can be specially used on Hunter boots as well as other similar rubber boots.
If you ever notice white stains on your rubber boots- whether matte or gloss boots, this boot shiner sponge will be best for removing them. You don’t need to use it daily, once or twice a month, especially during winter will be enough. Apart from the white stains/ chalkiness, Hunter boot shiner sponge also removes scuffs, leaving your boots looking brand new.
Like the other shine sponges, you don’t need to use the sponge with a brush or piece of rag. It’s also not necessary to apply a polish first before using the sponge. The sponge comes with a liquid that gives the boots their shine. There’s a gauge too to let you know when to invest in a new shiner sponge.
Hunter boots usually have two surface finishing- matte and gloss. This shiner sponge can be used on both. The result of using this sponge is durable, you will not have to regularly use the shiner sponge on the same pair of boots. This saves you money and time.
However, what you may not like about this product is that there’s not much liquid in it when compared to similar products. Therefore, although you do not need to use it regularly, it finishes after a few uses.
5. Diamond Wipes Premoistened Shoe Shine Wipes
This must be the most portable shoe shiner ever made. They are so portable, they occupy less than half of your pocket’s space. Lightweight, flexibly packaged to retain moisture and promote mobility, fast and easy to use. These are a few qualities and benefits of the Diamond shoe shine wipes.
You’re probably familiar with the concept of face wipes. Well, this shoe shine adopts the concept of face wipes. They are premoistened and sealed individually to help retain the moisture.
Sealing the wipes individually helps save the wipes from drying out. Let me explain. In the case of the face wipes, all the wipes are packaged together, if you take out a wipe and forget to seal the lid, all the wipes may lose their moisture if exposed for long.
But this won’t happen with Diamond shoe shine wipes. The possibility of any wipe drying out is infinitesimal because deciding to open a wipe means you intend to use it immediately and even if you don’t, it’s only the opened wipe that will lose its moisture.
The wipes are versatile, they can be used to clean leather handbags, purses, and briefcases.
They help maintain the health and outlook of the shoes, by polishing them without darkening or drying out the leather. You can use these wipes anywhere, on the train, on the bus, at work, etc. If you notice a scuff on your shoes while walking all you need to do is go by the side of the road, take out the wipes from your pockets and clean your shoes.
Make sure you dispose of them properly after use. Do not try to flush down the toilet.
6. Kiwi all Colours Shine Sponge
Do you have a pair of shoes you don’t feel confident wearing out because they now look chalky and you’ve not found a good shoe polish for then because of their difficult to match the colour? If this is you, you should know that this shine sponge was specially made to take care of shoes like yours.
The Kiwi all color shine sponge gives an instant gloss to leather, vinyl shoes, bags and accessories of any color. This means even if your shoes are blue or maroon if they are made of leather or vinyl this sponge can restore their gloss.
The sponge is infused with silicone oil which is what makes the shoes glossy. The shoe sponge leaves a long-lasting result, which prolongs the service life of the sponge as there’ll be no need to constantly buy a new one. This, in turn, saves you some money.
If your shoes are light-colored and you feel the shine sponge will make them dark, you can eliminate your fears by trying the sponge on a part of your shoe. If it gives them a darker shade, discontinue use. Otherwise, shine on.
Before use, ensure the surface you want to apply it on is free from loose dirt by cleaning it with a lint-free piece of material or rag.
Not for use on nubuck and suede. Ensure the shine sponge is never within the reach of children and pets. Remember to always replace the cover after use.
You may encounter a slight challenge if you’re not careful while using this shiner because of its plastic edge which rubs against the shoe.
7. Kleen Shoes Quick Step
This instant shoe polisher cleans and shines the shoes within seconds. It can also be used on boots, handbags, briefcases, golf bags, furniture and car upholstery as far as they are made of leather.
The sponge itself has a silicon wax that can conveniently shine 20 pairs of shoes. Apart from being a shoe shine sponge, it can also be used for applying polish on shoes when the silicon wax is exhausted.
It’s small and light, making it suitable for traveling with or using at your place of work or school. It eliminates a lot of stress. Compare the time it will take to apply polish on your shoes with a horsetail brush, then buffer and perhaps reapply if you wish to layer the polish, with the time you’ll use to casually rub this sponge around the surface of your shoe. You’ll find that it takes less time.
You can use Kleen shoes quick step on any color of leather product because it’s not made to be selective of colors.
Ensure you close the sponge after use with the cover provided for it, so the wax doesn’t dry, leaving the sponge dry and useless.
Most users are satisfied with the product with one describing it as ‘magical’ and another praising it for keeping his shoes looking great and putting a good shine on all his shoes.
Ensure you buy from a trusted seller. That way quality is assured, and you do not have to complain that the sponge was dry or barely had enough wax to last a few pairs of shoes.
8. Job Site Magic Shine Sponge
This sponge really does some magic to your shoes, making them glossy within seconds. The sponge is suitable for all smooth leather of every color- flat shoes, heels, boots, belts, briefcases, purse, handbag, car upholstery, etc.
The pack is made of plastic which makes it convenient to hold while using the sponge. The sponge has a specially formulated continual lubricating moisture which makes the shoes or whatever it is applied on shine even without the use of polish.
If you want your polish to last longer on the shoes, use this sponge after applying and buffing. The moisture from the sponge will serve as a protective layer for the polish.
Unlike the other reviewed shoe sponges, when you order for this you get two shine sponges instead of one. This is Job Site’s way of saying they offer double value for your investment.
As a neutral color sponge, you save money from having to buy different shine sponges for the different colors of shoes you have. You’ll not need to buff after using shiner. All you need to do to get the desired result is to swipe the sponge across the surface of the shoe. If you are not satisfied with the first result, you can always repeat the process. As you may already know, too much at a time could discolor the shoes.
Job Site Magic Shine Sponge has been made relatively small so you can easily travel with it or carry it around to places like work or school.
This shine sponge has a similar problem with the previously reviewed sponge- the plastic end of the shine sponge rubs against the shoes when applying. Therefore, you need to be careful while using the sponge, so you don’t create more scuffs.
9. Sof Sole Oiled Leather Polish
You can be assured of the shiny quality of this shoe shine, the ‘oiled’ in its name is not for fancy. Therefore, you can now confidently wear those leather boots, shoes, slippers, and sandals of yours that you’ve lacked the confidence to wear because they look chalky.
Whatever the color of your footwear may be, as long as it’s leather, this shine sponge can revive it and make it glow, providing it with over 100 shines. You should know that the sponge does not leave the shoes oily to touch. But you’ll think it does because of the glow on the shoes.
Although the pack of the sponge reads that it’s suitable for all leather types, I wouldn’t advise that you used the sponge on nubuck and suede. If you’re not sure about the make of your shoes and its compatibility with the shine sponge, you can always check by applying it on a little part of your shoes and observe your shoe’s reaction.
To get the best out of this product, buy one with a recent manufacturing date. Secondly, do not keep for too long because it loses its shine qualities with age and gets sticky.
Be guided, the product is not made for high gloss polish.
This Sof Sole shine sponge not only shines the shoes. It also removes scuffs and scratches on the surface of the leather and nourishes the leather to make it feel brand new. Of course, it’s portable. You can always leave one at work or school and another at home. So your shoes look neat going out and coming in.
10. Sof Sole Black Shine Sponge
Sof Sole comes through again for your shoes, this time with a black shine sponge. This means it’s specially made for your black leather slippers, sandals, shoes, and boots.
This will be a great gift to give a friend, especially one who loves shoes.
The manufacturers of this shine sponge claim to use only premium products to ensure your shoes get the shine they deserve, and your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. One black shine sponge can shine over a hundred pairs of shoes! It dries quickly so you shouldn’t be worried that it may stain your socks.
Before you give up on that white-looking, scuff-y black leather shoes of yours and dispose of them, try this black shine sponge. You’ll be shocked at the result you’ll get. Your shoes will even look shinier than they did when you first bought them. Try it today.
N.B.: this shoe shine sponge, as well as all the other sponges reviewed in this article, do not perform the same function as a polish. Polishes keep the shoes healthier because they seep into the leather of the shoes – and, incidentally, you can read my review of the Kiwi Shoe Polish if this aspect interests you – but shine sponges work only on the surface of the shoes to make them shiny.
This makes it advisable to polish your shoes periodically. If you’re so busy that you can’t, let a cobbler help you.