Secret Solution: 15 Best Shoe Cleaners

When it comes to an established dress shoe collection, it’s common practice to keep your prized possessions in the best shape possible. Whether that means consistent care through conscious wear, protecting them from any exterior damage, or carefully nitpicking every little speck of dirt off their surface, there are a variety of ways to keep your shoes in top form — but for those who want to take things to the next level, there are shoe cleaners.

Shoe cleaners are the perfect solution for sneakerheads, dress shoe aficionados, or style-conscious guys who are looking for the next best thing when it comes to shoe care. For decades, men have been cleaning, polishing, and mending their shoes to maintain an aesthetically pleasing facade, as well as to prioritize the livelihood of their footwear. And today, even with a number of tried-and-true products that can keep your shoes close to their original persona, it’s become exceedingly difficult to determine whether or not a certain type of shoe cleaner is right for you. Below, we’ll give you the rundown on a variety of different cleaners, polishes, and products to help you keep your footwear in top performing condition — so sit back, relax, and let us do most of the heavy lifting.

FootFitter Shoe Polish with Carnauba and Beeswax

FootFitter’s Shoe Polish is one of the most highly reviewed shoe care products on the market today, and the fact that it’s made with both carnauba and beeswax makes it a dream for guys who want to apply natural ingredients to their fine leather goods. Aside from conditioning your shoe’s fabric, the polish also restores lost color, fills scratches, and masks scuffs — leaving you with a clean looking pair or dapper footwear.

Purchase: $5

KIWI Saddle Soap

KIWI is trusted far and wide as one of the mainstays of the shoe care industry, and the company’s pre-polish saddle soap doesn’t fall short of their renowned image. Using a traditional blend of ingredients that clean, soften, and prepare your leather gear for enhanced longevity, the wax compound provides a safe solution for those who are looking to clean grime, dirt, and stains from their shoes.

Purchase: $5

Angelus Easy Cleaner

Angelus’ Easy Cleaner is the perfect primer for your shoe cleaning endeavors. Utilizing a collection of ingredients that are both safe and affordable, the versatile shoe cleaner is fit to nourish a wide range of fabric types, from Suede uppers all the way to Nubuck sidewalls. The Easy Cleaner is about as versatile as it gets and ensures an experience that will leave your most prized shoes looking as good as new.

Purchase: $5

Lincoln Original Stain Wax Shoe Polish

Lincoln’s Original Stain Wax shoe polish is a classic shoe conditioner that uses carnauba wax to protect your prized possessions from mud, dirt, grime, and smudges. On top of inhibiting the buildup of additional deteriorators, the gloss helps to shine and nourish your premium leathers, allowing for greater longevity and a handsome shine.

Purchase: $7

Angelus Perfect Stain Shoe Wax Polish

Angelus’ entire shoe care system is well regarded by even the most avid shoe collectors, but the company’s Perfect Stain shoe wax polish is where the spotlight tends to land when navigating their entire range of products. As one of the premier black shoe polishes on the market, Perfect Stain recovers worn out leathers through nourishment and conditioning, while keeping out moisture and other inhibitors that seek to deteriorate your shoes. The result is a long lasting shine that makes shoes look as good as new — and on top of that, you’ll be able to cover up any blemishes or scuffs that you’ve already accrued.

Purchase: $7

Allen Edmonds Saddle Soap

Allen Edmonds doesn’t just make some of the industry’s most refined footwear, the company also has its own line of cleaning supplies tailored for high-quality leathers. Edmonds’ Saddle Soap is only one of four conditioning steps in the company’s shoe care line but promises to clean, revitalize, and restore your shoe’s natural oils, all while providing the perfect basis for additional creams and lotions to nurture your distressed footwear back to health.

Purchase: $8

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap

Fiebing’s Saddle Soap is a great alternative to modern day leather cleaners, offering a solution that thrives when used with smooth leathers such as engineers boots and dress shoes that don’t feature a brogue detail. This trusted soap cleans your prized leather articles while also lubricating the fibers of the shoe to battle against brittleness and wear. This promotes the longevity of the shoe’s leather, resulting in a greatly extended life.

Purchase: $10

Cole Haan Grand Sole Cleaner

Cole Haan is one of the best-known shoe manufacturers within the dress wear industry, and in order to keep their customers happy, they’ve devised a line of cleaning solutions to keep their footwear in prime condition. The company’s Grand Sole Cleaner is utilized primarily for the edges and soles of rubberized footwear, allowing wearers to access a functional spray-style pump to remove oil- and water-based stains from their shoes. The result — an impeccable shine that will keep your best dress shoes in tip-top condition and turning heads every time you head out.

Purchase: $10

Florsheim Shoe Cleaner

Florsheim’s Shoe Cleaner is an all-arounder that’s tailored specifically for suede and nubuck fabrics — serving to clean and condition the entire breadth of the two different textiles. Aside from the brand’s impeccable product design, the cleaner itself is highly recommended as one of the industry’s best solutions for a smooth, soft result. Better yet, the color of your favorite suede is maintained in the process, which means that you won’t get any odd discoloration that may come with less notable cleaners.

Purchase: $12

Crep Cure Shoe Cleaner

Crep Cure Shoe Cleaner is part of a lavish lineup of solutions that are aimed toward those who want to keep their favorite pair of sneakers in spotless condition. The company’s improved 98% natural cleaning solution works alongside coconut extract, water, and jojoba to revitalize your worn-out footwear with ease. And if the shoe cleaner isn’t quite enough, the company also sells a number of sneaker-oriented sprays, wipes, and deodorizers to keep your favorite pair fresh, all the time.

Purchase: $15

Collonil 1909 Supreme Cream De Luxe Shoe Polish

Collonil’s 1909 Supreme Cream De Luxe Shoe Polish has been a trusted companion of shoe cleaners for quite a while, thanks to its timeless shine and natural ingredients. The polish is enriched with a number of waxes and oils to revitalize your shoes, catering to those with smooth leathers, heritage colors, and the need for an exemplary shine. As an added bonus, repeated use of the 1909 shoe care line will protect your footwear from the common contributors of degradation — keeping them primed and ready for years to come, even in harsh weather conditions.

Purchase: $16

Saphir Saddle Soap

Saphir’s Saddle Soap is one of the most prized cleaners on the market, evening out unruly leather and bringing it back to its former glory. It contains a healthy amount of glycerin, allowing it to penetrate deep into rough, oil-imbued leathers for an immediate clean while nourishing them back to health through the removal of dirt, grime, and successive layers of wax.

Purchase: $16

Meltonian Saddle Soap

Meltonian Saddle Soap has become a trusted companion when it comes to cleaning any size and style of leather, thanks to its ability to tackle anything from shoes and work boots, all the way to larger items like upholstery and saddles. Like most of its brethren, Meltonian’s specialized soap penetrates deep into fabrics to remove embedded dirt, grime, and whatever else is contributing to your shoe’s dull look. In turn, your prized possessions are left with a handsome, lustrous look, and a great feeling texture.

Purchase: $16

Reshoevn8r Sneaker Detergent

Reshoevn8r’s Sneaker Detergent is yet another great tool for keeping your most adored street stompers in check, utilizing a well-to-do solution that cleans, conditions, and revitalizes your shoes back to the way they were in their prime. As an added bonus, the company’s proprietary detergent also seals away odors, giving your footwear a pleasant scent reminiscent of fresh lavender.

Purchase: $17

Jason Markk Premium Shoe Cleaner

Jason Markk has a clean, concise product design that can rival most high-end companies, and the brand’s Premium Shoe Cleaner stacks up as one of the best solutions for dirt-ridden footwear on the market today. This gentle-foaming solution cleans and conditions a wide range of shoes, doesn’t contain harsh chemicals found in less prevalent brands, and boasts a 98.3% natural composition. It’s also biodegradable and safe for use on pretty much any material, so you’ll have peace of mind when applying it to your favorite pair.

Purchase: $20

How To Take Care Of Leather Boots In Winter

Now that the season of frost is behind us, it’s the ideal time to get your winter boots prepped for the next storm. You can learn all of the tips and tricks with our comprehensive guide on how to take care of leather boots in the winter.