So your shoes are coming apart but you love them and don’t want to throw them away? Then, look no further! Shoe Goo may just be the answer to your problems.
Table of Contents
Quick Overview
Shoe Goo is created by Eclectic Products, the same company behind Amazing Goop and E6000.
Chemically, it’s almost identical to Amazing Goop, so it’s also a great sealant for plumbing, swimming pools, outdoor repairs and automotive repairs.
It’s perfect for repairing soles that are coming off, fixing leaky rain boots, and for extending and protecting the life of your shoes.
Pros and cons:
Pros
- Super flexible
- Completely waterproof
- Dries clear
- Very strong bond
- Also useful for household repairs
- Can be used indoors and outdoors
- UV resistant
- Great value compared to other glues
Cons
- Quite messy to use
- Takes 24 hours to cure
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Product Features
Although Shoe Goo is a type of glue, it’s not like any glue you’ve used before. Shoe Goo has some strange and unique properties, which make it especially useful for shoe repairs.
Remains flexible once cured
Shoe Goo is a silicone-based adhesive and sealant, designed specifically for repairing damaged shoes.
When Shoe Goo cures, it doesn’t become hard like regular glue, or brittle like a superglue. Shoe goo stays squishy, so it can flex and bend without coming apart, but still stay strong to hold your shoe together.
The consistency is something like a gummy bear once it’s cured.
Very strong bond
Although the cured bond remains flexible, it’s also extremely strong, both in adhesion and cohesion. This means the glue not only sticks strongly to the surface but sticks very strongly together and won’t rip or tear when it’s stretched.
Completely weatherproof
Shoe goo is not only completely waterproof but also UV resistant and able to cope with extreme temperatures.
Whether you’re repairing your desert boots, waders, or snowshoes – Shoe goo will be able to cope with the conditions.
Although this product is designed for shoes, its weather and waterproof qualities make it useful around the home too, especially for outdoor or plumbing repairs where you need something versatile and waterproof.
- Waterproof:
Shoe goo is completely waterproof once cured, making it perfect for shoes and rain boots. - UV Resistant:
Shoe goo does not degrade when exposed to UV / sunlight, making it perfect for outdoors repairs. - Extreme temperature resistance:
Shoe goo can withstand temperatures from -40°F to +150°F (from -40°C to +66°C) so it can handle whatever you throw at it.
Sticks to almost anything
Shoe goo will stick to common shoe materials like Rubber, Leather, most Plastics, and Foam, but also to just about any household material you can imagine.
Check out the complete list of materials Shoe Goo can stick to here.
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How to use Shoe Goo
Shoe Goo is super simple to use, though it can be quite messy!
I recommend you wear some gloves to prevent any getting on your skin, and make sure you do your repair somewhere with lots of ventilation, (outside would be best!) since the Shoe Goo gives off some nasty fumes while it’s drying.
1: Prepare the surface you are going to bond
Make sure the surface is clean, dry, and free from any oil or dust as this will prevent the glue from forming a strong bond.
If you’re using the goo on anything except shoes, roughing up the surface a bit with sandpaper will create a stronger bond.
2: Puncture the foil with the cap
Shoe Goo comes double sealed, with some foil inside the cap.
You need to puncture this before any glue will come out – you’ll see the foil when you take the cap off.
Use the cap to puncture the foil by putting it back on upside down.
3: Apply directly to surfaces
Apply the shoe goo to the part of your shoe (or another surface) that needs to be repaired.
To fix a sole or heel that’s coming apart:
Apply the glue where the shoe is coming apart, and clamp it shut. You can do this with something heavy, or by wrapping an elastic band around the shoe to keep it together.
To patch up a hole in your rain boots or similar:
Apply some tape to the inside of your boot to stop the glue from spreading inside.
Add the Shoe Goo to the outside in thin layers, letting each layer dry for 4 hours for maximum waterproofing.
To use as a protective layer for your shoes or boots:
Apply a very thin coating over the part that needs protecting and leave to dry.
4: Allow the Shoe Goo to dry for at least 24 hours
Shoe Goo takes t least 24 hours to cure.
According to the manufacturer, it may take up to 72 hours to achieve maximum bond strength, depending on the temperature and humidity of your working environment.
Once it’s cured, Shoe Goo can withstand extreme temperatures from -40°F to +150°F, but while it’s curing the ideal temperature is between 50-90 °F (Between 10-32 °C) so if possible keep your shoes somewhere around this temperature while it cures.
A garden shed or a garage is perfect for this, it stays cool during the day but won’t stink up your house!
5: Clean the cap for storage
Shoe glue has a metal thread to hold the cap in place. If any glue gets on that thread before you reattach the cap, it’s going to stick to the cap and you won’t be able to get the bottle open.
Clean the cap with a damp rag, or use an acetone solvent (found in nail polish remover), then apply some petroleum jelly or oil to the cap to prevent it from sealing.
This way, the cap will come off no problem next time you need it.
Store the glue in a cool, dry place out of reach of children and away from any moisture or heat source.
What Materials does Shoe Goo work on?
Shoe Goo works on just about any surface you can think of (not only shoes!) with the exception of a few types of plastic.
It’s useful for lots of household repairs, however, it’s worth keeping in mind that Shoe Goo is solvent-based, so it may damage some expensive finishes. Do use it on your old boots, Don’t use it on your grand piano.
The manufacturer also recommends not to use shoe goo on paper.
Here’s a useful table of materials Shoe Goo will work on. As you can see, it’s useful for more than just shoes!
Shoe Goo works on…
- Leather
- Rubber
- Foam
- Felt
- Suede
- PVC Plastics
- Polystyrene
- Wood
- Stone
- Cork
- Metal
- Porcelain
- Glass
But it won’t work on…
- Polyethylene Plastics
- Polypropylene Plastics
- Styrofoam
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FAQs
What are the ingredients?
Shoe Goo contains Tetrachloroethylene and Styrene Butadiene Copolymer
Is Shoe Goo non toxic?
No. Shoe Goo is not non-toxic, so don’t eat it and don’t breathe in the fumes when it’s drying.
Does Shoe Goo conduct electricity?
Shoe goo is an insulator, so it doesn’t conduct electricity once it’s cured.
How much does Shoe Goo cost?
The price changes sometimes, so I can’t give you an exact figure but Shoe Goo is always great value, since it doesn’t dry out quickly in the tube you can use it on multiple projects.
You get a lot in the regular tube, and they also sell a multipack set of mini tubes for easier storage.
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What color does Shoe Goo dry?
Shoe Goo dries clear, but it’s kind of cloudy clear, it’s not perfectly seethrough.
There is also a black version available, which is better for black or dark shoes.
How long does Shoe Goo take to dry?
According to the manufacturer, Shoe Goo takes 24 hours to dry, however it may take up to 72 hours to fully cure, depending on the temperature and humidity of your working environment.
Is Shoe Goo the same as Goop?
Shoe Goo is made by the same company who makes Amazing Goop brand adhesives, but it’s not exactly the same.
According to the manufacturer, Shoe Goo is a more rubbery formula than Goop, allowing for greater flexibility.
Shoe Goo vs Goop:
There are several versions of Amazing Goop, each with different properties to help with different scenarios.
(Check out my complete guide to Amazing Goop here!)
Some versions of Goop are thinner, and some also aren’t UV resistant.
How to remove Shoe Goo?
Shoe Goo is super messy, so it’s not surprising if you make a mess. It’s not easy to remove, but it can be removed if you have the right tools.
If the Shoe Goo is still wet:
While the glue is wet, you may be able to remove it with a damp rag if you’re quick enough. If not, you can use Acetone to help dissolve the goo before it cures, making it easy to clean.
You can find acetone in most common nailpolish removers, or pick some up online.
Once the glue has cured:
It’s harder to get rid of Shoe Goo once it’s cured. You will have to use a stronger solvent, such as Tolulene – usually found in paint thinners and strippers to weaken the glue.
Alternatively, you can cut the glue away with a sharp utility knife.
How to remove Shoe Goo from your clothes:
If you get some on your clothes, you’ll want to use a solvent that won’t damage the fabric.
For this, you can use Naptha, a common solvent available for pretty cheap online.
Safety Data Sheet
Here’s the safety data sheet for Shoe Goo, directly from the manufacturer.
Shoe Goo Safety Data Sheet – Eclectic Products
Does Shoe Goo work on Plastic?
Shoe Goo works on most plastics, with a few exceptions.
Shoe goo will not bond to HDPE / LDPE type plastic, polypropylene plastic, or PTFE (also known as Teflon)
Other than that, the only other thing that might cause a problem is Styrofoam. Shoe Glue sticks to regular hard polystyrene with no problem, but styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) is so thin that the solvents in the glue may dissolve the styrofoam.
Can Shoe glue be sanded?
Shoe Glue isn’t really that great for sanding.
It doesn’t dry into a solid-like wood glue, it remains squishy, like a gummy bear so sanding won’t produce a clean finish.
If you need to smooth cured Shoe Goo, you will get a cleaner finish if you use a knife to cut the cured glue instead of sanding it.
