Will Scotchguarding a pair of silk shoes really keep them from getting dirty?

Question

Will it protect them from water damage or does it only repel dust? What exactly does Scotchguard do, and how effective is it? A woman in the shoe department at Saks told me to use it.

Answer 1

No it won't keep them from getting dirty, but it is very important for protecting against water damage as you suggested in your question. Also, when you wipe the dirt and dust it will come right off rather than becoming imbedded in the fabric/staining because the Scotchgaurd provides a layer of protection between the silk and dirt. So you end up wiping any debris off the layer of Scotchgaurd, not the shoes. One spray won't do it, you'll need to spray, dry, layer another spray, dry, ... etc. Also, you'll need to repeat the spraying process every now and then (when depends on how often you wear the shoes and how often they have got wet or you have had to wipe them down). By the way, baby wipes are good for wiping them down -- get the natural ones (huggies are good), with no perfume.

Answer 2

No, it won't keep them from being soiled but they will wipe clean with a damp cloth instead of ruining the shoes.

Answer 3

it only makes it easier to clean by not letting water and dust to soak into the material.