Are you tired of your shoes talking to you?. Well, you are not alone. There many other people just like you including myself. Today, I will look at how to stop shoes from squeaking.
In my recent post, I shared some hack on how to make noisy heels quiet. You can also check it out. Noisy shoes and heels are embarrassing to wear.
Mainly because they draw unnecessary attention to us. Apart from having other people looking at you in an annoying manner, squeaky shoes are also a disturbance to other people.
Before we look at how to fix squeaky shoes, lets first look at what might be causing your shoes to squeak.
Why do my Shoes Squeak?
Squeaky shoes can happen as a result of different factors. What may be causing your left shoe to squeak might be different from what is causing the right shoe to squeak. Below are some of the reasons why you have squeaky shoes.
1 . There is Water in Your Shoes
Your shoes are squeaking most probable because there is water trapped inside them. Think about it, have you in the past entered water with your shoes or walked in rain or any form of moisture that could have entered the shoes?.
Well, water that is trapped in the shoes could cause your shoes to squeak for months if they are not completely dried.
Water trapped in shoes can cause different parts of the shoes to start squeaking. The solutions discussed below will help you fix them.
2. Your Shoes are Getting Old
Do you think your shoes might be old?. Well, If the answer is yes, then that might be the possible cause of your squeaky shoes.
This is because as shoes get older, pieces of the shoes start to detach and fall apart. when you are walking in them, they will start to squeak.
Don’t worry if you are not ready to throw away your shoes yet. You can still fix your old squeaky shoes and use them for some time.
3. The Shoes Soles are too Smooth
Not only are shoes with very smooth soles prone to squeaking but they also are a danger to fall. If the floor or your shoe soles are too smooth, the shoes will squeak.
Have you ever worn your new shoes and walked on a smooth surface only to find that you have to tiptoe because the floor is too smooth and your shoes have very smooth soles.
This is often the case of new or too old shoes. hence in a case like this, you can’t change the surface or floor you are walking on, you only have to change the smoothness of your shoe soles.
This happens because the soles and the floor are too smooth and the friction between the two creates sound.
The same thing goes for new insoles that are rubbing against the inside of the shoe.
Fixing squeaking shoes by yourself will involve using a couple of household items.
How to fix squeaky shoes on the inside
First, begin with fixing your noisy squeaky shoes on the inside. Then if the are other problems on the outside we will discuss that later below.
1 . Sprinkle Baby Powder Underneath the Insoles
Check your shoe pads if they are moving around a lot, they could be the ones causing your shoes to squeak. If you notice this is the case, carefully pull the pads out and sprinkle some powder inside the shoes.
After that, put the pads or insoles back inside the shoes. The purpose of the powder is to reduce the friction between pads and the shoes so the squeaking will reduce.
If you don’t have baby powder to use, you can try other alternatives such as cornstarch or talcum powder.
If your shoes do not have removable pads, then you can sprinkle the powder on the corner of the insoles instead of the underneath.
2. Apply Coconut Oil or Petroleum Jelly Under the Insole
These two oils are lubricating and have a nice smell. You can apply these oils to the insoles and place them back inside the shoes. Just apply a thin layer to the insoles. This will help reduce the friction and thereby reducing the squeaking of your shoes.
You can always apply it anytime your shoes start to squeak again.
3. Place Paper Tower Underneath the Insoles
This hack involves placing a paper towel under the insoles of the shoes. To do this, fold two paper towels so that the size is small enough to fit inside your shoes. Slip them underneath the insoles.
The paper towels will provide a cushion between the insoles and the shoes to help prevent them from moving around and squeaking as you walk around.
Other materials you could use instead of paper towels are dryer sheets or napkins. The paper towels could be smelling after using the shoes a couple of times. The best way to ensure you are not wearing smelly shoes is to replace the old paper towels with new ones.
How to Fix Squeaky Shoes on the Outside
Besides the inside of your shoes, the outside could be causing your shoes to squeak. Here are some ideas to help you fix that.
4. Rub the Bottom of the Shoes with Dryer Sheets
This is how to stop shoes from squeaking when walking on hard floors. If your shoes squeak when you walk on smooth surfaces like tiles or hardwood floors, it could be the bottom is too slick.
With a dryer sheet, rub the bottom of the shoes a couple of times. This will make them less slick and the shoe won’t make the sucking noise when you walk
You could repeat the same thing anytime the shoe begins to squeak again.
5. Reattach the Loose Parts of the Shoes with Glue
If you notice any gap between the bottom and the upper part of your shoes that shouldn’t be there, use super glue to seal those gaps. When you seal it with the glue, use a clamp or a rubber band to hold the bottom to the upper part.
To ensure a proper seal, wait until the superglue is completely dry. You could leave the shoe for a couple of hours.
Loose shoe bottoms can also cause squeaking noises when you walk, so reattaching them may solve the problem.
5. Rough smooth Shoe Bottom with Sandpaper
If the soles of your new shoes are too smooth and they make a squeaky sound when you walk on other smooth surfaces, you can rub them with sandpaper to stop the squeaking.
Gentle go over the bottoms with a piece of fine sandpaper until they feel slightly rough to touch. If you don’t already have sandpaper at home, check your local hardware store, online or carpentry shop.
Sandpaper of 120-129 grit is recommended to prevent over scratching that is too much.
The important things are to just be gentle and careful not to make too much damage, but other than that this step can easily be done at home.
6. Dry Wet Shoes in Sun or Dryer
Moisture trapped in shoes can cause them to squeak and even smell if not dried. To dry them, you can put them in the sun if it is sunny or otherwise place them inside the clothing dryer or even blow dry them.
You could also hang them in warm places like the fireplace or wrap them in a newspaper to absorb the moisture.
Moisture trapped inside of shoes can cause them to squeak. There are a couple of ways you can dry out your shoes so they don’t squeak anymore, including.
Fixing old shoes can be tricky, and sometimes it might be best if you just let them go and get a new pair. Here’s how you can make an old shoe less squeaky.
7. Apply Petroleum Jelly to the Outside
If the parts of your shoes such as the insole, laces, or tongue are producing the squeak you can cover them in petroleum jelly for an instant solution.
Sometimes the shoes squeak because the material on the outside of the shoes rubs against each other.
If you think that could be the cause of the problem, then rob the petroleum jelly into the outer areas to prevent friction. If you want to take more precautions on leather shoes, then you should get leather conditioning oil for your leather shoes.
In case the conditioning oil fades, rub more on them again.
8. Put Saddle Soap on the Tongues of the Laces
Shoelaces are another common source of squeaky shoes. When the laces on leather shoes rub against the tongue, your footwear could start crying out with every step.
To minimize this effect, rub a bit of saddle soap or another leather conditioner on the tongue to moisturize the area and calm the noise.
The saddle soap is a conditioning cream that can be used to lubricate shoes.
9. Return Your Squeaking Shoes
Sometimes, squeaking shoes are not your fault, especially if they are still new. It could be a manufacturing problem.
You can check for the return policy of the company you bought them from and see if it is possible to return them for a different new pair of shoes.
First, look into this solution before you start doing any DIY techniques on them.
10. Get a Professional Fix
Can’t figure out how to stop shoes from making noise?. Well, you may try the professionals. There are cobblers all over. I am sure they will be able to figure out the issue and fix your shoes for you.
With the many years of experience in shoe repair, there are very few to none problems a cobbler can’t deal with. They always have a solution to every shoe problem.
Pay one a visit with your shoes and I and sure he will fix them for you.
On How to Stop Shoes from Squeaking
In nutshell, knowing how to stop shoes from squeaking is all that hard. You just need to know where the problem is and use the appropriate DIY techniques discussed above to correct the situation.
Sometimes, there might be different areas of the shoes that are causing the squeaking. In that case, you have to mark them and start fixing one part after the other.
If the shoes are too old, maybe it might be time to get new ones.
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