How to Get Rid of Squeaky Shoes – [10 Easy Ways to Fix Noise Shoes]

Doesn’t it just hurt your ears whenever you walk around your home or someplace else and your shoes just start squeaking? Or when you go over somewhere quiet, and your shoes suddenly make noise? We’ve all been there; you’re not the only one looking for a squeaky shoe fix.

One effective way to get rid of squeaky shoes is by generously applying talcum powder to the inside of your shoe. Doing so can reduce the moisture that causes the squeaky sounds in your shoes.

Fortunately, all you ever need to know about getting rid of squeaky shoes is here. Read on to know about the numerous ways for you to stop that squeak.

What Makes Shoes Squeak?

The squeak can be caused by air or moisture getting trapped between different parts of the shoe (such as the sole and insole) or by parts of the shoe rubbing against each other directly.

You can also get a squeak when the rubber sole of a shoe rubs against a slick surface, like the floor of a gym.

Why Leather Shoes Squeak?

There are two main reasons why leather shoes squeak. The first reason could be the gradual wear and tear that leather shoes with wooden splints go through.

Worn-down wooden splints can cause squeaks when you walk because of the friction between the wood and the welt in your shoe. If this is the case, you should be fine with a leather shoe repair fix.

The second reason why leather shoes squeak is because of water. Walking on water can cause the sole of your shoe to get pressurized.

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When you add weight to your foot, the water in your sole can seep out and make a squeaking sound.

For a quick leather shoe repair for squeaks, air drying for a few hours can do the job most of the time.

Why Rubber Shoes Squeak?

The main reason why rubber shoes squeak is because of air and/or moisture getting trapped in your shoes’ soles and insole.

The rubber material found in sneakers is also very prone to squeaky noises when your shoes rub against each other.

Why New Shoes Squeak?

If you recently bought a new pair of shoes, you can expect to experience squeaky shoe sounds while you break your new shoes in. New shoes often have soles that are too smooth.

Being too smooth itself is what generates that squeaking sound whenever it comes into contact with other smooth surfaces.

Why Old Shoes Squeak?

Over time shoes can get worn out. When worn out, the soles in your shoes can get loose. A loose insole and midsole can lead to sole movements inside your shoe.

Squeaking noises come from the soles that rub against each other. If you want to get rid of squeaky old shoes, the best thing to do is to get your shoes fixed by a cobbler.

Easy Way to Get Rid of Squeaky Shoes

Now that you know what causes squeaky shoes let us get into how you can actually get rid of that annoying noise.

There are numerous ways to solve this problem, but the simplest solution you can try is the following.

Step 1: Find out where the noise is coming from

As we mentioned earlier, there are several reasons why your shoe can make a squeaky sound. This is why the best thing to do first is to check out the source of the noise.

The squeaky sound a shoe makes is often caused by worn outsoles. Try checking your insole and midsole to see if anything is getting loose.

If you have leather shoes, you should also check the piece of wood used to bridge the heel and the tip. Lastly, you should also see if your heel is too smooth or if it lacks friction.

If you notice any of the damages mentioned above, you may have just found the source of the squeak. The next step is finding out how to fix the cause.

Step 2: Try to fix loose parts.

If your shoes’ soles are loose, the next step is to glue them all together. The good thing about shoe soles is that you can use normal glue to make them stick together.

However, if your shoe comes with stitches, glue alone may not be enough. You might need to get help from a professional cobbler to stitch your shoes together.

Step 3: Add friction to your heels

Once your shoes’ soles are glued or stitched together, the last step is to add some friction to the underside of your shoes.

10 Best Ways to Stop Shoes from Squeaking

1. Get Rid of Moisture with Talcum Powder

Moisture is one of the most common causes of squeaks in shoes.

When parts of your shoe retain moisture, a squeaky noise can come out when your shoes get rubbed against each other.

One of the easiest ways you can get rid of a squeak is by removing the moisture in your shoes with talcum powder.

To stop moist shoes from squeaking, you should remove your inner sole first and then generously sprinkle talcum powder inside your shoes. Once everything is covered with powder, put your insoles back in.

Tip: If you don’t have any talcum powder, you can always use baby powder. You can also get more comfort if you replace your insoles with new ones.

2. Air Dry Your Shoes

Getting your shoes wet can lead to moisture build-up in your shoes’ soles. If your shoes just got wet from the rain or you accidentally stepped on a puddle, it would be best to avoid using your shoes until it gets dry.

If your shoes recently got wet and are getting squeaky, you should try changing your shoes.

Simply hang it using a shoe hanger and place it beside an open window or in front of a fan. Doing so will have your shoes completely dry and possibly squeak-free in just a few hours.

Tip: Do not dry your shoes under direct sunlight. Direct heat from the sun for long periods of time can damage certain types of shoes. You can also add baby powder inside to keep the soles dry when used.

3. Put Your Shoes in The Dryer

If you are looking for a quick fix for a moist squeaky shoe, you might want to try putting your shoes in your dryer.

To avoid damaging your shoes when drying them in the tumble dryer, you should toss a sponge or a dryer sheet with a bit of fabric softener in the dryer with your shoes.

Doing so will prevent your shoes from getting shrunk or heat-damaged.

Tip: Do not leave your shoes in the dryer for more than 10 minutes to avoid getting wrinkles or other damages on your shoes.

4. Oil Up your Leather Shoes

Sometimes when it comes to leather shoes or your typical dress shoe, the main source of the squeak is the lack of lubrication.

If you make your leather shoes more oily, they would be able to rub against each other seamlessly, therefore making it virtually soundless.

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You can also use a leather conditioner to keep your shoes slick.

Try rubbing some shoe polish or leather conditioner to the outsides of your leather shoes or leather boots.

Do not forget to focus on the parts that usually rub together when you walk or put your feet together, like leather soles.

Tip: Using leather conditioner on shoes is a temporary solution to fix squeaky shoes. You will have to apply oil or polish every now and then when you notice your shoes squeaking again.

5. Waterproof your shoes

Prevention is better than cure, people say. This is why one of the best ways to fix squeaky shoes or to prevent a new shoe from getting moist and squeaky is using a waterproofing material.

You can buy all sorts of water repellant or waterproofing sprays at your local sports outlets. What’s great about these is that aside from keeping your shoes completely dry, they also prevent your shoes from getting dirty.

Tip: Always check the waterproofing spray or water repellant ingredients before applying it to your shoes. Doing so will help you avoid damaging the material or color of your shoes.

6. Use Lubricant on Your Shoes

Lubrication is one of the most effective ways to get rid of shoe squeaks. Squeaky shoe noises often come from parts that create friction when they rub against each other.

Lubricating your shoes can help you make sure every surface is smooth enough not to cause squeaky friction when rubbed against another surface.

You can use different lubricants for your shoes, but the best option would be WD-40. The WD-40 comes in a spray bottle with a nozzle.

Just point the nozzle in the areas that you want to lubricate and apply a small amount. You can use a paper towel to wipe off any excess lubricant.

Tip: You can easily find WD-40 lubricants in local hardware stores.

7. Make Sure Insoles are Intact

When you are constantly using your shoes or if you have an old shoe, the insoles can get detached or loose.

A loose and detached shoe sole can cause squeaky soles to get worn out whenever you are walking or arching your shoes.

Try checking if your insoles are still good by removing them (if your shoes come with a removable insole) and seeing if all the parts are still glued together.

If you notice that your squeaky insoles are falling apart, you can decide to buy new insole replacements or try using shoe glue to glue them together.

8. Get the Heels or Soles Fixed

Ever noticed how the heels of your shoes can also cause squeaky noises when you walk over a glossy floor, tiles, or any other kind of smooth flat surface?

When your heels or soles are too smooth or loose, they become squeaky when rubbed against another smooth surface.

You can get a loose heel or damaged soles fixed by having them replaced by a cobbler in a shoe repair shop to solve your noisy shoe problem.

Cobblers can replace squeaky heels with ones that have grooves for added friction when walking.

Tip: You can also use fine sandpaper and rub it against your heels or soles to make it rougher.

9. Get Rid of Loose Soles with Glue

Loose insoles and soles are very common among shoes that squeak.

 Aside from rubbing against itself, a shoe with loose soles is more likely to retain moisture. And where there’s moisture, there’s a source of a squeak.

The most practical way to fix squeaky shoes with loose soles is using superglue or any kind of glue that can glue together the materials of your shoe.

Simply add super glue to the loose parts and allow it to dry before wearing your shoes again.

It would also be best to apply the glue while your shoe is arched to make sure that the parts won’t get loose again when parts of your shoe get bent.

Tip: Do not use super glue on fabric or leather. Doing so may cause discoloration.

10. Use Saddle Soap

Ever heard of saddle soap? Saddle soap is a type of lubricant for shoes. It comes in the form of a conditioning cream that you can rub on your shoes to get rid of any squeaking noise.

Sometimes, the tongues of your sneakers or rubber shoes rub against your laces, producing a squeaking noise. You can get rid of the squeaks by rubbing some saddle soap on the tongues of your shoes.

Always remember to touch up your shoes with saddle soap every once in a while. It will wear off over a few days, and you’ll have to reapply it again to avoid the squeaks.

Tip: If you don’t have saddle soap, you can use conditioning oil or coconut oil as an alternative.

Related Questions

Could Trapped Water Be Causing the Squeak?

Water and moisture are some of the most common causes of squeaky shoes. When your shoes get wet, the water on their surfaces reduces the friction caused by rubbing against other objects. When pressure is applied to areas without much friction, a squeaky noise can arise.

If you want to avoid getting your shoes squeaky, it would be best to practice air drying your shoes from time to time. You can also use other drying materials, such as talcum powder or baby powder.

How to fix squeaky Nike shoes?

Nike shoes are often made with thick soles and high-quality leather, especially if you have a running shoe. If your Nike shoes are getting extra squeaky, you should definitely check the insoles, soles, and heels.

If your soles are the issue, the first thing you should do is make sure your insoles and soles are completely dry and intact. Otherwise, you should take some time to dry your shoes or have the insoles and soles glued back together.

On the other hand, if the squeak is coming from the heel, you might want to get yourself a piece of fine sandpaper to add some roughness to your heels to make it more soundproof.

However, if the squeak is coming from the leathers rubbing against each other, your best option might be to lubricate your shoes with some shoe polish, conditioning oil, or saddle soap.

How to stop bare feet from squeaking in shoes?

When you wear your shoes without socks, your feet tend to rub against the insoles of your shoe. And when you get sweaty, moisture builds up between your feet and your shoe, making any kind of movement produce a squeaky sound.

If you’re not a fan of socks and want to avoid having a squeaking shoes, the best thing you can do is use some foot powder.

Using foot powder can help prevent your feet from getting all sweaty. It also makes your feet glide smoothly over your insoles.

Conclusion

There you have it! An in-depth guide on how to get rid of squeaky shoes.

Before you go, always remember to keep your shoes free of squeaks by keeping them completely dry, intact, and well-lubricated. Doing so will not only prolong the shelf life of your shoes, but it will also prevent those noisy squeaking sounds.

Also, keep in mind to check what kinds of shoe cleaners, glues, and lubricants are best for the type of shoe you have. Always make sure that you are using the right type of product on your shoe can help you avoid discoloration and other types of damage.