How To Stop Squeaky Shoes (5 Easy Ways)

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Squeaky shoes can be a huge annoyance. Thankfully, using the right methods, it’s super easy to get rid of shoe noise! In this post, I’ve gathered the most common causes of squeaking shoes, as well as, some simple solutions on how to stop squeaky shoes.

There are many reasons why shoes create noise when you walk (trapped moisture, damaged soles, etc.). It’s important to identify the main cause before attempting to fix them.

If you’re wearing a new pair of shoes, they may need time to break in and will stop squeaking naturally overtime. However, you can also speed up this process using a few hacks below.

Without further ado, here’s how to get shoes to stop squeaking!

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Best Products To Get Shoes To Stop Squeaking

How To Stop Squeaky Shoes

  1. Use foot powder to get rid of moisture trapped inside your shoes. This powder also be applied underneath insoles to reduce noises created by friction.
  2. Reattach loose, squeaky parts of your shoe with a shoe adhesive.
  3. Roughen up smooth shoe bottoms with 120-grit sandpaper.
  4. For squeaky laces of leather shoes, rub saddle soap onto the tongues.
  5. Apply a leather conditioner to the outside of noisy leather shoes.

1. Foot Powder

A common reason for squeaky shoes is excess moisture. This can happen when sweat gets trapped inside a shoe and produces a squeaking sound when different parts rub against each other. This causes the inside and/or bottom of shoes to squeak when walking.

Foot powder is designed to absorb sweat from feet and shoes. To combat squeaks caused by moisture, sprinkle foot powder on the inside of your shoe. This product can also be applied underneath insoles to reduce noises created by friction.

To absorb moisture and reduce friction inside squeaky shoes, I highly recommend Dr. Scholl’s Odor-X Foot Powder. This product effectively eliminates sweat, leaving the inside of your shoes fresh and dry. As an added bonus, foot powder will also help get rid of shoe odors and sweaty feet.

Here’s how to get shoes to stop squeaking using foot powder:

How To Stop Squeaky Shoes With Foot Powder

  1. If your shoes are extremely damp, the foot powder will clump up. For best results, gently dry the inside and outside with a towel. Then, remove the laces and insoles, and air dry the shoes in a well-ventilated area overnight.
  2. To remove trapped moisture, sprinkle a generous amount of foot powder on the inside of your shoes and underneath the insoles. Shake your shoes to distribute the powder. You can wear your shoes with the powder or leave it inside for a few days before sucking it out with a vacuum hose.

2. Shoe Adhesive

Shoe Goo Repair Adhesive | Amazon

Squeaky shoes can be caused by loose parts rubbing against each other, creating friction when you walk. To stop your shoes from making noise, try using a shoe adhesive. Shoe glue is an easy fix for squeaky shoes and eliminates gaps by creating a tight seal between loose pieces.

To repair squeaky shoes, I highly recommend using Shoe Goo Repair Adhesive. This product is a two-in-one adhesive and sealant that permanently repairs all types of footwear. Once dry, Shoe Goo becomes a waterproof, flexible rubber that adds extra protection to your shoes.

Tip: If your shoes have squeaky, smooth soles, Shoe Goo can be applied to the bottom of shoes to add traction.

Here’s how to stop squeaky shoes with a shoe adhesive:

How To Get Shoes To Stop Squeaking With A Shoe Adhesive

  1. Determine the squeaky parts of your shoe that need to be repaired (check the bottom of your shoes for loose soles). Once pinpointed, make sure that all surfaces are clean before gluing. If needed, use water and dish soap to wash off any dirt and grime. Allow your shoes to dry completely before proceeding.
  2. Use the pointer cap to puncture the seal on the shoe adhesive tube. To repair small areas, apply glue with a toothpick. For large areas, squeeze the adhesive directly onto the gaps. Once glued, press the loose shoe parts firmly together. Tip: If you make any mistakes, use acetone to remove wet glue.
  3. Allow the shoe glue to cure for 24 hours. For best results, wait 72 hours before wearing your shoes. Tip: To make future cap removal easier, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the threads of the tube before replacing the cap.

3. 120 Grit Sandpaper

Got new shoes? If your new shoe soles are too smooth, this can cause your shoes to squeak when walking. This can especially happen on smooth surfaces (like wax floors and linoleum).

Don’t worry! With regular use, your shoe soles will naturally roughen and get less squeaky. To make this process faster, you can also roughen up the soles yourself by gently sanding it with 120-grit sandpaper.

To reduce shoe squeaks, try using 3M’s Pro Grade 120-Grit Sandpaper. This product is designed for detail sanding and can be used to roughen up shoe soles. Here’s how to get shoes to stop squeaking using sandpaper:

How To Stop Squeaky Shoes With Sandpaper

  1. Select a 120-grit sandpaper. To determine which parts of your sole are squeaking, walk on smooth surfaces (like wax floors and linoleum). If you have new shoes, you might want to sandpaper the entire bottom.
  2. Gently scrape the shoe soles with the sandpaper. Start at the ball-of-foot and then scruff all the way across the heel. Test the shoes if they are still squeaking, and sand more if needed.

4. Saddle Soap

If you have leather shoes (especially new ones), a common cause for squeaking is the laces rubbing against the tongue. This constant friction will create a squeak each time you take a step. Thankfully, this can be easily remedied by rubbing saddle soap directly onto the leather tongue.

Saddle soap is a type of soap that is specially designed to clean leather. It is an essential product for anyone who owns leather shoes and can be used to silence noisy shoes by adding friction to surfaces.

To stop laces from squeaking, I highly recommend applying Kiwi’s Saddle Soap. This product is formulated to clean, soften, and preserve smooth leather. This saddle soap is easy to use and is a quick fix for squeaky shoes.

Here’s how to stop squeaky shoes using saddle soap:

How To Get Shoes To Stop Squeaking With Saddle Soap

  1. To access the tongues better, completely remove the laces from your leather shoes. Using a clean soft cloth, gently remove any surface dirt from the tongues.
  2. Apply saddle soap on a clean, slightly wet sponge. Rub the sponge until a rich lather develops.
  3. Using the sponge, apply the saddle soap onto the leather tongues. Wipe off the excess product using a clean microfiber cloth. Replace the shoe laces and test out your shoes. If needed, reapply more saddle soap.

5. Leather Conditioner

Sof Sole Mink Oil | Amazon

Leather conditioners are formulated to moisturize and protect leather goods. When applied on leather surfaces, this conditioner helps soften the material and reduce friction. If your new shoes are noisy when walking, try applying a leather conditioner to the outside of your leather shoes to stop the squeaking.

Mink oil is an excellent leather conditioner that will make the surface of your shoes feel soft and supple. This oil penetrates into leather to create a water-resistant barrier that prevents moisture from getting in. If you have leather shoes, I highly recommend using mink oil to keep them in good condition and prevent them from drying out and cracking.

To stop the outside of leather shoes from squeaking, try using Sof Sole’s Mink Oil. This product is easy to use and dries within minutes. Note that this oil may darken some leathers, so make sure to test it first in an inconspicuous area.

Here’s how to get shoes to stop squeaking using a leather conditioner:

How To Stop Squeaky Shoes With A Leather Conditioner

  1. Before conditioning, remove laces and clean your leather shoes with a leather cleaner. Allow the shoes to dry completely.
  2. Using a clean microfiber cloth, work the leather conditioner onto the surface of your shoes. Wait for a few minutes to allow the product to absorb into the leather. Then, using a clean soft cloth, wipe off any excess product.
  3. Replace the shoe laces and test out your shoes. If needed, reapply more conditioner.

Summarized: How To Stop Squeaky Shoes

In this post, I’ve gathered the best tips on how to stop squeaky shoes. Here are all the recommended products in one convenient list:

Conclusion

Many people think they need to throw away their old or used shoes when they start making noise, but this is not always necessary. Using the tips above, you can fix the problem at home instead of throwing away your footwear.

There are a number of ways to get rid of squeaky shoes. To begin, find out what is causing the squeak and then fix it using the solutions above. In this post, I’ve gathered the best methods and products on how to stop squeaky shoes.

If you have new shoes, the material might be stiff, causing them to squeak when you walk. If this is the case, they will stop squeaking on their own once they break in. If the bottom of your new shoes are noisy, a quick fix for squeaky shoes is to wear the soles down with sandpaper.

I hope this post gave you some helpful ideas on how to get shoes to stop squeaking at home. If none of solutions above work, you may need to take your shoes to a cobbler or shoe repair store for professional help.

If you enjoyed this post, here are other shoe-related posts I’ve written:

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