When it comes to your shoes, they’re better seen than heard. If you’ve ever broken in a pair of stiff leather boots or walked across marble flooring in particularly noisy heels, you can definitely relate. The thing is, sometimes even your favorite shoes can be a little squeaky. It doesn’t mean they’re defective, broken or of low quality, though. If your noisy shoes are driving you nuts, here are a few helpful tips to help silence the squeaks for good.
- Wear Them Everywhere: Sometimes, new shoes are only squeaky when you wear them for the first few times. In this case, the best option is to wear them in and speed up the process by wearing them whenever you can. For example, if you have a gorgeous new pair of cocktail shoes you want to wear to an upcoming event but hate the way they squeak when you move or walk, just wear them for an hour every day until the event! Throw them on while you’re doing chores, working from home or on your lunch hour to break in the material so they stay silent on the big day.
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- Dry Them Out: There are times when hidden moisture is responsible for squeakiness. This is especially common in the summer when heat and humidity cause feet to swell and shoes to expand, allowing water and air to become trapped within the sole or heel of the shoe. Whether it’s a strappy heeled sandal or your favorite cute ankle boots, you can easily dry out the moisture in your shoes and put an end to the noise. Simply toss them in the dryer on a tumble setting for a few minutes so the moisture can evaporate.
- Treat Them: If there’s any style of shoe that is most likely to squeak during wear, it’s rain boots. Rain boots for women are certainly ideal for rainy day outfits, but their non-slip soles and water-resistant material make them prone to creating all kinds of noises. Thankfully, you can stop your rain boots from squeaking by applying certain products directly to the area that’s causing the unwanted noise.
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Silicone sprays like WD-40 are great for more than just squeaky door hinges. They also do a great job silencing squeaky shoes. Spray a bit of this product on a cotton ball or paper towel and dab it around the edges of the sole, above the heel or any part of the shoe that connects to another. This will help lubricate the seams and edges that are causing your rain boots to squeak.
It’s important to note that this type of product shouldn’t be used on all shoe types! For an alternative that’s better suited for more delicate materials, try a small amount of petroleum jelly instead of WD-40.
- Soften Them Up: There’s no need to be so hard on your stylish soles! In many cases, squeaking shoes can be put on mute once the bottom of the sole has acquired a soft layer of scuffs. You can check this off your list by wearing your squeaky shoes while you moonwalk up and down your block, tap dance on the sidewalk or simply rub a piece of sandpaper across the bottom of the soles to prevent further squeaking.