When you walk, your tennis shoes squeak. It’s annoying for you and the people around you. There are a few easy fixes to stop this sound!
Do your tennis shoes squeak every time you take a step? If you’re like me, you’ve probably tried everything from using baby powder to WD-40 to stop the noise. But what if I told you that there’s an easy way to fix the problem without resorting to any of those tricks?
Fix 1: Put on newer, better-fitting shoes. The more worn they are, the more likely they will be to make sounds when walked in Fix 2: Clean your soles with rubbing alcohol or soap and water before wearing them again. This can help get rid of any dirt that might have accumulated that could cause noise Fix 3: Apply some petroleum jelly or Vaseline to the soles of your feet before putting on socks or shoe covers then put on clean socks over it all.
How to Stop Tennis Shoes From Squeaking
Squeaky tennis shoes are the bane of any player’s existence. They can completely throw off your rhythm and timing, not to mention being really annoying for everyone around you. Here are a few tips on how to stop your shoes from squeaking on the court.
Acknowledge Why Your Shoes Squeak
There are a few reasons why your shoes might squeak. If you have new sneakers on, they may just be stiff and need to be broken in or if you’ve been wearing them outside, the soles could have gotten wet and not dried completely.
However, if your shoes squeak when you’re indoors like in a school or office, there’s probably something stuck between the sole and the rubber.
There are usually small pebbles or grains of dirt that make their way into your sneakers while you walk outside. Once they get inside, they stay on the soles and rub together whenever you take a step.
Clean out the sole of your shoe with some soap and water or rubbing alcohol to get rid of the cause of this common problem.
It can also be because of the type of rubber used to make the soles. If your soles have a diamond pattern, try having them replaced with a solid piece of rubber.
Apply Baby Talcum Powder To The Insole
For this, you will need baby powder or talcum powder. Just sprinkle some on the insole and leave it there. Look for a clean area of your insole to apply the talcum powder so it won’t fall off while you’re playing.
What you need to do is shake the shoes well so that the powder distributes evenly all over the insole. This should help stop your shoes from squeaking when you walk.
Apply Lubricants
Instead of using talcum or baby powder, you can use lubricants to stop friction. Lubricants are ideal because they are water-based and won’t leave a mess on your shoes.
Water-proof silicone spray is the best way to stop your shoes from squeaking forever. It’s easy to apply, doesn’t damage your shoes, and won’t be seen by anyone.
You can also use silicone-based grease if you don’t have any spray. Just apply it to the sole of your shoes before putting them on, making sure not to cover the part near where you make contact with the ground when playing. This should reduce friction and help stop squeaking.
Rub Petroleum Jelly On The Soles Of Your Feet
If you have no other options, the best way to stop your shoes from squeaking is by greasing up the bottom of your feet. This will work for any type of sole whether they’re made of rubber, textile or leather.
Just rub petroleum jelly or Vaseline on the soles of your feet and cover them with socks before putting on your shoes. This should stop the squeaking completely and prevent any damage to your sneakers.
Insert A Thin Paper Or Towel Under The Insole
For this method, use something thin like paper or a small towel. Slide it under the insole of your sneakers so that you have at least an inch sticking out on each side before putting back on the insole. The excess should be pushed under the upper part of the shoe.
This is one of the easiest ways to stop shoes from squeaking. It’s also easy to remove when you no longer have use for it.
This is a very effective way of stopping squeaks since the material will absorb any moisture that comes in contact with your feet and shoes, diminishing the friction between them.
The most important thing is to ensure that all materials are completely dry before putting on your shoes.
This will also help prevent your feet from smelling. With this method, you can play without worrying about squeaking on the court or having smelly shoes.
Let Your Shoes Dry Out Completely
Although it’s not the most effective method when compared to the steps mentioned above, there are times where excess moisture is what causes squeaks in your shoes. If this is the case, allowing time for them to dry out completely will solve the problem.
The best way to do this would be to leave your shoes outside overnight after every game. This way, you can play without having to worry about your shoes squeaking when you walk.
To be sure that the problem is caused by excess moisture and not something else, follow all of the steps for stopping shoes from squeaking. If they stop squeaking after drying them up completely, then you know that’s the reason for your predicament.
Polish Your Outsole By Sandpaper
For this method, you will need a rough but smooth surface. This could be sandpaper or a piece of fine grit emery cloth.
When your outsole is worn down, the best thing to do is use medium-grit sandpaper and make sure that there’s nothing on it at all before applying it to your shoes.
Make sure that you don’t scratch it and that your shoes are completely clean before applying any pressure to the surface. This will make the bottom of your shoes as smooth as possible, making it easier for them to slide without causing squeaks.
It is important not to use high-grit sandpaper because this removes material from your outsole.
This should resolve your problem because the shoes will glide without squeaking when you apply a thin layer of silicone spray to the sole and base of your shoe.
It is vital that you get rid of excess dirt from under your outsole before lubricating it with the water-proof silicone spray.
Wear Socks With Grippers On The Bottom
There are some people who wear socks with grippers on the bottom. This is a great way for them to stop their shoes from squeaking when they walk because it reduces friction between their feet and the sole of the shoe.
It is also important that you have clean socks before putting them on, especially if your feet sweat. This will remove any moisture that’s on your skin before it has the chance to affect your shoes.
If you’re using tape, use masking tape instead of duct tape to reduce the chances of damage to your shoes.
Even though this method is fairly effective, especially if your sole is smooth and made out of leather, it can still cause damage to your shoes. So make sure that you use masking tape and not duct tape to cover the edges of your insole because this can ruin the rubber on your outsole over time if the adhesive is left on (which results in a squeak when you walk).
See If Your Shoes Squeak Anymore
If you want to know if your shoes are squeaking, you need to try walking around in them. This includes walking on a hard surface because most of the time when people say that their shoes are squeaking, they’re actually talking about the sound that occurs when their feet rub against or slide across the material of their shoe or sneaker.
If you walk around the house and your shoes don’t make any noise, then they shouldn’t be making a sound when you hit the court. If that’s not true, it might be time to try another method to fix your problem.
How Can You Fix Squeaky Shoes?
There are ways to fix squeaky shoes. Some work better than others, but all of them will get rid of the noise if your shoes just aren’t cutting it in terms of quality.
Take off the insoles and spray scuff them with acetone. This should stop the annoying sound that they make when you walk on hard surfaces with them.
Another way to fix your squeaky shoes is by taking them to a cobbler and asking them to either apply or replace the insole in order for this annoying sound to go away completely. This method is a lot more effective than using acetone because it can be done without damaging any of the insides of your shoes.
What Causes Shoes to Squeak?
- Even though most shoes have a rubber outsole, there’s always going to be some form of friction that occurs when you walk on hard surfaces like concrete or even tennis courts.
- The sound that your shoes make when you walk is the result of two pieces of material rubbing together. It can also be caused by dirt and grime getting stuck underneath your insoles, which can cause them to make a sound when they rub against the outsole.
- The soles of your shoes might not fit correctly either because they’ve either been put on incorrectly or they’ve since stretched a little bit.
- The soles of your shoes might be made out of a material that’s too smooth because the lack of traction can make it hard for you to stop when you need to, which can result in squeaks.
- Your insole might not extend high enough when you walk either, which can be a result of it being too small for your shoe.
Tennis shoes wear out because of squeaks
And that they’re not as durable as you might have thought. This is because the sound they make when you walk on hard surfaces with them can be caused by damage to the rubber outsole, which can’t be fixed until it’s fully worn down.
You should obsessively look at your tennis shoe’s outsole after each training session to see where it will be ruined the most. Usually it is on the toe box and on the lateral parts.
Once you notice a problem with your tennis shoe’s outsole, it is time to stop using it and get a new pair of shoes.
Squeaking = Excellent Traction On Court
The sound of squeaking shoes is merely the result of your feet sliding across the outsole. If you wear a tennis shoe that has too few traction elements, you can’t stop quickly enough because your soles are moving around instead of having good grip.
If a shoe squeaks, it is a great sign that the shoe is sticking to the surface of the court and you have a maximal energy return from the ground to your feet.
Can You Fix Squeaky Tennis Shoes with A Professional?
If you pay a cobbler to do the work that will stop your shoes from squeaking, they should be able to understand that all you really need them to fix is the sound– not necessarily the damage done to your shoe’s outsole.
The cobbler will have to massage the outsoles or replace them with either old shoes, or new ones that they’ve just taken out of the box. They should be able to do this for you without charging you too much money since most shoes are made out of similar materials anyway.
If your shoe’s outsole is fine, but the sound is just too distracting, it might be time to leave the cobbler behind and try some other method.
Why Do My Tennis Shoes Squeak When I Walk?
Rubber outsoles of tennis shoes do not grip the ground properly once they are worn out. If your tennis shoe has a rubber outsole, this is probably what’s causing the noise you hear when you walk since it’s made from two pieces of material rubbing against each other.
Why Do My Heels Squeak When I Walk?
If there are noises coming from your heels, this is usually related to the insole of the shoe. This could be because it’s very thin or that dirt has gotten stuck underneath it.
The noise might be the result of this excess dirt or grime rubbing against one of your shoe’s external pieces.
If your insoles are wearing out too quickly, it could be because they’re too small for the size of your shoe. This means that they can slide around inside of your tennis shoes and cause extra movement which will generate noises when you walk.
Why Do Shoes Squeak When Wet?
If you notice your shoes making noises when they’re wet, it’s usually because the humidity has caused the outsoles to expand or bend in ways that they shouldn’t. This can permanently damage them and cause them to be loud when you walk.
What can I do about squeaky tennis shoes?
Applying a lubricant to the outsoles of your tennis shoes might help you stop them from making noises when you walk. However, this is only a temporary solution and won’t make them grip the ground any better.
Final Thoughts
The squeaking of your tennis shoes is a problem for many people and it has three possible causes.
If you want to stop this annoying sound, I recommend that you focus on the following areas: the surface where they are walking; what type of shoe material they have; or if their feet tend to sweat.
You can also rub some wax into them before wearing them which will help with any moisture issues.