4 tips for silencing your squeaky shoes

We’ve all been there — that awkward silence broken only by the squeak of your shoes as you walk across the room.

But don’t abandon your cute — or comfy — footwear because of the noise. Follow these steps to identify and address a squeaky shoe.

Dry them out

If excess moisture is causing the squeak, thoroughly drying your shoes is essential. Try this method, recommended by Nike:

If that sounds like too much work, Reader’s Digest suggests a quicker alternative. Add a little fabric softener to a sponge or washcloth, then toss it along with your squeaking shoes into the dryer. Make sure not to leave them in for more than 10 minutes, or you could risk ending up with shrunken, heat-damaged shoes.

Try WD-40

Reader’s Digest recommends soaking a cotton ball in WD-40 or silicone spray and then applying it to the shoe’s outside seams. However, the magazine notes this trick could ruin suede.

“No lie wd40. Spray the outsoles it regrips them,” a Reddit user agrees.

Stop friction

If the squeak is coming from inside the shoe and isn’t because of moisture, Nike recommends reducing friction by:

Reader’s Digest recommends another method: Shake a bit of baby powder or talcum powder under the inner sole to absorb moisture. If your shoes don’t have removable soles, add the powder around the inside sole instead.

Condition the leather

Sometimes, footwear squeaks because it’s too dry, especially if it’s made of leather. To address this, Nike suggests using leather conditioner to moisturize the shoe and keep it from squeaking: