Squeaky Shoes
Squish... Squeak.... Squish... Squeak...
'Are you seriously kidding me?', out comes my voice in a big, quiet auditorium. Could this be anymore embarrassing? I can't believe that everyone is staring right at me now and there's nothing I can do about this funky noise coming from my shoes. It would've been better if I had stayed inside, out of the rain, and not gotten my sneakers soaking wet. But that wouldn't be fun now, would it? I'm not a small kid anymore and getting noticed with these squeaky shoes is not acceptable. How do I fix this problem? Please, oh please, make it stop.
Stopping the Irritating Noise
It becomes quite urgent to find a solution to fix the squeakiness of your shoes when in public. The noise is annoying, not just for yourself, but for others as well. You don't want to be caught wearing such shoes. Although being wet in the water is one of the reasons why shoes can become squeaky, there are often times when newly purchased shoes (mostly leather) can also act up like this. In that case, there are certain 'remedies' you can take to prevent the awful embarrassment from the public. And here they are.
Tip 1 - If your shoes are new and there's no way that water could be behind the noise, then perhaps the heel of the shoe may be loose. To fix it, use little bit of glue and apply on the inside of the sole. Press on the sole and hold it for sometime. Once the glue dries, wear the shoes and walk in them.
Tip 2 - If the first tip doesn't work and you still want to know how you can make your shoes not make the squeaky noise, apply some hand lotion or oil inside the shoes. I know that if you do this and the squeakiness doesn't go, you'll probably will be past the point of returning them. So before using this tip, think of the risk.
Tip 3 - When shoes get wet in the rain or otherwise, before you do anything else, keep them in the sun to dry for at least 2-3 days. If water is the culprit, the heat should help it evaporate and give your shoes its previous glory (no squeak). Touch the insole and around the shoes to check if they aren't damp before you wear them again.
Tip 4 - Sometimes, the inner sole of the shoes are not completely glued in and can be removed with ease. If you can do that, then take out the inner sole, apply some baby powder or cornstarch in, and then place the sole back in place. Leave the shoes alone for the night and wear them in the morning.
Tip 5 - If the noisy problem persists, as a last resort, you can check to see if the tongue of the shoes aren't rubbing against the shoes; it will be under the laces. And if it is so, apply saddle soap on the tongue, rub into it, and then wear the shoes to check if the squeakiness is there or not.
Squishing, squeaking shoes are annoying and can be really frustrating at times. Your first task should be to find the root cause and apply the right solution immediately. And if none of the tips mentioned above work, you can try to return the shoes (if you've just bought them). You can explain your issue with the shoes and ask if they can replace them. Or, you can also wait till the sound goes away on its own.
