Do you ever get that annoying sound when you walk in new leather shoes? You’re not alone! In this article, we will explore the science behind why new leather shoes squeak. We will also look at some ways to prevent this from happening. Stick around!
1. The Style Or Design Of The Leather Shoes
The first reason I found was the style or design of the leather shoes. There are certain styles of shoe designs that are more likely to produce a squeaking sound when you walk in them.
When I first bought my leather shoes, they were an oxford style. Right from the get-go, they were squeaking.
I also found that high-heeled shoes with pointed toes are usually made from thin leather or synthetic materials which means they don’t have any padding underneath the foot like other types of footwear would so this makes it easier for air pockets to form between your feet and the sole of the shoe.
When you walk, the air pockets quickly move in and out of these spaces which makes a squeaking noise.
Wedge-heeled shoes are also culprits of this annoying sound because they have a raised back section. This causes more pressure to be put on the heel when you walk which can create small gaps between your feet and the shoe sole
I can go on and on and on about specific shoe styles and the reason why they are often the culprits of squeaking noises but for the sake of time, here is a list:
- High Heels (Pointed Toes)
- Wedges Sandals And Boots With A Raised Back Section
- Saddle Shoes
- Slipper Loafers
- Tassled Loafers
If you are experiencing the dreaded shoe squeak, it might be that you have one of these types of shoes. If you can’t help but love them, then keep reading as I’m going to be sharing with you a few ways that you can try to prevent the noise from happening.
2. Friction
Tied to the first point about shoe style and design is the concept of friction. Friction is actually the number one reason why new leather shoes make a noise when you walk in them.
This can be from how your feet rub against the shoes’ insoles or the shoes themselves.
It could also be due to how your feet rub against socks and other materials that may have gotten trapped between them while wearing these types of footwear (e.g: lint, dust particles).
The squeak is caused by air pockets moving around inside your shoe which creates this annoying sound.
Most of us have been in that situation where you or someone walks into a room late and those shoes that you can hear a mile away. Chances are, they’re new leather shoes and the person wearing them is probably feeling pretty self-conscious about it.
But don’t worry! There are ways to prevent this from happening. Read on!
3. The Shoes Do Not Fit
If your new pair of leather shoes do not fit well, then this could be the reason why they are squeaking. That is if the leather shoes are too tight or too loose, this can also cause your new leather shoes to squeak.
If they’re too tight, the friction between your feet and the shoe will be increased which will cause more of that annoying noise.
If they are too loose, there is a good chance that something (e.g: dust particles, lint) may get trapped in-between your feet and the shoes which will also increase friction.
During my young days in catholic school, one of our house masters would always have a loud squeaking sound coming from her shoes whenever she patrolled our dorms.
Power move? I don’t know! What was evident was the fact that those shoes were, for lack of a better word, oversized or a little too big.
It’s not a bad idea to get your feet measured by a professional so you can purchase the right size of leather shoes and avoid this problem altogether.
If you want to avoid this from happening, you also want to make sure that the shoes you purchase fit well and are of high quality so they don’t break down easily when worn for long periods at a time.
4. Where You’re Walking
This is something that we don’t often think about but the type of surface you are walking on can also cause your new leather shoes to squeak.
Walking on a hardwood floor will be louder than walking in soft grass or sand or even carpeted areas. Another example is walking on porcelain tiles or epoxy-coated floors can be very noisy.
The material of the floor can also play a role in how much noise your shoes will make when you walk on them. If the surface is slick, this could cause your shoes to move around more and create that irritating sound.
The sound of your shoes rubbing against these surfaces can create that pesky shoe squeak.
If you live in a place where most of the surfaces you walk on are hard, then this could be the reason why your new leather shoes are making that noise. In this case, there’s not much you can do.
We spent our childhood training ourselves to walk quietly and always switch off the lights when leaving a room so as not to wake our parents up.
It’s funny how something that was instilled in us during our early years can come back to bite us later on in life.
But regardless, it is still good practice to walk softly in your new leather shoes especially if you don’t want everyone within a five-meter radius of you to hear those squeaks.
5. Wet Conditions
Another possible cause of the squeaking sounds you’re experiencing is that the surface you’re walking on might be wet or damp. This usually happens when the floor is freshly cleaned or when it’s been raining outside.
When the floor is wet, it creates more friction between your shoes and the surface which will make that noise louder than when you’re walking on a dry surface.
Another scenario is that you could’ve stepped in a small patch of water on the floor and as a result, underneath your shoes are wet. So when you walk on a surface, the water will cause the shoes to create that noise.
Not only does this bring about a lot of noise when you walk but it is also very risky and dangerous. So you want to try and avoid walking in these conditions as much as possible.
6. Type Of Stitching
The type of stitching on your new leather shoes could also be the culprit. New leather shoes with very few stitches can cause more noise as the material rubs against each other.
Good quality shoes usually have more than 12 stitches per inch which not only enhances the durability of the shoes but also helps to reduce the friction and the amount of noise that’s created.
If the stitches are done poorly, it will not only look bad but this could also be the reason why your shoes are squeaking.
Also, if the stitches on the leather shoes are too tight, this can also create too much tension which may be the reason for squeaky shoes.
If you’re planning on purchasing leather shoes, it’s a good idea to check how these are made and see if there are any loose or missing stitches that could cause your shoes to make noise when you walk.
7. Type Of Leather
The type of leather that’s used on your leather shoes can also play a role in how much noise they make.
Some types of leather are more prone to squeaking than others. For example, a leather shoe made of calfskin will squeak more than one that’s made out of kangaroo leather.
The reason for this is that the calfskin is a softer type of leather which will create more friction when you walk.
On the other hand, kangaroo leather is a much tougher and denser material that will make less noise when you walk.
So if you’re looking to buy new leather shoes, it’s worth taking into consideration what type of leather is being used.
Also, shoes like suede are less likely to squeak compared to smooth leather because the texture of suede is more cushioned which prevents it from creating that friction.
So if you’re looking for a new pair of shoes, it may be worth checking out ones made from kangaroo or calfskin rather than those with smooth finishes like patent leathers.
8. Type Of Shoe Sole
The type of shoe sole can also play a role in whether or not your shoes are squeaking. This is because the material that’s used for making soles varies from one manufacturer to another and some materials will make more noise than others when you walk on them.
For example, rubber soles tend to be quieter than leather ones as they don’t create as much friction.
The thickness and stiffness of the sole could also be another reason why your new leather shoes are making those unwanted sounds when you walk.
A shoe sole that is too thin or soft will create a lot of friction and noise when you walk. The more flexible the sole, the louder it will be when you walk which can become very annoying after some time.
How To Stop Leather Shoes From Squeaking
There are a few ways that you can stop your leather shoes from squeaking.
- One way is to apply a silicone-based lubricant on the areas where the leather rubs against each other. This will help to reduce the amount of friction that’s created and should stop the shoes from making that noise.
- Another way is to sprinkle some baby powder or talcum powder on the inside of the shoes. This will help to absorb any moisture and stop the leather from sticking to each other.
- Make sure your leather shoes fit well and aren’t too tight or loose. This will help to prevent friction from occurring.
- If your leather shoes are too tight, they may stretch out over time and stop making noise. If they’re loose, try using an insole to make them fit better.
- Putting paper towels underneath your insoles is a great way to stop your new leather shoes from squeaking.
- Another way to stop squeaking in new leather shoes is to remove the insoles and apply coconut oil to the bottom of the inner part of the shoes and then replace the insole.
- Dry the bottom of the leather shoes with some dryer sheets to stop the squeaking sound.
- Use 120 to 220 grit sandpaper to roughen up the bottom of your leather shoes if it still squeaks.
- Make sure your new leather shoes are well-conditioned. You particularly want to apply the leather conditioner to the tongue of the leather shoes.
- Thoroughly dry your leather shoes if moisture is causing them to squeak.
- Finally, you want to have adequate rest times between wear. This will help to break in your leather shoes and stop them from squeaking.
Final Words
So these are some of the most common reasons why your new leather shoes might be making that irritating squeaking sound when you walk.
Hopefully, some of these tips will help to stop the noise. If not, you can always take them back to the store and ask them to have a look at them or exchange them for a different pair of shoes.
I will end here and hope that this article was of some help to you. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions that you may have in the section below and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for reading! ????
