So you just bought a pair of Doc Martens boots, and now you are wondering, “how do I stop these soles from squeaking.” Don’t worry. While you’re not the only one, you’re probably in luck, and you can transform them into a nice pair that won’t squeak.
Even though boots and shoes are among the most popular forms of footwear, one annoying problem is that sometimes they tend to squeak while walking.
Well, squeaking alone isn’t unhealthy or something dangerous, but anyone who owns a pair of squeaky Doc Marten boots understands how bothersome and embracing such shoes can be.
It’s not uncommon that most people who purchase Doc Martens boots come back searching for ways to mute their shoes’ outsoles. However, these tricks might serve you a great deal and silence the soles for good.
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What’s Causing Your Shoes to Squeak?
The first thing is to isolate where the sound is coming from as well as the cause. Various issues can lead to noisy shoes, including trapped water, loose heels, or shoes that are yet to break-in. Once you’ve located the squeak, treat that specific area with baking powder, baby powder, or corn-starch.
If the squeak is coming from the base, you can use some powder and apply it to that area where the sole attaches the rest of the shoe. Should the squeak persist, can count on the following tricks.
Work on the Loose Heels
Evaluate your squeaking boots to check whether there’s a gap between the heels and the shoe surface or where the heel gets loose. Once you ascertain the trouble spot, apply some shoe glue in the seam and around the heel.
Then hold both the heel and the upper. You might have to use a clamp to keep everything tightly together until the glue dries. If that sounds pretty much technical, you can take your shoes to a professional cobbler to get it fixed for you.
Baby Powder
Water can get trapped within the sole adjacent, rub against each other, and leave you with really annoying squeaky shoes. Sprinkling a little bit of baby powder under the inner sole will help wick the moisture. In case your boots don’t have a detachable insole, try shaking the powder around the interior of the shoe (footbed) instead.
Also Read: Why Do Shoes Squeak When You Walk?
Petroleum Jelly
If there are two things close to each other in your Doc Marten Boots are the insole and the outsole. As such, the outsole could start getting noisy when rubbing the insole of the shoe. To fix this, smear a slight amount of lotion or petroleum jelly underneath the insole to soothe the parts that rub against each other upon every step you make.
Dryer Sheet
Whether it’s a car or a pair of Doc Marten Boots, anything squeaky can be annoying and bothersome pretty much enough. You’ve probably tried adding new inserts to your shoes, only to realize that the irritating sound won’t stop. Go to the laundry room and get a dryer sheet. Slip the sheets under the footbed to create a buffer and stop the squeaks.
Soften the Insoles
Brand new kicks always tend to be noisy, especially before you break them in. For that case, you can speed up the break-in process by using a rough tape or simply a sandpaper to gently rub the base of the squeaky shoes to soften them up.
Put Your Boots in the Dryer
This isn’t the most recommended method to silence your Doc pair, and it’s not the most promising either. However, it can be effective enough to help get rid of any moisture trapped within the shoe.
Squeaks caused by trapped water means you need to get your boots dried out. Apply a controlled amount of fabric softener onto a washcloth or a sponge for that matter. Toss the sponge together with your noisy boots into the dryer, but don’t leave your shoes in there for more than ten minutes; otherwise, you may end up with a pair of shrunken, heat-damaged shoes.
Other methods for stopping the squeak
In cases, especially for those shoes crafted from animal-based fabric, leather conditioners could work just fine. All you need to do is rub a little amount of leather conditioner into your shoes or boots and buff with a dry cloth afterward. For shoes made with other materials like suede, use a conditioner specifically meant for suede.
You can also try applying WD-40 to your boots. This method may prove to be more useful at eliminating squeaks than most leather conditioners. If you have to use WD-40, we recommend applying it carefully and observably not to damage your shoes.
Another recommendation is that if your Docs Martens tend to squeak right from the box, that could be due to the manufacturer’s defect. That means working to fix squeaky boots yourself might make any warranty null and void. Check the manufacturer’s return policy as you may be better off swapping them for another pair.
Also, after mending and caulking your shoes, you’ll need to be careful while walking the following day. The heel could get loose again within a short time. Ideally, go slower and avoid steps and inclines that are likely to loosen the heel. Or until you’re satisfied that the heel has been successfully repaired.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the appropriate method to fix your squeak problems can be a bit difficult. But once you know what’s causing the squeak, solving the problem shouldn’t be a problem at all. Almost half of the shoe squeaks rest on the basic construction of the shoe. This includes the sole, shank, and the heel, which usually calls for a professional cobbler to disable and reassemble for a successful repair. If you’re planning to visit a shoe maintenance specialist, it would be best to wear the shoe heading to the place to warm up and be at their peak squeaking level. This makes it easier to spot the source of the squeak.