Saying that Docs often squeak due to the trapped moisture or sweat inside. Moreover, abrasion and overuse could also result in squeaky Docs.
You can easily fix this issue by keeping your shoes dry. Applying baby powder, petroleum jelly, coconut oil, conditioning oil, etc. also helps to lessen the friction. And sometimes, softening the insole is the only way to get rid of the embarrassing sound.
Well, so many ways but which works the best? Below, we tried our best to shed some light on this topic so that you can fix your squeaky Docs easily at home.
So, let’s dive in!
Why Are My Doc Martens Squeaking?
Docs could be annoyingly squeaky due to the friction of the two parts. Also, trapped sweat, moisture, adhesive, etc. make your footwear squeak when you walk. Moreover, a new pair of Docs is always squeaky until it breaks in.
With time, your shoes might build up a considerable amount of perspiration inside. It usually happens if you don’t wash your shoes frequently.
Similarly, wet shoes lead to creating a disgusting noise as the shoes hold water inside.
Otherwise, if there’s friction between the shoe’s sole and the surface, you have to tolerate the embarrassing squeal.
Furthermore, ill-fitting Doc Martens also cause squeaking. Suppose, the heels of the boots are loosened. No way you can avoid the awful noise.
Sometimes, there is too much adhesive due to manufacturing faults inside the shoes. That could also result in noisy shoes.
Another reason behind those loud shoes is that you don’t give them a break-in time. Once a new pair breaks in and adjusts to your heels, the squeaky sound will automatically stop.
Whatever the reason is, you must find it out. Otherwise, you can’t treat your shoes accordingly to get rid of the annoying sound, right?
How to Stop Doc Martens from Squeaking?
If you are trying to stop your Docs from squeaking, you need to focus on three major parts- inside, outside, laces, and tongue.
However, let’s look forward to these major shoe parts to stop them from making those irritating sounds.
Inside
If you find your favorite Docs squeaking from inside, chances are, there’s friction between the insole and the midsole. What you can do to treat the shoes is as follow-
- Remove the insole first. Then sprinkle some talcum powder/baby powder inside your shoes. Make sure the powder covers the area where the insole and the midsole meet. Then put back the insole. Talcum powder will soak the excessive moisture inside and solve the issue.
Also, it could reduce friction. However, coconut oil and baking powder are two effective alternatives to talcum powder in this regard.
- You can place either paper towels or fabric softener sheets on top of the powder to reduce friction.
- Softening the insole is a great idea when you are irritated with your loud Docs. You can use sandpaper to scrub the Doc’s sole to stop it from squeaking.
- Petroleum jelly is another good choice to use as a lubricant. Apply it underneath the Doc’s insole to stop the shoe parts from rubbing against each other.
Outside
If you find that the outer sole of your shoes is responsible for creating the loud noise, go for the steps below-
- Again, fine sandpaper works great to roughen the outsole and stop the shoes from squeaking against any surface. But please make sure you rub the outsole gently without damaging its actual texture. And the sandpaper must be 120-220 grit.
- If you find the sound appearing from the joint between the upper part and the rubber outsole, applying a silicone lubricant will work.
- Then you must focus on the heel area. Perhaps, there is a gap between the heel and the shoe surface.
In that case, you should glue the heel with the upper. Use a clamp to hold them together until the adhesive dries.
Tongue and Laces
Sometimes, the insoles and outsoles of Doc Martens could be okay. But you still might find them squeaky because of the friction between the tongue and laces. If that happens, follow the methods below to make your shoes non-squeaky.
- Sprinkle some talcum powder on the tongue and around the eyelets of the shoes. This will significantly reduce the friction around those areas.
Of course, you need to clean any excess powder from the laces with the help of a soft toothbrush.
How to Prevent Squeaky Doc Martens?
According to Nathan, in order to prevent squeaking in a Doc Martens pair, you must follow the following tips-
- Never leave the shoes wet. Even if they get wet, dry them thoroughly before you use them.
- Make the shoe’s bottom less slick so that they don’t make any harsh sound against tiles or hard surfaces.
- The leather conditioner works pretty well to make the squeaky leather boots silent.
- You can rely on a shoe maintenance kit to maintain them properly. In that way, they won’t squeak anymore.
- Do not use direct sunlight to dry the shoes. It will affect the leather texture.
- Wear moisture-wicking socks with Doc Martens boots to prevent squeaks.
FAQs
Do Doc Martens Always Squeak?
Not really. They get squeaky usually after getting wet. Otherwise, a new pair can squeak until you get used to the shoes.
If you find a brand new Doc pair noisy, that’s not an issue.
Contrary to what you may think, it will not last long. After a couple of weeks, the shoes will be silent with regular use.
So spare them some break-in time.
Do Doc Martens Stop Squeaking?
Yes, after the break-in period, the Docs will automatically stop squeaking. But that only happens for a brand-new pair. If the shoes are old and suddenly start sounding squeaky, you need to find out the exact reason and treat them accordingly.
How Do You Stop Dr. Martens from Squeaking in Leather?
Usually, leather boots squeak due to the friction among the layers of leather. So, you need to simply apply a leather conditioner to make the leather smoother. Thus, lubricating the leather will result in non-squeaky leather Docs.
How to Stop Squeaking from Doc Martens Soles?
To stop squeaking from Doc Martens’s soles, you can either sprinkle some baby powder under the insole or soften the insole as much as possible.
By rubbing sandpaper against the bottom, you can soften the shoes quickly. This also speeds up the break-in process. However, applying coconut oil as lube to the shoe’s sole is an excellent idea to put an end to the squeak.
Why Are the Bottom of My Doc Martens Squeaking?
When the bottom of your favorite Docs rubs oddly against the floor, you experience the awful noise from the shoes. Although sometimes it creates friction with the insole and starts making crazy noises.
Why Are My Vegan Doc Martens Squeaky?
The reason lies in where the noise is coming from. Sometimes, too big or too small vegan Docs cause squeaking noise. And sometimes the shoes are subjected to wear and tear over time.
But in most cases, your vegan Docs’ surfaces rub against each other to cause friction. Therefore, the shoes cry and complain about the friction.
How Do You Determine the Area of Squeaking?
Simply put, you need to listen to the sound carefully. So, put the squeaky pair on and sit close to your feet to follow the embarrassing sound. Moving feet to and fro also helps to understand exactly which part of your shoes is making noise.
But if you can’t decide on the squeaky area, calling for a professional would be better. It will take a few seconds for an expert to mark the squeaky part of your Docs.
Why Do My Doc Martens Squeak on the Tile?
If Dr. Martens squeaks against the hard floor or tile, chances are, the bottom of the shoes is too slick. And guess what, tiles are the same as well. So, two slick and smooth surfaces create friction when they come in contact.
However, this is a common case in terms of rubber Docs. And the only solution is to make the shoe bottom less smooth with the help of sandpaper.
Final Words
That’s all about how to stop Doc Martens from squeaking. Hopefully, you enjoyed the guide to the fullest.
If you follow the methods, rest assured that you can keep your Docs none-squeaky forever. Even if they start complaining once in a while, you can easily fix the issue with the DIY techniques above.
Most interestingly, it doesn’t take much effort and costs almost nothing. You can fix your squeaky Docs with all the household items.
So, which of the above ways is your favorite? Share in the comments below!
