Make Your Shoes Quieter [10 Hacks for Quiet Shoes]


Make Your Shoes Quieter

When you wear your hard-soled shoes on smooth hard flooring, there’s bound to be a bit of noise. When I wore my dress shoes to church, I would try to cross over the wooden flooring quietly, but my shoes always made noise. 

You can make your shoes quieter by adding something to the bottom of your shoes or changing them altogether. Several things might work to deaden the sound of your shoes. Here are 10 ways to quiet your shoes.

  1. Add rubber or silicone pads to your shoe bottoms
  2. Add duct tape or other thick tape to your shoe bottoms
  3. For high heels, add a rubber heel cover 
  4. Add felt or foam pads normally used for furniture (Caution: May be very slippery)
  5. Add a thin layer of Shoe Goo to the bottom of your shoes
  6. Add a thicker insole inside your shoe
  7. Add sole protector stickers to your shoe bottoms    
  8. Buy shoes with rubber soles
  9. Use a shoe cover
  10. Use a rubberized spray 

If you’re worried about your shoes making too much noise then it’s a good idea to try one method or another to quiet your shoes. 



Ways to Quiet Your Shoes

Generally, shoes make noise because they slap against a smooth, hard surface. If you’re inside a building or hallway, the noise can be amplified. How you walk can make a difference but may not quiet the sound as much as you need. 

Sometimes, shoes can also squeak. A leather conditioner can help soften squeaky leather, and drying your shoes from any possible dampness may help stop them from squeaking from inside your shoe. Although, some outsoles may just squeaky when they come in contact with smooth flooring. See (wikihow.com) for more information.

Adding items to the bottom of the shoe is likely the best way to quiet your shoes. Here are the ten ways to stop noisy shoes explained in greater detail


1. Add Rubber or Silicon Pads to Your Shoe Bottoms

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DETAILS:

  • Non-slip pads
  • Made of durable silicone
  • Comes in a pack of 8 for 2 pairs of shoes
  • Help with noise reduction

This is likely my choice when trying to quiet my shoes. All you need to do is apply the self-adhesive pads to the front and back of the bottom of your shoe for a quieter shoe. 

These, and other sticker-like products, require a smooth, clean surface to stick on well. After you’re done, you can walk on smooth flooring with much less noise, if any noticeable noise at all. 


2. Add Duct Tape or Other Thick Tape to Your Shoe Bottoms

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DETAILS:

  • Heavy duty
  • Extra thick
  • Double-thick adhesive
  • Tough Backing
  • Withstands moisture, UV rays, and extreme temperatures

If you’re in a hurry and have some duct tape at your house, this could quiet your shoes. I might use something like Gorilla tape because it is tough and thick. You might also consider a clear tape (Amazon.com), so it’s not so obvious.

All you need to do is apply the tape to the front and back of the bottom of your shoe. You may need scissors to cut the tape to fit your shoe better.  

The tape will help deaden the loud clacking and slapping noises that some shoes can make. It may not last too long, depending on how you apply it and what kind of tape you use. But it should work for a couple of days of walking around and longer with quality tape. 


3. For high Heels, Add a Rubber Heel Cover

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DETAILS:

  • Covers and protects heels
  • Made of Strong, flexible rubber
  • Traction on bottom
  • It can be used to repair broken heel tip
  • Come in many sizes
  • Includes 4 caps

If you wear high heels these caps could be useful to suppress the clicky-clack sound of using high heels in certain areas. The front of the shoe will still need something added to get full noise reduction.  

These are a good choice for those who use high heels often. You can put them in your purse in case your heel tip breaks.

You will need to measure the width of your heel tip to get an idea of the right size for your high heels. 


4. Add Felt or Foam Pads Normally Used for Furniture  

DETAILS:

  • These are sticker-like, peel-and-stick pads 
  • One is felt and the other is rubber-like foam
  • The felt will slide on smooth surfaces, while the foam will resist sliding
  • Both come in many sizes and can be cut to shape

For those who have these types of pads at home, you can get a quick fix for your shoe noise problem by attaching a large size section of pad to your heel or forefoot bottom if needed. 

These are good at reducing any noise made by your shoes on hard surfaces. If placed well they should add a bit of extra padding to your step and make your shoes feel a bit more comfortable. Although the opposite is also true if you add just a small pad at the front and back shoe bottom, your shoe might feel uncomfortable.


5. Add a thin layer of Shoe Goo to the bottom of your shoes

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DETAILS:

  • Shoe Goo is a shoe repair adhesive that dries to a rubber-like feel. 
  • It bonds to leather, vinyl, rubber, and canvas
  • It is waterproof and creates traction if used on the bottom of your shoe 
  • You can use it to protect, seal, repair, and bind parts of your shoe. 

When I used Shoe Goo on my shoes to fix a loose outsole, it worked well to hold the sole to the shoe. After it dries, it feels rubber-like and can be cut or sanded to get the shape and look that you want. Care must be taken when applying to ensure it is spread evenly.

Using application tools to spread the adhesive and tape to block off areas you don’t want adhesive can help you get a better result. Using ice to smooth out the adhesive can help. You can purchase a kit (Amazon.com Link) to help you get a professional look and feel.

I would plan on spreading a thin layer of adhesive to the problem area, taper the edges, and let it dry. If it’s smooth enough, I would test it and see how well it works. If it’s not thick enough, I would add another thin layer. 


6. Add a Thicker Insole Inside Your Shoe

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DETAILS:

  • For loose shoes and foot pain
  • Cushioning to absorb impacts better
  • They stay in place when put in your shoe
  • Are durable and can be washed
  • 3 pairs 

Sometimes our shoes are loose and this contributes to the loud noises that can occur as we walk with dress shoes. A cushioned insole can help your shoes fit better and absorb some of the impacts that occur when walking, making the sound from your shoes less pronounced. Your walking style will impact how your shoes sound, and having softer cushioning can aid in sound reduction. You might also try using gel cushions (Amazon.com Link) for higher-heeled shoes. 


7. Add Sole Protector Stickers to Your Shoe Bottoms    

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DETAILS:

  • To protect your soles from wear
  • Sticks well to your shoe sole
  • It can be cut to shape
  • Are durable and water-resistant
  • ~7.6mm thick 

These types of sticker sole protectors are similar to duct tape. They can come in different thicknesses, so you can expect a wide range of sound quieting from different sole protectors.

If you can find the thickness of the sole protector, you can compare it to Gorilla tape, which is about 17mm thick.

These are an easy solution to help quiet your shoe a bit and many can be taken off without harming your soles, although some may be more permanent. A hair dryer can help some adhesives soften so you can take the sole protector off when needed. 


8. Buy Shoes With Rubber Soles

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DETAILS:

  • Both shoes have rubber soles
  • The rubber on the heel and forefoot helps quiet shoes
  • Rubber is Anti-slip 
  • Rubber can absorb some socks from walking

With a rubber-soled shoe, you have the benefit of walking quietly wherever you go. Rubber, EVA foam, TPR rubber, or other soft sole types can help your shoes stay quiet, even on wooden floors. 

The thickness of the rubber will make a bit of a difference in how your shoe sounds, but even a little rubber on the sole will make a big difference.

If you need a new pair of shoes, a rubber or synthetic sole can help your shoes stay quiet.


9. Use a Shoe Cover 

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DETAILS:

  • Stretchy silicone cover
  • Non-slip sole cover design
  • Protects shoes from dirt and water
  • Helps reduce or eliminate sound from shoes
  • Reusable and easy to store

Like a silicone pad for your shoe, these shoe covers may not be your favorite look, but if you need a quiet shoe they should be very helpful at quieting your shoes. 

These are helpful when you need it quiet and you don’t care what your shoes look like, such as when doing sound production, studio filming, or other events where noise needs to be at a minimum.

If you want to learn more about shoe booties or covers you can read this article.


10. Use a Rubberized Spray 

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DETAILS:

  • Create a thin layer of rubber-like film over surfaces
  • Easy to peel coating from most surfaces
  • Resists moisture
  • Slip-resistant
  • It is good at insulating – so it should work to quiet your shoes

Rubberized spray like this is not meant for shoes but in a bind, you could spray your shoe soles to help create a quieter sole to walk on.   

Sprays like this won’t last a long time and may come off of some surfaces fairly easily. This would be a good idea to use when your shoes need to be quiet for a shorter period of time. When you’re done, peel off the rubberized coating.

You will need to be careful when applying to tape-off areas you don’t want to get the spray on. In this article, I give examples of ways to protect your shoe soles which may be helpful for quieting your shoes as well. 


Final Thoughts

There are many options to try to get your shoes quieter. Some are less conventional and some are more practical. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it to try different methods for quieting your shoes. 

The great thing about shoe quieting is that it tends to protect your soles as well. Your shoes might last longer, be more comfortable, and help you stay quiet when you need it. 

My personal choice would be to get rubber pads for the bottom of my shoes. What choice would you make?

Thanks for visiting Helpshoe.com 

References

https://www.wikihow.com

https://aquietrefuge.com

https://quietlivity.com/

CHRIS TOOLEY

I enjoy many types of outdoor activities including running, hiking, and walking. I was a former elementary school teacher for 17 years and now enjoy writing and sharing my love of the outdoors.

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