How to Stop Sandals From Making Suction Noise

There is nothing worse than investing in a great pair of sandals for the Summer only to find that as soon as you walk on them they start making an annoying noise.

Farting noises or squeaking shoes aren’t just irritating they are also embarrassing as well as everyone stops and stares to hear where the noise is coming from. This means learning how to stop sandals from making suction noise is important otherwise you are going to end up throwing them away.

The annoying sound from sandals, flip flops and shoes is also not limited to cheap footwear which is even more annoying. Birkenstocks and expensive sandals can also make the noise. When you have invested money in more expensive footwear only to find that they are making suction noise or squeaking it’s enough to drive you to distraction. So what can you do about it?

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Why Do My Sandals Make Noise When I Walk?

The fact is that there is no one major culprit for the squeaking noise or farting sound that sandals make. Instead to eliminate the problem you need to do some detective work to understand where the issue is coming from.

In some cases, the fault lies with the sandals themselves. Noisy sandals can be linked to manufacturing faults, design, insoles and air bubbles that cause the suction sound.

In other cases, the problem is linked to how you walk, warm weather, sweaty feet and other problems that are not directly linked to the sandal or shoes.

To learn how to make sandals stop making suction noise then follow these tips to stop squeaking and farting sounds so that you can walk in peace again.

If Your Sandals Are Making Suction Noises Break Them In

Squeaky sandals in many cases may just be a temporary problem especially if they are new. A new pair of sandals is going to make more noise simply because the material is stiffer and the footbed and sole of the shoe have not had any weight exerted on them.

Most sandals are going to have some teething problems from air escaping from the footbed or noises from the insoles but over time this should subside. It is worth putting up with the squeaking noise for a week or two to see if the sounds start to reduce and eventually disappear.

If you are still experiencing a squeaking noise or suction sounds then start to investigate what else could be happening by following our next steps.

If You Have Squeaky Sandals – Check the Insoles

If you want to know how to stop sandals making suction noise then one of the first places to check is the insoles or footbed of the sandal that is making the suction noise.

Your footbed should normally be solidly attached to the midsole or the sole of your sandal but occasionally there is some movement or air or moisture that can be trapped inside that might be causing your problem.

If you feel there is trapped moisture then try and remove the footbed and dry the sandal before replacing it. If there is trapped air try and adjust the sandal footbed to avoid the air escaping and creating noisy shoes.

If you fit that the footbed of your shoe is still moving and creating pockets of trapped air then you can use an adhesive such as Shoe Goo to stick it back firmly so that it stays in place in the future.

How to Stop Shoes Making a Farting Sound Deal With Sweaty Feet

Whilst it may not be nice to talk about sweaty feet are often behind the problem of your sandals making a suction noise or a farting sound.

As sweaty feet tend to increase moisture in a sandal or shoe it means that part of your foot gets stuck to the footbed or insole in the shoe. As you walk the part of your foot that is stuck frees itself as you move and that is why you can hear suction sounds or squeaking shoes.

Now of course if you wear socks in normal shoes they can often help to eliminate some of that moisture but of course, that isn’t possible in sandals so the next solution is to deal with your sweaty feet.

If you want to know how to stop your sandals from making suction noises there are plenty of antiperspirant deodorants or foot lotions on the market that can help with this problem. One of our favorites is Carpe Antiperspirant Foot Lotion which has thousands of positive reviews.

This product has been created to help with sweat so that your feet can stay dry even in the Summer months. Even better you only need a really small amount for it to work so a tube can last for a long time. The product is also not tested on animals.

Feet Sticking To Sandals – Use Talcum Powder

Antiperspirant deodorant is a great way to solve the problem of sweaty feet to stop your sandals from making noise but baby powder can also do the trick as well.

If your sandals are making suction sounds then sprinkle some baby powder, corn starch or foot powder onto your feet before wearing your shoes can make a difference to the noise.

Talcum powder is freely available and relatively inexpensive and can soak up any excess moisture. The only problem is that baby powder can be visible and show on your exposed feet. It can also build up inside your shoes and cause marks and stains so if you are going to use it only use a tiny bit at a time.

How to Stop Sandals From Squeaking – Use Petroleum Jelly

When your shoes squeak or your sandals make a suction noise then you need to think about eliminating the friction that is caused when you are walking.

As you walk your foot can stick to the inner sole and then unstick as you move causing the embarrassing noises. This is where a product such as petroleum jelly or vaseline by its other name can work.

Just spread the petroleum jelly on the sandals insole as this can help to get rid of the annoying noises. Petroleum jelly is a great product that most people have around their homes and it is also fairly cheap making this a budget solution to the problem.

Petroleum Jelly however isn’t always the most pleasant product to have on your feet and can make them feel slightly slimey if you put on too much. It can also attract dust and dirt as well as mark the inside of your sandals depending on the material. This means it is probably a solution for emergencies or when you aren’t worried about expensive footwear.

Use WD-40 to Stop Sandal Noise

If you want to make sandals stop squeaking you can also look to see if any of the various parts of the sandal are rubbing against each other and making noise.

Friction between various parts of the sandals can certainly cause annoying noise and an oil-based lubricant may be able to help with this.

Products such as WD-40 can be useful for synthetic sandals to help reduce annoying noises but once again only a small amount should be used. Make sure it isn’t used on expensive sandals or leather or suede as it can cause discolouration.

Eliminate Sandal Noise By Pricking Holes in the Footbed

Sandals usually are made up of a sole, a midsole and the footbed. Sometimes it is the cushioning in the midsole that causes the problem as the small holes in this area can be filled with air. When you are walking these air pockets can be squashed and make the suction noise.

If you want to know how to stop sandals from making suction noise then finding ways to stop this sound is important.

Generally, over time, the cushioning will be broken in because of the weight of your body meaning the trapped air will no longer have space to exist however that will not help in the short term. So you could use a controversial solution which is to get rid of the noise by pricking tiny holes into the footbed to allow the air to escape.

Many people poke holes into the insoles or footbed of their shoes to get rid of the problem with pins or the tips of scissors. This of course leaves your shoes no longer looking pristine. As your feet are covering the holes they are not really noticeable to others but this can be a drastic solution especially if your sandals are expensive as there is no way to repair this damage once you have done it.

Buy An Alternative Insole

If your sandals have a standard leather insole or in fact any insole that creates friction then you may find that the noise from your sandals will be worse.

An easy solution is sometimes to add an alternative insole on top of the existing one to see if a different material will still make the noise.

There are plenty of sandal insoles that you can purchase that aren’t particularly visible. We like Foot Petals Cushioned Insoles as they are discreet and can be placed in new sandals easily to stop squeaking.

Check for Defects in Your Sandals

We have of course not discussed how new sandals may have manufacturing defects that could be causing the problem.

If you have purchased a new pair of shoes or sandals then they have to be fit for purpose and that means the shoe store shouldn’t be selling you footwear that makes noise or has other problems. If you feel that your sandals have a defect that is preventing you from wearing your shoes then it makes sense to take them back to the shoe store and ask for your money back or repairs.

Many people don’t bother but wasting your money on shoes you can’t wear isn’t acceptable and most reputable stores will resolve the problem with you.

Take Them to a Cobbler

Finally, if you want to know how to stop sandals from making suction noise then take them to a cobbler as your nearest repair shop.

A good shoe repair shop will be able to help you understand why your sandals are causing you a problem and will be able to recommend solutions. If the problem is in the internal part of the sandal they may have the equipment to make the necessary repairs quickly and easily.

This solution can help to prevent considerable time and trouble trying the alternative methods that might not work for your particular problem.