Converse – what helps with squeaking and creaking canvas shoes?

A proverb says: “Shoes that squeak are not paid for.” This was once intended to stop thieves from stealing shoes. But what might have once protected against light-fingered people is today more of an annoying side effect. In summer, you see them everywhere: fabric shoes! Especially popular, of course, are Converse, which come in all sorts of colors. They are beautiful, comfortable, and can be worn and combined excellently for almost any occasion. The only drawback: on smooth surfaces, these rubber soles tend to squeak.

Why do fabric shoes squeak and creak?

Almost everyone knows the problem of walking along on tiles or other smooth surfaces in fabric shoes. Whether in a museum, on train platforms, or in schools: every squeaking noise is not only annoying, it also draws the attention of everyone present to the wearer. You want to walk as quietly as possible, but the shoe squeaks and creaks with every step. Especially when the shoes have become wet from rain, the creaking noises become extremely loud.

On the worldwide internet, you can find numerous tips against the squeaking and creaking of Converse brand fabric shoes. From spraying them with hairspray to rubbing them with Vaseline, the tips all sound completely adventurous. You can certainly go to the trouble, but you should be certain of one thing: the squeaking will not disappear with them.

The scientific answer: Shoes with plastic soles make noise because too much release agent was used in the production of the soles. However, this release agent is necessary to release the baked soles from the molds. (Source: Interview with Jochen Rolle, Director of Footwear for Jack Wolfskin)

So much for the manufacturing – but what can you do now to stop the squeaking and creaking when walking? The fact is: if the sole of the shoes is made of natural rubber or latex, there is not much you can do.

Beware of well-intentioned treatment tips!

Some treatments might help for a while, but they are only of short duration. This refers, for example, to the use of talcum powder or sanding the sole with sandpaper. You should definitely avoid treatment with cooking oil. On the internet, you can find a video that treats shoe soles with cooking oil. Here, cooking oil is injected into the soles at four points using a 0.2ml syringe. Caution: not every shoe sole can withstand the treatment and the oil may attack the sole, which results in the shoes becoming porous. You can then only throw them away.

The only useful tip: the release agent in the shoes wears off over time. So it means “be patient” and walk as little as possible on smooth surfaces. Because the reason why Converse and other sports shoes squeak is, of course, the adhesive effect. They are intended for sports and are supposed to ensure that the wearer gets good traction.

Read also: Cleaning shoes with household remedies

Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at