How to Stop Cowboy Boots from Squeaking? Fast and Effective Methods

One day you suddenly hear a squeak in your house. You are angry because you think obnoxious rats are attacking your beloved home.

You walk around your house with a knife and look for the hated mouse.

Oh no, the squeak doesn’t come from mice, but it comes from … your husband. More precisely, it was the squeaking sound of your husband’s newly purchased cowboy boots.

You drop the knife in your hand on the ground, your husband is not a mouse (or cowboy boots are not rats).

Then, you go online and search for How to Stop Cowboy Boots from Squeaking?

You click on an article from FromTheGuestRoom.

Hi there! Here you are, we will show you some of the easiest homemade methods to help cowboy boots get rid of annoying squeaks.

Key takeaways:

• There are many different causes of squeaking in cowboy boots, you need to identify them to be able to provide a proper solution.
• Cowboy boots that have not been broken in soles, are too tight, are still wet, etc. can all be the causes. Fortunately, most of these problems can be solved at home.
• If cowboy boots are new and still within the return period, I suggest you return them instead of applying any tips. You don’t need to be risky (using tips can make it difficult for you to return), not to mention many boots that will be followed by squeaks forever despite our efforts.

Why Do My Cowboy Boots Squeak?

There are many causes of squeaking sounds when you wear cowboy boots, including:

• Cowboy boots are tight at the instep
• Cowboy boots get wet inside
• Cowboy boots with outsole too new
• Insole cowboy boots are not well-designed
• Cowboy boots are dirty, and haven’t been cleaned and cared for properly
• …

It is important that you determine where the squeaking sound comes from, in order to get the proper handling.

The first thing you need to do is determine where the squeak is coming from.

The squeak can start from inside your cowboy boots, the bottom of the boots, the side of the cowboy boots or the top of the cowboy boots.

Make your husband run a 2-meter radius circle in front of you 10 times, listen to them carefully, and…

1. Squeak sounds come from Inside your Cowboy Boots

The annoying squeak from the inside of cowboy boots is due to the friction between the insole and the bottom of cowboy boots (Usually happens with the rubber sole), and if you notice, the more moist your insole is, the more echoing the squeak sounds.

To solve that problem, you will need powder such as Talcum Powder, Baby Powder, Cornstarch, etc. whatever powder is available in your home.

These powders excellently absorb moisture and reduce friction. They are a great tool to stop cowboy boots from squeaking.

However, the handling of the squeak emanating from inside cowboy boots for removable insoles will be different from non-removable insoles.

1. For removable insole – use household powder & boot dryer

For removable insoles, it is quite easy to handle the squeaks due to friction between the insole and the bottom or due to moisture insoles.

Here is a workaround:

Use household powder

Household talcum powder can be an effective solution for keeping your feet dry. When applied to your feet, it absorbs moisture, which is a common cause of squeaking inside cowboy boots.

By keeping your feet dry, the powder reduces friction between your feet and the boots, thereby minimizing the squeaking noise that often occurs when moisture and friction are present.

This simple trick can enhance comfort and prevent the distracting sounds that sometimes come from well-worn cowboy boots.

Step 1: Remove your insoles from cowboy boots

Step 2: Use household powder (Talcum Powder, Baby Powder, or Cornstarch) to cover the contact surface between the insole and the bottom. (cover the surface of the bottom inside cowboy boots)

Step 3: Make sure the entire heel is covered with powder because this is the part that usually makes the most squeaks.

You do not need to cover too much household powder, but try to cover the contact area between the upper and the sole.

Step 4: Put your boots in a dry place within 24 hours. During this time, the household powder will absorb moisture and reduce friction.

Step 5: After 24 hours, remove all household powder from your cowboy boots. Then put the cowboy boot insoles back in place and enjoy your cowboy boots with no squeaking sound anymore.

Walk around the house a few times to make sure that the insoles fit in the right place.

Note: the powder can keep cowboy boots from squeaking for a while, and if the squeaking sound comes back, try the above methods again.

Usually, if your feet sweat a lot, cowboy boots squeak from the inside are more likely to appear.

Tip: If you’re a sweaty man, use thick socks or sports socks for cowboy boots. These socks will keep your feet dry throughout the day.

Every night before going to bed, you can put a few dryer sheets between the insole and sole to absorb moisture. Keeping this area dry will help to prevent squeaking in the long run.

Use boot dryer

The above methods can apply if you own a few cowboy boots. But what if you’re a cowboy boot collector? What if the place where you live often rains or snows?

So it will take a lot of effort and household powder to keep cowboy boots dry and avoid squeaks, right?

That’s when you should think of Boot Dryer, this machine will keep the inside of your cowboy boots dry, thereby avoiding the annoying squeaks.

2. For the non-removable insole

This may be a big problem. If your boots are new, return them and ask for a refund.

Because with the new cowboy boots that emit squeaks from inside cowboy boots, the possibility is that the design of the insole and the outsole of cowboy boots were not good from the beginning.

If your cowboy boots are not new, then try to remove the insole and follow the steps above. As for old cowboy boots, the glue of the insole may not be as sticky as it used to be.

After doing the above steps, you can still buy specialized glue to glue insoles.

However, if you can’t remove the cowboy boot insole, it looks like you’ll need the help of a repair shop.

3. Insole does not stick firmly into cowboy boots

This is a situation where the insole doesn’t stick to the bottom of cowboy boots. This often happens with removable insoles, resulting in the squeaking sound in your cowboy boots.

In such situations, what you need to do is to glue the insole tightly to its proper position.  If it doesn’t work, it’s best to look for a better insole.

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2. Squeak sounds come from the Bottom of your Cowboy Boot

The reason for the squeaking sound from the bottom of a cowboy boot is that the outsole of the cowboy boot has a problem. (You feel that the insole doesn’t move at all)

The emitting squeak of the outsole is common in outsoles made from rubber.

Rubber soles are easy to make squeaks when exposed to other flat surfaces (wooden floors, granite …), especially for new cowboy boots.

There are some methods to fix this problem:

1. Wear them to walk a lot

This is the easiest way if your new cowboy boots emit squeaks at the outsole. That is because the outsole is too new and has a high grip.

You need to walk on cement roads to make the cowboy boot base worn out.

Be patient, give your cowboy boots time, and the squeak will disappear when the outsole is familiar with your steps.

2. Use sandpaper

Another effective way to keep the outsole from making squeaks is to use sandpaper to wear out the outsole a bit.

Use sandpaper to gently rub the outer surface of the cowboy boots, the grooves of the outsole, and the forefoot section. After the sole of the cowboy boots is more worn and smooth, it will not appear a squeaking sound.

Note that using sandpaper with slight rub, too much rub will affect the quality of the sole.

Tip: You should use 60 grit sandpaper

3. Keep the outsole of cowboy boots dry

One of the most common causes of squeaks from cowboy boot outsoles is the wet and dirty outsole.

So all you need to do is to clean the cowboy boots and keep them dry.

Step 1: Remove the dirt from the outsole, you can remove it with a bristle brush. If you often wear boots to work outdoors, you should try using Boot Scrubber.

Step 2: Use a warm, damp cloth to wipe the trenches of the outsole, to remove any remaining stains.

Step 3: After you’ve removed all the stains, use a hair dryer or Dryer Sheets to make the outsole of cowboy boots dry.

Just keep the cowboy boots clean and dry, they will be smoother and there are no annoying squeaks.

How to use dryer sheets: it is very simple, just use dryer sheets and wipe on every corner of the outsole so that it can dry out.

How to use the hair dryer: this is also simple, just dry until you feel the outsole is dry and no longer emits squeaks when walking.

Actually, this is also the hygiene method that you should apply to cowboy boots whether it emits squeak or not, preserving cowboy boots well is one of the things that help them extend their life.

3. Squeak sounds come from the Side and the Top of your Cowboy Boots

1. The Squeak Emanates because Cowboy Boots are Tight on the Instep

Another reason is due to the tight instep of your cowboy boots. Too tight a cowboy boot instep will lead to friction and create a squeaking sound.

There are many ways to solve this problem, we also have a separate article about it: How to fix cowboy boots tight instep.

In general, there are many solutions such as:

• Use boot instep stretcher
• Use boot stretch spray
• Spray water & steam inside the boots
• Use leather conditioner, lotion
• Use hairdryer
• Wear cowboy boots more often
• Use ice

All of the above methods are very easy to help the cowboy boot instep and from there stop cowboy boots from squeaking.

If you want to know more, read that article!

2. Use saddle soap

Or if you are in a hurry and want to stop the noise immediately, you can use the saddle soap

Step 1: Use a damp cloth to wipe the entire instep area of cowboy boots

Step 2: Use a damp cloth to dip into saddle soap and wipe around the instep area of cowboy boots, wipe both inside and outside.

Because in addition to making the leather of the cowboy boots at instep smoother, we also need to make them softer, so let’s apply saddle soap both inside and outside.

You should use specialized brushes to clean cowboy boots. In this case, you can moisten a specialized leather brush and rub on saddle soap. Then use it to rub lather on the inside and outside of cowboy boots.

Limiting the use of products such as toothbrushes to scrub onto the leather, the bristles of the toothbrush can be hard which might destroy the quality of leather cowboy boots.

Step 3: Use a dry towel to wipe the saddle soap remaining. After finishing step 2, keep your cowboy boots dry for their good.

Now that the leather at the instep of cowboy boots is soft and smooth, the squeak will no longer be there.

Tip: Use a hair dryer to ensure that your cowboy boots are always dry, carefully drying around the cowboy boots instep.

4. Some Other Methods to stop Cowboy Boots from Squeaking

1. Stretch/break in New Cowboy Boots

For new cowboy boots, don’t be surprised if a lot of problems occur when you wear them for the first time, including a squeaking sound. Be patient, and give them time to adjust to your feet.

Your cowboy boots need time to break in, or you can stretch your cowboy boots by yourself.

We have very detailed instructions on methods to shorten the time to break in and stretch cowboy boots:

For example. Use a boot stretcher, boot stretcher spray, lotion, or alcohol, wear boots with thick socks, or use water spray.

We have very detailed instructions on how to break in cowboy boots here, and how to stretch cowboy boots here.

After the break-in period, your cowboy boots will no longer squeak.

2. Keep the boots clean and maintain the cowboy boots well

Many cowboy boots, after being used for a while, happen to have a squeaking sound The reason may be because they are dirty for a long time.

You need to remove all the stains on the cowboy boots by cleaning them from the top down. Once your cowboy boots are well maintained, they are soft and smooth, thereby preventing cowboy boots from making squeaks.

Basically, follow our instructions to clean and maintain cowboy boots:

Step 1: Use a damp cloth to wipe away dirt, mud, and grass on cowboy boots

Tip: It is more effective if you moisten cowboy boots first by spraying warm water with a water sprayer

Step 2: Use a special brush and leather cleaner to scrub and clean cowboy boots, pay attention to a thorough clean in the welt and stitches

Step 3: Use a dry towel to dry the cowboy boots, now your cowboy boots are clean

Step 4: Use boot conditioner to maintain cowboy boots

This is a very important step as good maintenance will help the leather of cowboy boots smoother after you get rid of the squeaking sound from your cowboy boots

Step 5: Polish cowboy boots. Use special wax to polish cowboy boots.

Steps 4 and 5 (using conditioner and polishing wax) are two very important steps. They make your cowboy boots waterproof (to a certain extent) and make the leather of the boots soft and smooth, thereby preventing block the squeak of cowboy boots

We have a very thorough article on how to clean cowboy boots, you can see more here!

Before you leave

The instructions above are the most detailed and clear ones. Hope we can help you with these guides.

In general, don’t be too worried or impatient if cowboy boots emit squeaks, because you can handle it.

If you’ve used the above methods but your cowboy boots still emit annoying squeaks then you probably need to take them to a repair shop. But I believe my methods are very useful anyways.

Good luck!

Jay Gatz

Howdy y’all, and welcome to From The Guest Room, your ultimate guide to all things Western! I’m Jay Gatz, a lifelong cowboy boot enthusiast with over 5 years of experience in the Western style world. I’m excited to share my knowledge with you and help you discover the perfect cowboy boots and western gear to elevate your style. Let’s explore the rich history and timeless appeal of Western fashion together!