We’ve all been there – that awkward moment where the room falls silent, and your sandal decides to make a sound that closely resembles a fart. You know it was your sandal, but trying to explain this to everyone who is suddenly looking at you might immediately sound unconvincing.
Sandals can make farting sounds for various reasons, such as moisture, dirt, manufacturing defects, and wear and tear. Resolving the issue will depend on the cause. New sandals may also creak until they are worn in properly.
The first thing you should do about your flatulent footwear is to determine what exactly is causing it to sing you the song of its people. You will find some relevant information and tips below to help you get to the bottom of your sandal sound and save you from future embarrassment.
What Causes Sandals to Make Farting Noises
Sandals come in all shapes, sizes, and styles and are made of many different materials, from traditional leathers and hides to high-tech synthetic materials. There are lots of things that can cause them to make farting sounds, but generally, this sound indicates the presence of friction.
Sandals Are Not Worn In
If you have just purchased your sandals, it can be incredibly annoying if they squeak or make other sounds – especially if the sound resembles flatulence. You might be immediately frustrated and consider returning your new sandals.
However, new sandals can be noisy initially as the materials stretch and flex to the shape of your foot. You may have to be a little patient if your sandals are fresh, as it can take several wears before a sandal is worn in, especially if it’s made of rigid materials.
Friction Between Materials
Without friction, we would slip and slide all over the place, but it can also cause some unfortunate sounds that emanate from your footwear.
Materials rubbing against each other in your sandal as you move can cause a sound akin to a fart. This can be from straps rubbing against each other or friction between your foot and the sandal.
The other downside of friction is that where it is present, you will usually find wear. The sound becomes a lot worse when you start suspecting that it’s causing damage.
Moisture Buildup
Sandals are loved by people all around the world who like their feet to breathe. Their open construction offers the freedom of feeling barefoot while still protecting your foot, thanks to the sole providing clearance around the foot.
Sandals offer excellent breathability, but your foot still sweats throughout the day. If sandals are not dried correctly between use, they can develop a farting sound. Moisture from the environment, like rain or puddles, can also have the same effect.
You can wear sandals more frequently than regular shoes, but they should still be allowed to dry for a day or 2 between uses.
Dirt and Debris Creates Friction
Because they often don’t cover much of our feet, it might not be as noticeable when sandals are dirty compared to regular closed shoes. We’ve already identified moisture as a potential threat to the silence of your step, but things become a lot worse when dust and dirt get involved.
Dirt trapped in the seams and folds of your sandal can sometimes create enough friction between materials to create a sound that resembles a fart, especially in the presence of moisture.
Wear and Tear
Nothing lasts forever, and this is true even for the most rugged sandals you ever saw. A good quality pair will last you for years, but they will inevitably wear out. Keeping your feet and sandals clean and dry will help them last longer, but footwear works hard to protect us from the elements, and this takes its toll over the years.
Worn sandals can make farting sounds as the materials deteriorate. Air can get trapped between layers of separating material, creating the sound as it’s expelled when the wearer’s weight forces it out.
You can also experience noise when the soles begin to wear. This will be especially noticeable on smooth surfaces. You might have a harder time keeping your sandals clean, too, as the materials deteriorate with age and use.
How to Stop Sandals From Making Farting Noises
You’ve given your sandals a good once-over, maybe you have even determined the cause of the groan they are making as you walk. Below you will find a few tips on how to remedy your situation.
Replace or Fix Worn Sandals
Depending on the severity of the wear to your sandals, it may not be worth trying to fix their flatulent tendencies.
You can use a contact adhesive to glue back any loose materials that might be causing friction or allowing moisture to penetrate between them.
Clean any surfaces you wish to stick thoroughly, and allow enough time to dry before sticking. Allow enough time afterwards for the glue to cure fully. If you need glue, Gorilla Clear Grip Waterproof Contact Adhesive (available on Amazon) is perfect for the job. Read the instructions carefully.
If your farting sound is caused by a wearing sole, you can attempt to give the smooth surface some texture using sandpaper or a sharp object. Be careful when doing this as you are wearing away more material. If the sole is too thin, it is probably time it was replaced.
Wear In New Shoes Properly
New shoes can hurt your feet if you wear them too much because the materials have not softened enough. It can be tempting to rock new footwear all day both because of the fresh look, and also because you want to wear them in.
The best way to wear in a shoe is to wear it for short periods initially. Put it on at home and walk around as you normally would. If your feet start hurting at any point, take a break for a day.
If there are any particular parts of a new sandal that are hurting you, you can stick plasters over your skin to prevent chafing while you wear them in. Unfortunately, this is common, especially with stiff leather sandals.
Cream for Hard Leather
You might struggle with stiffer leathers; they can be exceedingly resistant to the bending of your foot. Even wearing them for short periods of time can leave your feet covered in sores and blisters, not to mention the awful creaking noise.
You can apply leather cream to help soften tough hides. Use a good quality cream–it will also help protect the sandal from moisture and prevent the leather from drying out and cracking.
Skidmore’s Original Leather Cream is made with natural ingredients like beeswax, which will also leave your sandals smelling delightful. Don’t overdo it–treat your leather every few weeks at most.
Wash Your Sandals to Remove Any Dirt and Debris
If you’ve noticed that your sandals could use a wash, be careful to clean your sandals using a method that will not damage the materials. Harsh soaps and chemicals should be avoided.
Cleaning Leather Sandals
Leather sandals should not be soaked in water. They should only remain in the water for as long as is necessary to clean them.
Use a mild soap to clean off any stubborn dirt, but be careful not to use any abrasive materials to scrub the leather. This can damage it and cause more problems, especially if you weaken the material enough that it might break.
Leather should never be placed in the sun to dry. Use a towel to get rid of any excess moisture, then leave your sandals in a shady spot with good airflow to dry.
Cleaning Synthetic Materials
Man-made materials are popular because they are light, cheap to produce, and perhaps most importantly, easy to clean.
Synthetic materials can be cleaned using a mild soapy solution. They dry faster than leather, but water can still get trapped inside, so make sure they are given enough time to dry before you wear them, even if they appear dry on the surface.
Gently Brush Your Shoes Off After Each Wear
You might not think much about your shoes once you’ve taken them off after a long day, especially if they don’t look awful. They get tossed in the cupboard, only to be hauled out to go back on our feet the next morning.
Take a minute to gently brush off your shoes when you take them off using a shoe brush. Even a sandal that appears clean might have accumulated a fine film of dirt that will become more and more noticeable over time.
It only takes a moment to brush off your shoes. You can even do it while they are still on your feet, it might tickle, but at least you won’t have to worry about dirt building up.
We often don’t notice until there is a visible layer of grime, especially on darker-colored footwear. This JOVITEC 3-piece horsehair shoe brush set includes smaller brushes for those crevices you can’t get with a big one.
Rotate Your Shoes to Prevent Moisture Buildup
Don’t wear your sandals every day. If they become soaked, they might need to dry for a few days. Wearing wet sandals isn’t only likely to cause unwelcome noises, it can damage your sandals over time.
Because shoes are often made of multiple layers of material and the tendency of moisture to penetrate fabrics, it can take up to several days for shoes to dry out properly.
Alternating your shoes ensures that they don’t accumulate too much moisture from your feet or the environment. Sandals are so easy to slip on that you might not even notice that you’ve been wearing them every day for the past 2 weeks. Give them a break–they work hard!
Lubricate Your Sandals to Stop Creaks From Friction
It’s usually easy to identify where friction is present by manually bending your sandal with your hands. Observe how the materials move and interact with each other–you might hear the offending sound, as well.
To fix friction causing unpleasant noises in your sandals, you must lubricate the rubbing surfaces. This can happen with new and old sandals.
To complicate things, it’s not as simple as applying a bit of oil to the squeak. You could end up damaging your shoe if you use the wrong method. For example, certain oils will destroy synthetic materials.
Chalk and Baby Power to Lubricate Shoes
You might think that these powdery substances will do more harm than good, but they can lubricate surfaces enough to stop any farting sound and will also help control moisture.
Applying some baby powder to your feet before you put your sandals on, particularly to your soles, will help prevent friction. Rubbing a small amount of chalk between creaking straps can help them slide over each other quietly.
These dry powders might have to be reapplied periodically, especially on a hot day when your feet are sweaty. Carrying a small container of Dr. Scholl’s Odor-x Sweat Absorbing Foot Powder will allow you to apply some in the restroom, it can be discreetly tucked in a handbag or backpack.
Final Thoughts
Something seemingly innocuous like a sandal that makes fart sounds might seem like an easy thing to fix, but with so many different factors that can cause the noise, it usually requires a multi-step approach.
Unlike regular shoes, it’s usually a lot easier to diagnose any problems with sandals since they generally use much less material and have a much simpler design. Hopefully, with some of the tips found here, your sandals won’t embarrass you any longer!
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