How to Make Heels Quieter

As you walk, high heels produce the loud click-clack noise. The noise can be louder depending on the floor.

If you’re walking on a soft surface like a carpet it’s usually barely noticeable. But if you’re walking on hard surfaces, such as a wooden floor or ceramic tiles, it can be pretty annoying.

While high heels look good on many women, they can be a real distraction in a work environment and at home due to the sounds that they make. If you’re experiencing this problem, here are some practical and affordable ways to fix it:

1. Attach rubber caps to heels

Pointy high heels produce a lot of noise, especially on harder surfaces. They also wear down over time, which can not only ruin the shoe and damage your posture, but also cause foot and ankle injuries.

To minimize the noise and prevent other possible issues, attach high heel caps (also known as protectors) on the bottom of the heel.

There are hundreds of them to choose from, depending on the size and type of heels you have. For example, stiletto, slim heels require different caps. You can find the ones you need for an affordable price in this cap collection on Amazon.

Arguably the best ones for stilettos and slim heels are the Clickless Heel Caps. You can check the difference in this video:

They don’t require any tools to place on the heel. Simply attach them on heels and you’re good to go.

2. Use gel foot cushions

These comfortable gel cushions are placed inside the shoe, and they are pretty effective at reducing noise. They can be placed in heels and flats, without any special tools, since they’re self-adhesive.

Other than reducing walking noise, they also keep feet from sliding forward and therefore protect toes from getting scrunched and overhung in open and closed-toe shoes.

They’re pretty much invisible, so it’s really hard for anyone to notice that you’re wearing them. Also, these gel cushions typically last about a month if you wear them every day, and can last much longer if you wear them occasionally. It’s definitely worth a try, for the extra comfort alone!

3. Anti-slip rubber sole

Placing a rubber sole on the bottom of the shoe can prevent the terrible noise and also make the shoe much safer for walking on slippery surfaces. To place it there, you can either bring the shoe to a cobbler and have him do it for you. Or you can do it yourself and save money and time in the process.

The best rubber soles for ladies shoes, high heels especially, are the Catwalks. Some people have had excellent experience with them, while others claim that the self-adhesive is not strong enough and the sole slips off after some time. If you’re worried about that, I suggest using additional glue so that it sticks more firmly to the bottom.

4. DIY Anti-Slip Sole

If you feel like doing a little project on your shoes, you can make your own anti-slip soles. Skip the intro and move to 1:10 to see how it’s done:

The items used in the video are:

• traction tape
• Valspar Spray Paint in Satin Encounter
• Valspar Spray Paint in Satin Thistle Field
• Clear Matte Protective Coating Spray Paint
• pencil
• scissors

Of course, use the spray paint that matches the color of your shoes or the color that you like. Or you don’t have to use any at all, since it’s only a suggestion for making the soles look nicer.

5. Use duct tape

Attaching duct tape to the high heels can also help with minimizing noise. However, it won’t make them less slippery so I would consider this as a temporary method.

First clean the heels with water to remove any debris, and dry them off well. Next, cut the duct tape into several small pieces. Once you’ve done that, attach several of these layers of duct tape to the bottom part of the high heel. The more layers there are to absorb the noise, the better the result will be.

6. Get quieter high heel shoes

Some shoes are simply louder than others. That click clacking noise is more apparent with metal heels and those that are too big for the foot. When you’re buying new high heel shoes, make sure that the bottom part is made of rubber or a different noise absorbing material if you’re worried about noise. And also that the shoe fits well.

Final Thoughts

For metal heels, I suggesting getting the rubber caps or taping them momentarily with duct tape. You can additionally reduce the noise from the bottom hitting against the floor by using anti-slip soles.

If the shoe is too big, think about using gel foot cushions. They can really boost the level of comfort, reduce noise and prevent injuries. Hope this helps!