Why Is Birkenstock Squeaking and Making Farting Noises?

It’s common for rubber sandals to make squeaking noises especially when they are wet. As Birkenstocks has a rubber build, it’s not an exception. The fart-like noise may sound hilarious but it’s certainly not fun for the wearer.

Oftentimes, the fart-like squeaking noises cause embarrassment in front of others. If you’re reading this article, it’s because you have also been the victim of this embarrassing sound. It took me a while and a lot of digging to find some useful tips to prevent that noise.

In this article, you will learn why that squeaking noise occurs and what you can do to get rid of it.

➤ What Causes the Squeaking and Farting Noise in Birkenstocks?

The squeaking or farting noise is the sound of suction. When the air gets trapped between your feet and the footbed or within the footbed itself, the sound is produced. Most often water damage to the sandal causes this noise.

Birkenstocks take a lot of time to dry up. If you wear the sandals before drying them up properly, squeaking may occur. Water damage inside the heel area also makes that annoying farting noise.

➤ How to Prevent Birkenstocks from Making Squeaking and Farting Noises

You will be glad to know that you can prevent the squeaking and farting sounds coming from your Birks. Let me share some tips on how to prevent squeaking.

✦ Antiperspirant Spray

Birkenstocks sandals provide a liberating experience. You can go through the summer days without having to wear sneakers. Your feet can breathe easy. However, there are some downsides to this. 

When you wear Birkenstocks in the summer, your feet can become sweaty. If you don’t wear socks, the sweat reaches the footbed and the squeaking starts. Summer is not the only problem here.

When you go on long walks, the same thing happens. So, it is essential to keep your feet dry in both cases. An antiperspirant spray is a logical solution in this context. The spray will keep odor and sweat at bay. So, you don’t have to endure the annoying squeaking sound.

Important: Make sure the antiperspirant spray doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals for your feet and the footbed.

✦ Talcum/baby Powder

Talcum powder can work as an alternative to antiperspirant spray. If you don’t have antiperspirant spray at hand, talcum powder can be a quick fix. However, talcum powder and antiperspirant sprays work differently.

An antiperspirant spray prevents your feet from excessive sweating while talcum powder absorbs the sweat off of your feet. Talcum powder is not a long-term solution. If you plan on staying under the sun for a long time, take some powder with you.

If your feet sweat a lot, antiperspirant spray is a better solution. Too much talcum powder is not good for your feet. Plus, it makes them look like sugar-coated candy.

You can read our article on Birkenstocks hurt inner arch.

✦ Making Holes in The Insole

Sweat is not the only source of water. Birkenstocks are made of rubber. So, there is no problem with soaking them in water. The only task is to dry up the water before wearing them. There is an easy fix to this problem.

When water gets inside of your insole, the trapped air inside causes squeaking by trying to exit through the tiny holes forcibly. In order to vent the trapped air, you need to make holes in your Birkenstocks.

You can pick a needle and make multiple holes throughout the insole. You can also use pins and sharp knives.

✦ Petroleum Jelly on The Insole

Sometimes the squeaking sound is caused due to the friction buildup between your underfoot and the footbed. When you are walking long and fast, the friction becomes high and the suction noise is made.

You can apply a little bit of petroleum jelly on the insole to lessen the friction. However, don’t overdo it or you’ll end up with a sticky Birkenstock. It’s even more annoying. 

Petroleum jelly works as a lubricant and it can also attach dirt easily. So, if you are using it, your Birks will need more cleaning up.

✦ Breaking in New Sandals

I cannot stress this enough. Breaking in your Birkenstocks is crucial not only to prevent squeaking but also to ensure comfort. Sandals like Birkenstocks can have a lot of cushioning. 

Cushioning means a lot of air pockets that need to be compressed constantly. This is a perfect setup for trapping air and causing suction noise. So, invest a bit of time in the break-in process to ensure the suction noises are gone.

✦ Fixing Damages

Squeaking is not always due to water damage. Despite having dry feet, you may get squeaking noises sometimes. This noise can be due to the wear and tear of your Birkenstocks.

As you wear Birkenstocks regularly, the layers inside the shoe get disrupted. Thus, the sandal lets air inside. The trapped air then causes the hilarious farting noise. The air gets trapped when you press on the sandal and the noise comes out when you release the pressure.

This is similar to the sweat problem. But the solution is much easier and won’t need as much frequent attention. You need to tap the shoe, clean it and make sure all of the dirt is gone. After that, apply some strong glue such as Gorilla Glue on the damaged areas.

Hopefully, this will fix the issue.

✦ Dry the Sandals

If your Birkenstocks get wet, make sure to dry them up completely before wearing them. Wearing wet Birkenstocks is the easiest way to cause suction sounds. 

You may need to get your Birks wet sometimes. After wetting the sandals, allow enough time to dry up the water naturally. If you are in a hurry, take a cloth and wipe off the excess water on the insole and midsole. You can also apply a little amount of heat. But don’t overdo it.

You can read our article, why do birkenstocks hurt my feet?

Summary

Rubber sandals like Birkenstocks can make annoying farting and squeaking noises. In most cases, it’s because the sandals are wet. When they dry up, the noise is gone. 

However, sweat is a big reason for squeaking during summer. Apply some antiperspirant spray or talcum powder and/or the other methods I discussed here. If one method does not work, another one will.