How to Make Shoes Less Slippery
Scuff the soles on abrasive surfaces., Abrade the soles directly with sandpaper., Use a nail file., Wear your shoes and wait for the soles to naturally wear down.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Scuff the soles on abrasive surfaces.
If your slippery shoes are a new pair, there's a good chance that they're slippery simply because their soles are perfectly smooth and unworn.
Soles generally get a little more grip once they soften and small nooks and abrasions have been worn into them because these properties allow them to make better contact with the floor.
Thus, wearing your soles down somewhat can often noticeably improve your traction.
To do this, try walking around on a rough surface like, for instance:
Concrete (the rougher, the better) Gravel Rocks, boulders, etc.
Textured metal grates, walkways, etc.
If you're not embarrassed, you can even try taking your shoes off and scuffing their soles on the ground with your hands. -
Step 2: Abrade the soles directly with sandpaper.
Aren't in a situation where you can easily scuff your shoes on a rough surface? Worried about slipping while you're waiting for your soles to wear down? Try an abrasive like sandpaper instead — simply take off your shoe and rub the smoothest parts of the sole that touch the floor until they develop a rougher, more textured feel.
For this task, a fairly coarse sandpaper is best, though finer sandpapers are better than nothing.
If possible, use about a 50-grit paper.
Note that this may not work on certain soles, especially those with a "natural," cardboard-like texture (as is often used for some sandals and flats.), If you don't have sandpaper, a nail file or similar tool usually works well.
Use it exactly like you used your sandpaper — scuff the smooth, flat parts of your shoe that come in contact with the floor to give them some texture.
Metal files are typically the most durable, convenient tools for this task, though even simple emery boards can work.
As with sandpaper, coarser files work best here. , Another way to make your shoes less slippery is to simply wear them as much as you can.
Over a few days to a few weeks of use (depending on how often your wear your shoes), the simple action of walking should take the slickness out of your soles.
If you use this method, take care to switch to a different pair of shoes whenever you anticipate a situation where slipping is likely (like dancing, walking in the rain, and so on.) You don't want to risk hurting yourself simply to make your shoes more wearable. -
Step 3: Use a nail file.
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Step 4: Wear your shoes and wait for the soles to naturally wear down.
Detailed Guide
If your slippery shoes are a new pair, there's a good chance that they're slippery simply because their soles are perfectly smooth and unworn.
Soles generally get a little more grip once they soften and small nooks and abrasions have been worn into them because these properties allow them to make better contact with the floor.
Thus, wearing your soles down somewhat can often noticeably improve your traction.
To do this, try walking around on a rough surface like, for instance:
Concrete (the rougher, the better) Gravel Rocks, boulders, etc.
Textured metal grates, walkways, etc.
If you're not embarrassed, you can even try taking your shoes off and scuffing their soles on the ground with your hands.
Aren't in a situation where you can easily scuff your shoes on a rough surface? Worried about slipping while you're waiting for your soles to wear down? Try an abrasive like sandpaper instead — simply take off your shoe and rub the smoothest parts of the sole that touch the floor until they develop a rougher, more textured feel.
For this task, a fairly coarse sandpaper is best, though finer sandpapers are better than nothing.
If possible, use about a 50-grit paper.
Note that this may not work on certain soles, especially those with a "natural," cardboard-like texture (as is often used for some sandals and flats.), If you don't have sandpaper, a nail file or similar tool usually works well.
Use it exactly like you used your sandpaper — scuff the smooth, flat parts of your shoe that come in contact with the floor to give them some texture.
Metal files are typically the most durable, convenient tools for this task, though even simple emery boards can work.
As with sandpaper, coarser files work best here. , Another way to make your shoes less slippery is to simply wear them as much as you can.
Over a few days to a few weeks of use (depending on how often your wear your shoes), the simple action of walking should take the slickness out of your soles.
If you use this method, take care to switch to a different pair of shoes whenever you anticipate a situation where slipping is likely (like dancing, walking in the rain, and so on.) You don't want to risk hurting yourself simply to make your shoes more wearable.
About the Author
Larry Taylor
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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