Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have a gently worn pair of black Skechers gym shoes. For the past six months or so they have produced a very noticeable and embarrassing squeak while walking on any surface. They have not been soaked in water. I saw an article online about using baby powder to remove any moisture and thus removing the “squeak.” Is baby powder the only way?

— Barb M.

Dear Barb: Your shoes don’t have to be “soaked” to squeak. Even stepping in a puddle could have caused your problem — especially since your sneakers were quiet at first, then started to make the annoying noise. There are plenty of possible solutions besides baby powder, though I have used the powder ploy with success. Sprinkle it under the removable inner sole that most gym shoes have. (If no inner sole, sprinkle it inside the shoe anyhow.)

Other solutions:

— If the squeak sounds like it’s coming from friction with the floor (especially wood floors), slightly rough up the soles with sandpaper. If it’s not a floor squeak that bothers you, try the following…

— Rub a thin layer of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) beneath the insole.

— Throw shoes in the dryer on low for five to 10 minutes with a sponge moistened with fabric softener.

— Try placing a dryer sheet under the insole (insole friction might be the culprit).

— WD-40 is a solution for lots of household problems, including this one. Soak the corner of a rag, washcloth or cotton ball with WD-40 and apply to the outside sole area (not the bottom of the shoe) but use it only on the rubber part, not suede!

— The little silicon gel packets you find in your new purse or inside new shoes are there to absorb moisture and sweat. Toss them inside the shoes for a day or two. Don’t have any? Buy them on amazon.com for $8 and up.

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