When there is no grip on the soles of your shoe you can easily slip and fall. New shoes or dress shoes are particularly vulnerable since untarnished or soles that are covered in a finish are particularly slick. There are several methods for making your shoes safer by adding grip to the bottom.

Purchase self-adhesive anti-slip shoe pads for the bottom of your shoe. Peel the backing off and stick the adhesive to the bottom of the forefront of your shoe. The anti-slip pads work similarly to non-slip bathtub adhesives and allow your shoes more traction when walking on floor, carpet or slippery surfaces.

Scratch the bottom of the shoe with a knife or large scissors. Cut shallow X marks into the soles on both the heel and front of the shoes, which helps the shoes to grip the floor better.

Rub the soles with sandpaper to scuff the bottom of the shoes, which helps make them less slippery. Use medium-grit sandpaper and rub it back and forth over the soles several times.

Chafe the soles of your slippery shoes against concrete on the sidewalk to scuff the bottom and make them grip the ground better. This is an ideal solution if you are already wearing the shoes and find them to be too slippery.

Apply masking or duct tape to the bottom of the soles, which will cover the slippery areas while also providing the shoes with grip. Stick pieces that are 1 to 2 inches long on both the heel and bottom of the front of the shoe.