How to Sneak Around

Easy ways to up your stealth game

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Last Updated: June 24, 2024

Do you wish to sneak up on someone or something, or maybe quietly get down the halls, but you just can't help but make some noise? With this article, you'll learn how to sneak around, whatever your purpose may be.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Dressing for Success

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1
Wear tight clothing, so you don't make as much noise when you move. Wearing jeans is fine while scratchy running pants with the same material as snow pants would give you away.
- Avoid wearing any chains, necklaces, bracelets, and anything else hanging. Wear only clothes!
- If you can, try to get a ghillie suit if you are in a high grass or forested area so that you can hide.
2
Focus on camouflage. Wear dark brown and green colors when outside. When inside, stick to dark places and wear grayish-coloured clothes.
- Try to wear clothing that conceals all of your skin, as skin shows up when a light is shone upon it.
- If you're indoors, try to wear socks. Shoes are too heavy and make noise, and bear feet can stick to smooth surfaces (and therefore make noise).

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Being On Your Guard

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Always act as if someone is looking for you at every moment. Never relax and be ready to freeze at a nanosecond's notice.
Don't try to dart into another hiding spot when you know that your target is right outside the room. Don't make noises to annoy your target. Keep it stealthy and quiet.
3
If your target looks in your direction, don't move. Don't give yourself away UNTIL the person actually says "I see you!" or something like that. The human eye is attracted to movement, so if you stay still, there's actually a good chance that you won't be seen.
Make sure no one is following you and that no one is around. If you hear someone's footsteps, then immediately find a hiding place. Your hiding place shouldn't be somewhere where you will be found easily, such as your bathroom or closet.
People usually look right, left, and back, but not up or down. Hiding under the bed is just as good a hiding place as the top shelf of a closet.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Using Sound Sneaking Tactics

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1
Know where it's likely to be safest to walk, crawl or creep.
- Walk next to the wall where the floor is less likely to squeak, especially on stairs.
- Avoid the wall opposite the door in every room so that a glance into the room won't spot you. If someone comes walking toward you, freeze and don't move for a while, and you probably won't be spotted.
- Be aware of the background when outside. Avoid sky or grass and stick around mixed shadow and light, buildings, and trees. Stay low as much as possible and avoid wide open spaces. If you have to get to the other side, and there is no coverage straight across, go around and make big circular detours.
- Inside your house, know where everything is. Know where the floorboard squeaks are and map them. Know which doors never get closed and slip behind them for a quick and temporary hiding spot. Know the best hiding spot in every room and all possible escape routes.
2
Move with great care. When sneaking, every movement counts, and it's important to be as graceful as a cat, as quiet as a mouse and as light as a bird. Move slowly and carefully most of the time. Sometimes, though, you'll need to move swiftly, to get to where you need to be without notice. Move quickly when in the open and rest in complete silence when safe.
- Use the balls of your feet whenever you walk, run, or jump. This will help silence your feet. It is best to go with socks, but if you need shoes on, then carefully and slowly walk in shoes that don't make a lot of noise.
- Support your weight on the handrail when walking up or down the stairs. If you are walking on a squeaky floor, grab furniture or handrails to support yourself, as it helps you to make less noise.
Laying flat on your stomach helps when hiding behind small things. If you need to look around something, use one eye so your whole head does not show. If you have long hair, put it up, so, when hiding, it does not show and get you discovered. Never allow your form to be shown against the horizon.
4
Learn to locate good hiding places quickly. As soon as you enter a room, start looking for places to hide. You could squeeze in between a dresser and the wall. You could hide under a rumpled bedspread. If you're in the bathroom, you could get behind the shower curtain and pull it out just enough to hide you so it wouldn't look suspicious. The small space behind chairs and couches works well, too. However, they have to be against the wall. Just look around for more clever hiding places.
- At night, use shadows to your advantage.
If you move anything, put it back in place. Someone very observant would be able to tell that an item was moved into a different position. It is best to assume that there is such a person if you're dealing with a group of people.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Using Distractions

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1
Take advantage of covering noise. Move when something is making noise. When the coffee grinder is going, the TV volume is up, or a car is passing, that is your time to move. Do not do it otherwise unless you really have to. It's risky.
- A good time to move is when there's background noise. If some people are talking, then that's an excellent time to move because they would probably be paying close attention to the conversation, not so much for things around them (like you sneaking around).
- If someone hears a noise they will wait to hear another sound. If you don't move for a while, they may think they were hearing things and will probably forget about it.
2
Throw something to change a person's trajectory, encouraging them to go away from you. If you think that someone is going to find you (if you're hiding from someone), carry a small object that you can throw a fair distance away, to create a distraction that will allow you to change your hiding place.
- An alternative to this: Set up a noise maker in a nearby room. Try taking a clear string and tying it to something in the closet. Make sure it is a long string. After you have secured the knot, close the closet door as far as it can go. Get into position in your hiding place. Make sure you have a firm grip on the string. If your target is about to find you, give the string a quick but strong jerk. Whatever it was tied to should topple over, making a loud noise. Your target will run to the noise, and then, seeing no one is there, will probably get discouraged and leave the room. Just make sure your target doesn't see the string!
For instance, if you are caught, you could say you are playing hide-and-seek, you're there to do repairs, or you're looking for someone/a particular house number.

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Question

What colours will work for inside during the day?

Community Answer

Stay with gray and maybe the colour of your walls. Still stick to the shadows.

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Would a group of people sneaking around together be more efficient, or would splitting up work better?

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You can still work in a group, but you would have to split up into different rooms. You should also have access to an empty room if you need to meet up.

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How do I listen in on someone when I'm sneaking around?

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It depends. If they're in a room with the door closed, try to get a cup and listen. (Don't just put your ear against the door -- you'll get caught!) If the door is open, then just get as close to the opening as you can, stand still, and listen. Prepare to escape and come up with a believable excuse just in case.

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Tips

It's a good idea to eat before you plan to sneak around, because if your stomach is empty it can make noises that can draw attention. But be careful you don't eat too much, or you could become clumsy.

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Train yourself to be silent. Always breathe through your nose. If you must breathe through your mouth, open it very wide and take deep, slow breaths.

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Get together a bunch of materials that will help you to sneak around. Use a flashlight when going down to the basement. Get a remote control to control distracting things like radios and TVs.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

if you are trying to get something, make sure nobody is in the room or nearby. For example, if you are trying to sneakily get something from a cupboard or fridge, you don't want the slight movement of the door opening to catch someone's eye from across the room.
When walking on squeaky stairs, do not place your feet in the middle of each step. The middle of the step has the least structural support and can make louder squeaks more frequently.
If you are outside at night, hiding near a light will make it harder to be seen. A light directs a person's eyes to it, but not toward a figure hiding in the shadows.
Wear dark blue and purple when sneaking around your house at night. They might help you blend in better if the rooms are dimly lit.

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Warnings

Sometimes trying too hard to sneak will make you even louder, exercise a balance.

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Sometimes it is better to hide in the open than try and do so out of sight. Practice how to go unnoticed even while standing right next to or even in front of someone.

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Being caught sneaking can get you in trouble, or in some places be dangerous. Exercise caution.

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Do not make the exact same excuse if you're caught again because the people will start becoming suspicious.

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Don't use this for illegal purposes or to be creepy (or both).

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If you're sneaking up on a sibling or good friend, consider throwing something at them instead of saying "BOO!". This is a more creative way to do that.

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