How to Clean Your Birkenstocks

Comfort, style and durability are just some of the reasons we love Birkenstocks. Whether you’re wearing yours daily throughout the summer or saving them for holiday weekends, a little bit of regular maintenance will go a long way in keeping them looking and feeling their best.

Wondering how to clean your Birkenstocks? We’re here to walk you through it. Cleaning your sandals is easier than you might think. With just a couple of pantry staples and these expert tips, you’ll be refreshing the footbeds and washing away dirt in no time.

What You'll Need

Grab the following before you get started:

• Warm water
• Bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda)
• Soft suede brush or shoe brush
• Old toothbrush
• Soft sponge or cloth

Top tip: Take note of what material your Birkenstocks are made from before you start cleaning. Gentle methods are best for our suede and nubuck styles while smooth leather and synthetic materials can withstand a deeper clean.

Step 1. Brush Off Dirt

Use a soft suede brush to brush away any surface dirt on the uppers and footbeds. Don’t forget to brush gently rather than scrubbing, especially if you have suede or nubuck straps.

You don’t want to push dirt into the material when you come to give them a deeper clean.

Step 2. Create a Gentle Cleaning Paste

Create a cleaning paste by mixing bicarbonate of soda and warm water. You want the consistency to be quite paste-like so start with about two parts bicarbonate of soda and one part water.

Bicarbonate of soda works wonders at lifting away dirt and absorbing odours without using any chemicals.

Step 3. Clean the Footbeds

Use an old toothbrush to gently rub the paste into the suede footbed using small circular motions.

Try not to saturate the sandals as the footbeds are meant to mould to the shape of your feet over time and excess water can damage the cork and adhesives. After you have scrubbed away dirt on the surface, wipe away excess paste with a damp sponge or cloth.

Step 4. Clean the Straps

The material your straps are made from will determine how to best clean them:

Suede & Nubuck - Dirt can be brushed away using a suede brush. Limit the amount of water you use on these materials when spot cleaning. If you encounter any stubborn marks, go over them with a *lightly* damp cloth and leave them to air dry.

Leather - Wipe with a damp cloth. Once dry you can use a good leather conditioner every few months to keep leather straps soft and prevent cracking.

Birko-Flor® & EVA - Our synthetic Birkenstocks can be easily wiped clean with warm water. If needed, add a little bit of mild soap to your soft cloth.

Step 5. Allow to Air Dry

Leave your sandals to air dry naturally in a well-ventilated room.

Don’t put them on radiators, use a hairdryer or leave them to dry in direct sunlight. High temperatures can cause the cork to dry out and weaken the glue that binds them together.

Keeping Your Birkenstocks smelling fresh

The footbeds of your Birkenstocks are made from natural suede which means they will absorb some moisture over time. Here are a few simple ways to prevent build ups of odours:

• Air them out between wears.
• Make sure not to wear your Birkenstocks when they’re still damp from washing.
• Lightly clean the footbeds every few weeks when worn regularly.
• Give them a deep clean after holidays, festivals or any periods of heavy wear.

Common Mistakes When Cleaning Birkenstocks

Avoid damaging your favourite sandals by avoiding these common cleaning mistakes:

• Don’t put your sandals in the washing machine.
• Don’t let them soak in water.
• Don’t use bleach or any harsh cleaning chemicals.
• Don’t dry with direct heat.
  

We know drying your sandals with a hairdryer sounds way quicker than leaving them to air dry, but these mistakes will only cause more harm than good and can significantly decrease the lifespan of your sandals.