How to Care For and Clean Your Birkenstocks

As the temperatures rise and the spring and summer season begins to set in, it is time to bring your sandals out of storage. After months of neglect, your Birkenstocks may need a bit of care to look fresh and feel ready for another season of regular wear. With the right cleaning routine and a few simple steps, you can quickly restore them – and make sure they stay both stylish and comfortable all summer long.

By following our care tips, you will keep your sandals fresher for longer, avoid unpleasant odors, and extend the life of your footwear.

Footbed (inner sole):

1. Brush off dirt with a suede brush.
2. Clean the surface using:
- fine-grit sandpaper
- a small piece of drywall sanding screen
- or a flathead screwdriver (gently scrape)
3. Do this over a sink or paper – it creates dust.
4. For bad odors: use rubbing alcohol or lemon juice.

Cork sole:

- Apply a cork sealer to protect the cork from drying out. Important: Do not apply cork sealer to anything other than the cork.
- If the outsoles have worn down or cracked, we recommend taking them to a cobbler for resoling. The sooner you do this, the better.

Straps:

Suede/nubuck: Brush with a suede brush and apply a protective spray.

Leather:
- Clean with a horsehair brush and soft cloth.
- Moisturize with leather conditioner.
- Protect with protector spray.
- If needed, apply a layer of shoe cream to even out the color.