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Jun 25, 2023

Here’s How to Clean Birkenstocks (Because We Know You’ve Been Wondering)

Learn how to clean the classic summer shoe to keep them in good shape for years to come. Mary Marlowe Leverette has over four decades of experience and has been writing and consulting for more than 20

Learn how to clean the classic summer shoe to keep them in good shape for years to come.

Mary Marlowe Leverette has over four decades of experience and has been writing and consulting for more than 20 years sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, stain removal methods, and textile conservation.

Birkenstock

Whether you love the new designs and colors or stick with the original sandals and clogs, Birkenstocks are a classic shoe. Produced since 1774, the shoes become more comfortable the longer you wear them as they mold to your feet. Because we love them so much, they inevitably become soiled and need to be cleaned. We'll cover how to clean all types of Birkenstocks with products you probably already have on hand.

Of course, the frequency of cleaning depends on how often you wear the shoes, the weather conditions, and the type of upper shoe material. It's a good idea to wipe or brush off any loose soil and treat fresh stains after each wearing. If your canvas Birkenstocks have food or mud stains, they should be spot cleaned as soon as possible, and always clean Birks thoroughly before storing.

For waterproof latex Birks, use the same cleaning steps as those for patent leather.

To help Birkenstock uppers hold their shape while they dry, stuff the shoes with white tissue paper or paper towels.