How to Care For Your Birkenstocks

I have a friend in Colorado who is not a fan of Birkenstocks (yet).  Her shoe preference is Keens.  She recently spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning Keens for all of her family members after a hike.  A few days later she asked me if my Birkenstocks were hard to care for and if they got smelly, like Keens.  I own a pair of Keens, so I understood this inquiry.  I told her that my Birkenstocks do not get smelly.  Caring for my Birkenstocks is much easier than caring for my other shoes, including my Keens.

With a few easy steps you can clean and maintain your Birkenstocks.  In doing so, your Birkenstocks can last for years.  My first pair of Birkenstocks lasted just over a decade because I took good care of them.

One of the simplest ways to protect your Birkenstocks is to avoid extreme heat.  Do not leave your Birkenstocks in your car.  Do not put them near a fire or heater to dry.  If your shoes become wet let them slowly air dry away from direct heat.

In addition to avoiding extreme heat, you must properly maintain the uppers and the footbeds of your Birkenstocks to ensure durability.  Birkenstock sells its own care kit to help you with this task.

Birkenstock Repair Kit

 This Birkenstock kit sells for about $19 and includes:


    a suede brush
    2-oz. water and stain repellent
    1.5-oz. cork sealer
    2-oz. cleaner/refresher

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I chose not to purchase the Birkenstock kit since I had most of items already at home.

Gina Mama's Toolbox

   Gina’s Mama’s shoe repair toolbox includes:

    Suede brush
    Beeswax (for my winter boots)
    Suede stain eraser
    Camp Dry
    Nubuck Cleaner
    Leather Conditioner

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The only item I needed to purchase to maintain my Birkenstock shoes was Kelly’s Cork Renew.

Cork renew is one of the most important items in keeping your shoes safe from the elements.  It is essential to apply a cork sealant to the exposed cork to prevent it from drying out.  Cork seal should be used when the cork on your shoes no longer looks shiny.

I made a short video demonstrating how to apply cork renew.

Now that you know how to maintain the exposed cork, let's talk about maintenance of the uppers.  I am going to break this section down by material.

Leather
The smooth finish is durable and easy to clean. Clean and condition leather with a Leather Balm.
 
Oiled Leather
The oiled leather surface is durable and moisture-resistant.  Occasionally use beeswax to help maintain the leather.
 
Nubuck
Spray the nubuck with a water and stain protector regularly to protect the nubuck and prevent soil stains.  To clean, brush the surface with a plastic bristle or leather cleaning brush.  Use a stain eraser to help remove soil spots. Be sure to re- apply with the water and stain protector after cleaning.
 
Suede
Spray the nubuck with a water and stain protector.  To clean, brush the surface with a plastic bristle or leather cleaning brush.  Use a stain eraser to help remove soil spots.  Be sure to re- apply with the water and stain protector after cleaning.
 
Wool Felt
Lightly spray with Scotchguard to protect the wool.
 
Birko-Flor
Birko-Flor is a smooth vinyl with a soft felt backing.  Clean this material with a wet washcloth.
 
Birko-Flor Nubuck
This material is textured vinyl with a matte finish and soft felt backing.  Clean this material with a wet washcloth.
 
Polyurethane
Shoes made with polyurethane are easily cleaned with mild soap and water.
 
EVA - Ethyl Vinyl Acetate
EVA made shoes can be cleaned with mild soap and water.

The following video by "Expert Village" demonstrates how to can clean and protect leather and suede uppers.

If the footbed of your Birkenstock gets dirty you can easily clean it would dish soap.  Below is a video that I made demonstrating this process:

How To Clean your Birkenstock Footbed

1. Use a towel to wipe the footbed clear of any debris.

2. In a small bowl mix about 3 to 4 ounces of water with a teaspoon of dish soap.  Stir 
    the mixture well.  

3. Use a toothbrush to apply the mixture, in a circular motion, onto the footbed.

4.  Do not saturate the footbed with the cleaning solution.

5.  Wipe with a clean dry towel.  

6.  Let the shoes air dry overnight.  Do not place the shoes in the sunlight or near direct   
     heat.

On the rare occasion that that your Birkenstocks take on a odor, you can substitute Borax for dish soap to clean your footbed.

Below is my video showing how to apply a Borax paste to the Birkenstock footbed:

Removing The Smell From Your Birkenstock Footbed

1.  Use a towel to wipe the footbed clear of any debris.

2.  Mix the Borax powder with just enough water to make a paste.  Stir the mixture well. 

3.  Use a toothbrush to apply the mixture, in a circular motion, onto the Footbed.

4.  Do not saturate the footbed with the cleaning solution.

5.  Wipe the footbed with a clean dry towel.

6.  Take the remainder of the paste and brush it on the footbed until there is just enough
     paste to cover the entire footbed.

7.  Allow the paste to dry overnight.

8.  Do not place the shoes in the sunlight or near direct heat.

9.  Wipe with a clean dry towel.  

As you have learned, caring for and maintaining your Birkenstock Shoes takes very little time.  You will only need to clean your Birkenstocks 1-2x/year.  Unless, of course, you find yourself in unusual or unexpected elements.

I have worn my Birkenstocks on spontaneous day hikes.  My shoes got a bit dusty, but I wiped them off with damp towel and was ready for the rest of my day.

If you follow the aforementioned instructions, your shoes may last a decade or more.  Please note, that even with proper care, you may find that you need to repair part(s) of your shoe.  Unlike my friend’s Keens, Birkenstocks are fully repairable.  If anything happens to your Birkenstocks, you can take them to an authorized cobbler and get them fixed.   I recommend you go to Birkenstock's webpage page to find an authorized shoe repair store near you.

Now that I have explained how simple it is to care for a pair of Birkenstocks, I wonder if I can make my friend a Birkenstock lover.  Maybe after reading this blog she will at least try a pair of Birkenstocks on for size.

UPDATE:  The friend that I allude to in this blog, is now a Birkenstock wearer.  Want to read her guest blog on breaking-in her very first pair of Birkenstocks?  Click here.

NOTE: For tips on how to clean white sole Birkenstocks, read this blog.