To clean Birkenstocks, work out what the upper is made of and clean that first, then give the footbed one even pass from heel to toe, and keep the whole shoe away from soaking water and heat. Suede and nubuck get a dry brush, Birko-Flor gets a damp cloth, and stubborn marks get a little soap and water. Birkenstock's own care page says most styles should not be immersed in water, so the bucket and the washing machine are out.
The same order works for open sandals and Boston-style clogs; a clog just has more upper. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with Birkenstock.
Start by identifying the materials
A Birkenstock is several materials glued into one shoe, and each wants something different. Birkenstock describes the footbed as a cork and latex core sandwiched between layers of jute, with a suede lining on top. The upper can be suede, nubuck, smooth leather, oiled leather, or one of the brand's two synthetics, Birko-Flor and Birkibuc. Many styles sit on an EVA sole. If you no longer know which upper you bought, the box or the original listing will say.
| Part | How to clean it | Our foam |
|---|---|---|
| Suede or nubuck upper | Dry brush, eraser for small marks, then a light blotted clean | Good, blot only |
| Smooth leather upper | Damp cloth; mild soap and water on stubborn marks | White: excellent. Coloured: test inside first |
| Oiled leather upper | Dust it off, then follow the care label | Not tested |
| Birko-Flor or Birkibuc | A damp cloth, which is Birkenstock's whole instruction | Not tested |
| Footbed (suede lining) | Clean the whole surface evenly, wipe off the excess, brush once dry | Good, blot only |
| Exposed cork edge | A thin coat of cork sealer when it looks dry or dull | Not tested; keep it off |
| EVA sole | Damp cloth and mild soap; no heat | Not tested |
Birkenstock adds a warning that applies to every row: "any cleaning or treatment can change the look and finish of the materials." Try whatever you use on the underside of a strap or the inside heel of a clog first, and let it dry before you judge.
How to clean Birkenstock sandals and clogs, step by step
- Dry them out first. A wet pair should air dry slowly, away from direct heat, which is Birkenstock's own instruction.
- Knock out the grit. Tap the soles together over a bin and brush sand out of the buckles and the seam where upper meets footbed.
- Brush the upper. On suede and nubuck, Birkenstock says to use a nubuck or suede brush "to pull up dirt and dust and restore the nap." On Birko-Flor and smooth leather, a dry cloth does the same job.
- Clean the upper by material, following the table. Do sandals one strap at a time and clogs one panel at a time, so nothing stays damp for long.
- Clean the footbed. Cover all of it, heel to toe and edge to edge, then wipe away the loosened dirt and moisture. Cleaning only the dark patches leaves a patchwork.
- Wipe the sole and check the cork. If the exposed cork looks dry or dull, seal it once everything else has dried.
- Air dry, then brush once more to lift the nap on the suede and the footbed.
Using the Birkenstock cleaning kit, or cleaning them without it
Birkenstock's care page is built around its own Cleaner & Refresher spray and Cork Sealer, plus a nubuck and suede brush. Spray "the entire footbed" and wipe away the excess with a cloth, brush suede and nubuck to restore the nap, and paint a thin coat of sealer onto the exposed cork. If you own the kit, each product's own directions come first.
Most of it can be done with what you already have. A soft brush does the brushing and a damp cloth does Birko-Flor and smooth leather. Birkenstock itself suggests soap and water for stubborn stains, so a drop of mild soap in a cup of water is in line with the maker. The sealer is the one piece worth buying if the cork is drying out.
On the suede, the nubuck and the footbed lining, a light foam is the alternative to a wet cloth. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is rated "good, blot only" on suede and nubuck: one light pump, ten seconds, then blot with a dry cloth and never rub. A brush and a cloth come in the box. We have not tested it on cork, latex, jute, EVA, oiled leather, Birko-Flor or Birkibuc, so keep it to the suede, nubuck and smooth leather.
Getting stains out of Birkenstock clogs
A clog's closed toe takes every kick, splash and dropped crumb, so stains build up there first.
- Dust and dried mud: let mud dry completely, then brush. Most of it comes off with nothing wet at all.
- Small dark marks on suede: a suede eraser with light pressure, then brush the nap up.
- Oil and food grease: start dry. Cornstarch over the spot for a few hours, then wipe the powder off with a cloth rather than a brush. Old oil usually leaves a shadow.
- Water marks: go over the whole panel with a barely damp cloth, seam to seam, so there is no wet edge to dry into a ring. One light layer of our foam across the whole panel, blotted, usually evens out rain spots the same way.
- Stubborn general grime: Birkenstock's soap and water, on a cloth wrung out until it is only just damp.
The footbed and the smell
The footbed is where Birkenstocks look oldest. Its suede lining darkens wherever heel and toes press, as sweat, skin oil and dirt work into the nap, and that is usually what people mean when they ask why Birkenstocks turn black. An even clean and a brush lighten it. Years of build-up rarely come out completely: set-in oil on suede only partly lifts, and our foam's result there is partial too.
For smell, dryness does more than cleaning. Let them dry out completely between wears; the NHS advice on smelly feet is not to wear the same shoes two days running. Baking soda spread on a dry footbed overnight absorbs odour, as long as you brush it out of the nap in the morning. Cleaning removes the grime that holds smell, but it is not a deodoriser. Our insoles and odour guide goes further.
Can Birkenstocks be washed?
Not in a bucket, a machine or with a pressure washer. Birkenstock's site does not mention washing machines, but it says most styles should not be immersed in water and that over-saturation can compromise the sealant. Clean them by hand with as little water as gets the job done.
The wording is "most styles", not all, so check the care label on an all-EVA pair. The usual advice for EVA is mild soap, a soft brush and a rinse, then air drying out of the sun. Our foam has not been tested on EVA.
If a pair has already been soaked, keep it away from the radiator. Birkenstock says cork footbeds and EVA soles "can be damaged by exposure to concentrated heat or extreme temperatures", and it names campfires, fireplaces, radiators, hot cars and long spells in direct sun. Stuff clogs loosely with white paper towels, leave sandals flat, and wait. The washing machine guide explains what a drum does to glued shoes.
What not to use on Birkenstocks
- Heat to speed up drying: hair dryers, radiators, a sunny windowsill, a car dashboard.
- A melamine sponge on suede or the footbed. It is a fine abrasive that cleans by wearing the surface down.
- Sandpaper on the footbed. A common suggestion online for dark footbeds. It removes the stain by removing the top of the suede, and that layer does not come back. Birkenstock's care tips use a brush.
- Bleach. Clorox says never to use sodium hypochlorite, the active ingredient in chlorine bleach, on any type of leather, and suede is leather.
- Neat dish soap. Nike notes that a high concentration of dish soap can cause discoloration.
Questions people actually ask
Can I use Dawn dish soap to clean my Birkenstock clogs?
A drop in a cup of water, on a cloth wrung out until barely damp, fits Birkenstock's own "soap and water" advice for stubborn stains. Never neat, and never scrubbed into suede.
Will water ruin my Birkenstock clogs?
A splash won't, if they dry slowly at room temperature. Soaking is the risk, and on suede, patchy wetting leaves water lines.
How do I make Birkenstocks look new again?
Brush the uppers, clean the footbed evenly, re-seal a dull cork edge and brush the nap up once dry. Suede worn through, cracked cork and a footbed moulded by years of wear are past what cleaning can fix.
How do I care for my Birkenstocks?
Brush suede after a dusty day, wipe Birko-Flor after the beach, keep them out of hot cars, and seal the cork edge when it looks dry or dull. Nike notes that a suede protectant can help prevent water stains; test any spray on a hidden spot.
For the suede, nubuck and footbed lining, one light pump and a blot does it: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24 with the brush and cloth included, free shipping, and keep the bottle if it doesn't work for you.
