To clean Rainbow flip flops, wipe them with a cloth that is barely damp, add a little light soap only if they need it, and let them dry flat, out of the sun. Don't soak them, don't hose them off, and never use an oil or petroleum-based cleaner: Rainbow says the leather will delaminate from the midsole, and that "there is no way to repair the sandals."
This covers Rainbow's leather models, then rubber flip flops from other brands, which clean very differently. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with Rainbow Sandals or any other brand named here.
Why Rainbows need a gentler clean than most flip flops
A leather Rainbow is a stack of layers, not one moulded piece. The Classic Leather is "top grade leather that has a polished top sole"; the Premier is "top grade nubuck leather", with a "suede like texture" and no shine. The toe piece is nylon, and the layers are "triple glued" to a non-slip Rainbow bottom.
Water is the enemy of that build. Rainbow's own wording: "Contact with water can cause some leather dyes to bleed. It is best to avoid getting leather products wet." Its guarantee doesn't cover "water damage or delamination of layers", and it says plainly that "cracked leather is the result of water damage." So the question "can I wash my Rainbow flip flops?" has a short answer: not in water. Wipe them.
How to clean Rainbow leather flip flops
- Shake and brush off the sand while they are dry, including around the toe piece.
- Wipe with a barely damp cloth. Wring it until it feels almost dry. Rainbow doesn't sell a cleaning product, but says some customers find that wiping their sandals with a damp cloth and light soap helps.
- Add light soap only where needed. A drop of mild soap in a cup of water, on the cloth, for the footbed and any grubby patches. Work in small areas.
- Take the soap off with a second cloth that is also barely damp, then pat everything dry with a towel.
- Dry flat, out of the sun. Rainbow's advice for wet sandals is to "dry entirely out of the sun" so the leather doesn't "get brittle and crack." If they curl after drying, Rainbow says they should flatten again with wear.
On the Premier's nubuck, finish with a soft brush once dry to lift the texture back up.
Where does a cleaning foam fit? Honestly, not here first. We rate our foam "good, blot only" on nubuck, and it has no solvents, but it is water-based and we haven't tested it on Rainbows. Given the maker's warnings about water, dyes and delamination, we would not tell you it is safe on a sandal that can't be repaired. The damp cloth is the right start.
Smell, oil marks and water damage
Smelly Rainbow flip flops
Sweat soaks into a leather footbed, and smell builds when it never fully dries. Let them dry out between wears, and if you wear one pair every day, alternate it; the NHS advice is not to wear the same shoes two days in a row. A light dusting of baking soda on the dry footbed, left for a day and brushed off, absorbs odour. The insoles and odour guide has more on where shoe smell comes from.
Oil stains
The instinct is to reach for something oily to lift oil. Don't: that is exactly the kind of cleaner Rainbow says causes delamination. Blot fresh oil, cover it with cornstarch or talc to draw it out, leave it a few hours, and brush the powder off. Old oil may stay.
Water stains and cracking
If a pair has been soaked, dry it slowly in the shade before wearing it again. Rainbow's guarantee doesn't cover water damage, so keeping them dry is the real fix.
Athlete's foot
Cleaning removes grime from the footbed. It does not treat a fungal infection, and we won't claim any shoe cleaner does. The NHS lists athlete's foot among the causes of smelly feet and points people to a pharmacist.
How to clean rubber flip flops (Havaianas, Reef and the rest)
Rubber flip flops are the opposite of Rainbows: water is fine. Havaianas tells owners to soak them in soapy water, go over them with a soft sponge that isn't abrasive, rinse, and leave them to air dry. Its FAQ and its blog give different soak times, so start with a short one. Avoid bleach and abrasive products, and keep them out of the washing machine, which Havaianas says its flip flops should never go into.
Reef, Oofos, Clarks Cloudsteppers and the other brands vary by model, so read the label before you start. Clean leather the Rainbow way, rubber the Havaianas way, and follow the care label for anything foam. Rubber is on our foam's tested list, rated excellent; foam footbeds are not.
Two things to skip for every pair. The dishwasher: we found no shoe maker that recommends it, and heat damages the glue that holds shoes together. And heat to dry: no radiator, no hair dryer, no dashboard.
Questions people actually ask
Is it okay to get Rainbow Sandals wet?
The leather models, no, as far as you can help it. Rainbow says it is best to avoid getting leather products wet, and water damage isn't covered by the guarantee. If they get caught in the rain, dry them flat out of the sun.
Can leather sandals get wet?
It depends on the maker, but leather in general doesn't like soaking, and some dyes bleed. Wipe leather sandals rather than washing them.
Can you put flip flops in the dishwasher?
We wouldn't. No shoe maker we found recommends it, and layered flip flops depend on glue that heat can weaken.
Are Rainbow Sandals waterproof?
The leather ones are not meant to get wet. Rainbow's own advice is to keep leather products dry.
Rainbows get a damp cloth. For the sneakers you wear the rest of the year, there's SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam: $24, brush and cloth included, free shipping, and keep the bottle if it doesn't work.
