Birkenstock Maintenance

As part of my spring cleaning this week I've just finished the first part of getting two pair of Birks ready for Spring! Two pair down. Two to go. Woohoo!! That means - No More Socks!!! Yeah!!!

Yes, spring appears to be settling in here in Virginia and it will be time to put socks away for good - at least for me. Comfort and Joy will still have to wear tennis shoes to school but my toes are painted [Pink Flamenco, thank you very much] and I'm ready to ditch the socks until the weather turns cold in the Fall.

And Birks are my go-t0 daily shoe. They are not only comfortable but they offer great support. I got my first pair of Birks when I had a pinched nerve in my foot and had to wear custom orthotics. I found that the only shoe that offered the same relief as my orthotic was Birkenstock. So Birks became my dress shoe and I still have my first pair. Sure they have new trends and a new footbed but the straps [which are the expensive part] are the same ones I bought in 1997!

So how do you clean your Birks?
1. Need to freshen up the footbed? For a quick footbed clean just dampen a washcloth and wipe out the dirt. Rinse the washcloth over and over until the water runs clean. Let air dry. The leather will feel stiff when you put it back on but it'll get better once your body heats it back up. I promise.

2. Does your footbed need some serious maintenance? For a major footbed cleaning you'll want a nail brush, a wash cloth and the Birkenstock footbed cleaner or some diluted baby soap [hand soap might work, too]. I dampen the footbed to get any dried dirt or grass out of the way then take your dampened nail brush and go to it. You want to loosen the dirt but not grind it in - so rinse the brush repeatedly. After a few minutes I use the washcloth to wipe out the residue until the water runs clean. * I've only used Birkenstock's footbed cleaner but it appears to just be a diluted soap which doesn't foam very much which is why I think baby shampoo might be a good substitute.

3. Keep your cork in good shape and it will treat you right! The cork is what keeps the shoe stable but as we walk and live the covering wears off. I have the 'official' cork repair and it's nothing but a pot of glue with a great brush attachment. So after you've cleaned your footbeds and let your shoes dry be sure to get some glue and seal the corks of your Birks. Not only will your shoes look brand new again but they'll have more support and continue to give you years and years of wear.

The actual Birkenstock cleaning kit also includes nubuck and seude cleaners and leather protection sprays. I've never actually used these. I always use the footbed cleaner and cork sealant though and my shoes are going strong after years and years of daily wear which is a perfectly Cool Idea!