A cleaning guru has shared her method for cleaning sandals properly, in particular Birkenstock sandals. Georgia, who goes by Cleaning with Georgia on TikTok, detailed her simple technique for making sure your sandals are ready to come out of the cupboard and on show this summer.
Georgia urged people to “stop putting off” cleaning their Birkenstocks, explaining that it only takes a few minutes to complete. She advised not using water “at all costs”, as it could damage the shoes. Instead, Georgia opted for sandpaper.
Georgia said: “So the pressure you want to use for the sandpaper is just enough until the black stain starts to come off.”
To help to deodorise the shoe, Georgia added a liberal amount of baking soda. Leave to set for a few minutes, and then wipe away – again avoiding water.
Sandpaper helps to remove stains from cork sandals by working as a physical abrasion. The sandpaper creates tiny scratches on the cork, loosening the dirty material and lifting the stain.
Georgia’s video has been viewed over 7,824 times, with a number of people praising her for the tips.
Lynzie said: “This is a great tip! I’ve always wondered how to clean my birks.”
Sophie agreed: “Ohhh I love this! I needed this tip.”
Birkenstock has previously shared some care tips for keeping sandals in good condition. Firstly, keep the shoes out of extreme heat or temperatures as cork and EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) can be damaged by too much exposure.
You should also avoid walking in water, as the over-saturation could lead to the material’s sealant degrading or becoming compromised. It’s best to apply some cork sealer on the sandals to protect the cork.
