How Do You Clean Your Birkenstock Footbeds?

butterfly123 · ‎06-27-2013

I have googled and read various methods. I would like some suggestions please.

Chicagosuburbangirl · ‎04-14-2018

I have two pairs of Birkenstocks and would not attempt to clean the footbed.

When you are wearing them no one can see the footbed anyway so I just ignore how ugly mine look until I slip them on and....pure bliss.

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

I own two Birkenstocks and have had them for years. I have never cleaned the footbed. I just wipe the the other part of the shoe...the part that covers my foot and the outside of the heel. If I did get them really dirty, like stepped in mud, I would take a dry cloth and remove the mud.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

I have maybe 60 or more (I used to say 100 but I need to recount them) pairs of Birkenstock shoes. They are various kinds and sizes.

I've never bothered to clean the foot bed. They are famous for imprinting your foot into the foot bed. If you try to wash them, well, it wouldn't work very well.

I have gotten them very, very wet. It didn't damage them but it didn't clean them either.

The other day I found a pair (one of my favorites...red/white and blue) and some water had leaked on one of the shoes. The foot bed was soaked! The front of the shoe had turned up (the entire part of the shoe) a little.

I'm try to find something heavy enough to put over it to push the shoe back flat again. It isn't a lot but I can feel it!

I wouldn't advise on purpose getting the foot bed soaking wet. I think it will shrink.

Pook · ‎03-20-2010

@butterfly123 When I worked they are just about all I wore and I found cleaner on Birketock website as well as the cork renew stuff. That was about 10 years ago that I got those.

winamac1 · ‎12-29-2010

I have many pairs of birkenstocks. I would never clean my footbed.

"friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel"

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

I've been thinking about it. Maybe you could try sprinkling some powder onto the bed and rubbing it in (if there is a slight odor). Perhaps the powder would absorb the odor?

Or OK, this is kinda funny but it wasn't at the time. Stay with me here:

When my daughter was around 12 or so (forget the age) her tennis shoes stunk and we thought it was her feet. My husband would take our girls to Children's Hospital in DC if they had the sniffles. So, he made and appointment to find out (swear to you) why her feel stunk (she was clean but her feet stunk).

So the Dr said, "Wash the tennis shoes". We'd been washing them but in a few days they stunk again! Then he said, "Take spray on deodorant and spray her feet. They are sweating and this is what is causing the odor".

We did and it helped. It wasn't long after that (insurance didn't pay for stinking feet...you can imagine the cost), that (for some reason) they no longer stunk.

Perhaps it was because we threw out her beloved tennis shoes (they were the keds kids wore back then (washable)). I guess the smell just got in there and wouldn't go away.

Are you guys laughing? Welcome to my world...you have no idea.

Anyway, finally my point. If they have an odor (it won't make them clean) but it might help the smell if you spray the foot bed with spray on deodorant. It probably won't hurt the foot bed. Not promising, but it's worth a try....maybe....

butterfly123 · ‎06-27-2013

@Annabellethecat66

My husband works in a very hot environment and sprays his feet with deodorant to keep his feet from sweating. It definitely works 😊

butterfly123 · ‎06-27-2013

I wore my Birkenstock sandals to massage appointments. I ask the massage therapist not to use so much oil. She hasn’t listened and I try to wipe the excess oil off my feet. Now the footbed is oily and my feet stick to the insoles when it is hot and humid.