Cleaning sandals - the right way!

When it comes to cleaning shoes, sandals are often neglected. After all, there is not much to clean - or is there? Less material does not mean less dirt! Thanks to their open shape, sandals offer dirt a much larger surface to attack than closed shoes. They are mainly worn in the summer, when our feet sweat the most - of course, preferably barefoot. Whether chic strappy sandals or comfortable Birkenstock slippers: Your summer companions need regular cleaning so that you can enjoy these airy shoes for as long as possible. At the latest before you store them in the shoe closet in the fall, you should clean your sandals. With our tips you can do it easily!

1. upper material

Cleaning sandals is a breeze if you keep a few basic things in mind. As with other shoes, care and cleaning depend primarily on the material. You can wipe sandals with textile uppers with a damp, lint-free cloth. You can also clean smooth, greasy and synthetic leather in this way. Suede and nubuck leather, on the other hand, require a little more care: use a nubuck brush to brush out dirt and dust and roughen the sensitive surface. You can best remove bumpy spots with a suede eraser. Universal cleaning foam, for example from Collonil, is a real all-rounder when cleaning sandals: It cleans smooth and suede leather, synthetics and textile materials quickly and easily. While smooth and greasy leather can be cared for with shoe cream or leather lotion after cleaning, synthetic and suede leather should never be treated with care products containing grease.

2. footbed

Dirt, dust, and sweat all take their toll on the footbed of your sandals. Especially models with leather footbed, for example classic Birkenstock sandals, quickly develop unsightly black discoloration after intensive wear. Unpleasant odors can also be the result. To prevent this from happening in the first place, you should clean the leather footbed regularly with a leather brush. You can get to grips with heavy soiling, discoloration and odors using leather shampoo or standard baby shampoo. Baking soda or baking powder has also proven effective for cleaning sandals: Simply mix it with water, rub the paste into the footbed, let it dry and remove the residue with water. After cleaning, you should let the sandals dry well and brush the leather with a leather brush. If the footbed is made of synthetic material or cork, a damp cloth is sufficient for cleaning. You should wipe out the footbed with it every three weeks at the latest. If you wear your shoes barefoot, you should also ensure good foot hygiene and change your sandals regularly so that the worn model has enough time to air out. In case of unpleasant odors, special hygiene sprays can also help to keep the footbed clean and fresh.

3. sole

Cleaning sandals does not stop at the footbed - the sole also wants to be cleaned. This is done in no time! For most sandals it consists of easy-care materials such as plastic, rubber, latex or cork (this applies, for example, to classic Birkenstock sandals). You can remove coarse dirt and dust with a standard shoe brush. The sole can be cleaned quickly and easily with a damp cloth. If your sandals have a midsole, it is worthwhile to care for it with special products, e.g. the Midsole Cleaner and Midsole Sealer from Collonil. The cleaning of espadrilles with their typical baselike soles is somewhat trickier. Wet cleaning of the sole is not recommended, as this sensitive material dries extremely slowly. The best thing to do is to clean the bas soles with a soft shoe brush and impregnate them regularly, so that moisture and dirt cannot penetrate the fabric in the first place.

At Schuhdealer you will find a large selection of cleaning and care products from Collonil, which will quickly bring your summer shoes to a high shine.