There comes a morning in late September when you look at the sandals by the door and realise the season is over. Mine always go away in worse condition than I'd like: the footbed darkened in two perfect heel-shaped patches, cork edges dusty and slightly pale, a suede strap shiny where the buckle has rubbed it for four months. All of it is fixable — and the ten minutes you spend now is the difference between opening the box next May with pleasure or with resignation.
The one rule: never soak them
Cork-footbed sandals are built in layers, held together with adhesive, with a cork and latex core sealed at the edges. Water is the enemy of all three. That means no washing machine, no bucket, no long soak in the sink and no dishwasher, whatever anyone on the internet says. Everything below uses a damp cloth or a barely-wet brush, never a submerged shoe.
Heat is the second enemy. Once they're clean, they dry at room temperature, away from radiators, hot windowsills and direct sun — all of which shrink and crack cork and can warp the shape you've spent a summer moulding to your feet.
The footbed: gentle abrasion, not scrubbing
The suede-lined footbed absorbs what your feet leave behind, which is why it darkens where you press hardest. Start dry: a suede brush or a clean, stiff-bristled toothbrush, worked in small circles, lifts a surprising amount. Then make a thin paste of a mild soap and a little water, apply it with the brush to the darkened areas only, work it in lightly and wipe away with a barely damp cloth. Don't flood it.
For stubborn marks, a suede eraser or very fine sandpaper used with a light hand will take the top layer off. Be sparing — you are literally removing material, so a few passes, check, a few more. Finish by brushing the whole footbed in one direction so the nap looks even rather than patchy.
Cork edges, straps and soles
The cork rim is the part everyone forgets and the part that fails first. Wipe it with a dry cloth, then, once completely dry, consider a cork sealer — it's sold for exactly this and takes a minute to apply along the edge. Sealed cork resists moisture and doesn't crumble at the corners.
For nubuck and suede straps, work dry first: brush the dust out, use a suede eraser on shiny or scuffed patches, then brush the nap back up. Smooth or oiled leather straps want a barely damp cloth followed, when dry, by a small amount of leather balm worked in with your fingers. Buckles come up with a dry cloth; if there's grit under the pin, an old toothbrush gets it out. Soles are the only part you can be firm with: warm, slightly soapy water and a brush, holding the shoe upside down so nothing runs into the footbed.
Storing them so they survive the winter
Let them dry fully for a day before they go anywhere — cork trapped slightly damp is how mould starts. Stuff the toe area lightly with paper to hold the shape, then store them somewhere breathable: a shoebox, a cotton bag, an open shelf. Sealed plastic boxes trap humidity and smell. Keep them off the floor of a cold, damp cupboard and away from anything that gets hot.
Can I just put them in the washing machine?
No, and this is the one shortcut that genuinely ruins them. A machine cycle combines soaking, heat and violent movement, which is precisely the list of things that dissolve adhesive, swell the cork and deform the footbed. Even if they survive one wash looking acceptable, the structure is compromised and the edges will start to crumble within a season.
How do I get rid of the smell in the footbed?
Dry bicarbonate of soda is the simplest fix: sprinkle a generous layer over the dry footbed, leave it overnight or longer, then brush and tap it all out thoroughly the next day. Air matters just as much — sandals that live in a dark cupboard between wears never fully dry, so give them a day somewhere ventilated after a hot day out. If a smell keeps returning after cleaning and airing, that's usually about feet rather than shoes, and worth a word with a pharmacist rather than more scrubbing.
