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.
