While no shoes last forever, Birkenstock sandals and shoes fare better than most. With proper care, your Birks will give you years of comfort. Here are some tips to keep yours looking good for a long, long time:

Avoid extreme heat. Birkenstock footwear can be damaged by the heat in a parked car on a warm day, the heat from a fireplace, even the steam from an old radiator. So, take care where you leave them. If your Birkenstock footwear gets wet, allow them to dry slowly, away from the heat.


Use Cork Life. Your shoes are coated with a cork sealant to prevent them from drying out. When the cork no longer looks shiny, apply another thin coat of Birkenstock Cork Life.


Renew or replace worn soles. When the heel and toe of the soles have worn down 1/4 inch, you can get extra miles out of your Birkenstocks by getting heel and toe taps. When your shoes wear down more than 1/4 inch, have the soles replaced entirely. It'll keep a perfectly broken-in pair around for years.

Care for Footprints. When the soles show signs of heavy wear, contact your Birkenstock retailer to have them repaired or replaced. The inner cork footbed is also repairable and replaceable.

Care for Birki's and Birki Clogs. When the polyurethane sole gets dirty, just hose it off! If you take them into saltwater, be sure to spray them with fresh water right away to avoid salt corrosion.

CARE AND REPAIR