Are vegan Birkenstocks waterproof?

In our last article, Are vegan Birkenstocks comfortable?, we shared with you information about vegan Birkenstocks and answered the most frequently asked questions. In this article we would like to address the following questions: Are vegan Birkenstocks waterproof? and How to clean vegan Birkenstocks?

Contents

For the vegan Birkenstock sandals, materials such as EVA, cork, jute, Birko-Flor, Birkibuc, and polyurethane (PU) are used in the production.

Cork and jute are natural and essential ingredients of the original BIRKENSTOCK contoured footbed. Cork provides insulation and comfort, while jute strands help to wick away moisture. They combine to generate the one-of-a-kind footbed, which is both hard and flexible while also molding to the shape of the foot with each stride.

Alternatives to leather and nubuck include the synthetic materials birko-Flor and birkibuc. They offer a long-lasting, low-maintenance appearance that is similar to the real thing. They are sought after because they are extremely soft and reasonably priced. Additionally, they have fewer sharp edges, which makes for a very enjoyable walking experience with less chance of irritation.

BIRKENSTOCK also offers a vegan version of the Clogs. They are made of Polyurethane (PU) or Birko-Flor®, just like many vegan Birkenstock women’s sandals. The vegan Birkenstock sandals and clogs made of Polyurethane (PU) are suitable for use as work shoes because PU is waterproof and mud-resistant.

How to clean vegan Birkenstocks?

We answered the question “Are vegan Birkenstocks waterproof?”. Let us take a look at how to clean the vegan Birkenstock sandals.

Birkenstock vegan models are made of synthetic material and therefore have different care requirements than real leather. Vegan Birkenstock sandals can be cleaned well with a damp (microfiber) cloth. If that alone is not enough, a little dishwashing detergent or mild detergent will also help.

The original Birkenstock sandals and many knockoffs have a top layer of suede lining inside the footbed, while the vegan Birkenstocks have a microfiber lining. Both fabrics can be cleaned in the same manner using a paste that is mostly made of sodium bicarbonate, an all-purpose cleaner. In addition to removing grease and filth, soda also neutralizes scents, which is always a good thing for smelly shoes.

For the cleansing bicarbonate of soda paste is needed:

3 tbsp. baking soda2
tbsp. water
3 drops of dishwashing liquid or a pinch of curd soap flakes

After cleaning, the following is needed for a pair of shoes to keep the material flexible:

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of water
an old toothbrush
cloth
old kitchen towel optionally some fine sandpaper (180 grit)

Make the cleaning paste

Mix the ingredients for the baking soda paste together in a small bowl.

Brush in cleaning paste

Apply the paste to the footbed with a moistened old toothbrush and brush it into the entire area for several minutes. If the paste becomes too dry, moisten the toothbrush in between.

Leave to act and wash off

Then leave the cleaning paste to work until it is dry. Once the paste has dried, first rub the coarsest particles out of the footbed. Then wipe off the paste remaining on the insole with a wet cloth. Wash out the cloth in between. Afterward, try to absorb as much moisture as possible with an old kitchen towel.

Acidic care for subsequent care of the material.

Dilute apple cider vinegar with water and scrub the cleaned footbed again with a toothbrush. This shifts the pH value back to an acidic environment so that the fat and tannins bound in the leather are retained and the material remains flexible, and also straightens the fibers of the abraded suede that were flattened during cleaning.

Allow drying

Let the Birkenstock sandals air dry in a warm, but not too sunny or hot place. In the blazing sun, in the oven, or on the heater, there is a risk that the material will become brittle, crack or even fade. To speed up the process a bit, put crumpled newspaper inside the sandals.

Brushing and roughening

After the footbed has dried, brush the material again with a suede brush.

Where to buy vegan Birkenstocks?

Are vegan Birkenstocks waterproof?