Your Guide to Cleaning Sandy Beach Sandals

Bringing home memories from the beach is great; bringing home sand-filled sandals isn’t. After a long day of sun and surf, your favorite sandals have taken a beating from the grit and salt. Leaving them caked in sand until your next trip is tempting, but a little cleanup now goes a long way. Here’s how to get them looking and feeling fresh again, so they’re ready for your next adventure.

Don't Neglect Your Sandy Sandals

It might seem harmless to toss your sandy sandals in a corner, but that leftover beach grime can cause real problems for your footwear and your feet. Giving them a quick but thorough cleaning is one of the best things you can do for proper sandal care.

The Trouble with Sand and Salt

Gritty sand acts just like sandpaper. As you walk, it grinds away at the straps, footbeds, and soles of your sandals, causing scuffs and wearing the material thin. Salt from the ocean air and water adds to the problem. Once the water dries, salt crystals are left behind, which can pull moisture out of materials like leather, leaving them dry, brittle, and prone to cracking. This one-two punch of sand and salt can seriously shorten the life of your sandals.

Happy Feet Need Clean Sandals

Beyond saving your sandals, cleaning is just good hygiene. The warm, damp environment inside your footwear is a perfect home for smelly bacteria and fungi to grow, which can lead to issues like athlete's foot. Plus, no one likes the feeling of leftover sand rubbing against their skin, which can cause irritation and even blisters. A good cleaning gets rid of all that, making your sandals comfortable and keeping your feet healthy.

Getting Ready to Clean

A little prep work makes the whole process faster and less messy. Find a spot outside or lay down some newspaper to catch the sand. You’ll just need a few things you probably already have around the house.

• A soft brush (an old toothbrush works great)
• A bowl or small bucket
• A bit of mild soap
• A soft cloth
• Water

First things first, get rid of as much loose, dry sand as you can. Knock the sandals together hard, then tap the soles on a step or railing. Use your brush to sweep away whatever is left, paying extra attention to the grooves in the footbed and the nooks and crannies around the straps. Getting the dry stuff off first is key—it keeps you from making a muddy mess later.

The Deep Clean: Getting Rid of Sand and Salt

With the loose sand gone, you can tackle the stubborn grime that’s stuck on.

1. Mix up a cleaning solution. Squirt a small amount of mild soap into a bowl of warm water and swish it around to create some suds. Steer clear of harsh detergents or bleach, which can ruin the color and materials of your sandals.
2. Scrub them down. Dip your brush in the soapy water and gently scrub the entire sandal. Use small circles to work the dirt and sand out of the footbed, straps, and soles. You don’t need to be rough, just thorough.
3. Give them a good rinse. It’s important to wash away all the soap, since any residue can feel sticky and attract more dirt. Hold them under cool, running water until the suds are gone. You can also wipe them down a few times with a clean, wet cloth.
4. Tackle any salt stains. If you see a faint white film on your sandals after they’re clean, that’s leftover salt. You can get rid of it by wiping the spots with a cloth dipped in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. The vinegar dissolves the salt easily. Just be sure to give them one last rinse with plain water to wash away the vinegar smell.

Not All Sandals Are the Same

Different materials need different care, so what works for your rubber flip-flops might damage a pair of leather slides.

• Rubber Synthetics: These are the toughest and easiest to clean. You can scrub them well and not worry about water damage. The main guide works perfectly for them.
• Leather Suede: Be careful with these. Don’t soak them in water. Instead, use a barely damp cloth with a cleaner made specifically for leather. For suede, a suede eraser and brush are your best friends. Always follow up with a leather conditioner to keep the material from drying out.
• Fabric Woven Straps: Use the same mild soap solution, but scrub gently to avoid snagging the material. If you have a tough stain, test a fabric stain remover on a hidden spot first to make sure it won’t affect the color.
• Cork Footbeds: Cork is super absorbent, so keep it as dry as possible. Just wipe the surface with a damp, soapy cloth. For tough spots, a paste of baking soda and water can work wonders. Apply it, let it sit for a minute, then gently wipe it away.

The Right Way to Dry Your Sandals

How you dry your sandals is just as important as how you wash them. Whatever you do, keep them away from direct heat. That means no clothes dryers, no radiators, and no leaving them to bake in the hot sun. Intense heat can warp rubber, crack leather, and even melt the glue holding your shoes together.

The best way to dry them is to let them air-dry in a spot with good circulation, like a shady porch or a breezy room. To help them dry faster and keep their shape, you can stuff them with a few paper towels. Just be patient—it might take a full day for them to dry out completely.

5 Questions for Cleaning and Maintaining Your Sandals.

Here are a few common problems you might run into while cleaning your sandals.

Can I just toss my sandals in the washing machine?

It’s really not a good idea. Even on a gentle cycle, the washer can tangle straps, dissolve glue, and completely wreck the shape of your summer sandals. It’s always safer to wash them by hand.

Will the soap or cleaner fade my sandals?

If you stick with a mild soap, you should be fine. Harsh chemicals and strong detergents, however, can strip the color right out of them. If you’re using a new product, it’s always smart to test it on a small, hidden part of the sandal first.

How do I get rid of super stubborn sand?

For sand that’s really worked its way into the material, you might need a little extra effort. A toothpick can help you pick out grit from tight seams. For sandals with textured footbeds, you may just need to repeat the scrubbing process. On sandals that can handle it, a short soak in water can also help loosen things up before you scrub.

What if they still smell bad after cleaning?

If you still notice an odor once they’re dry, try this: put them in a bag with a good amount of baking soda and leave it overnight. The baking soda will absorb the smell. A few drops of melaleuca alterninfolia(tea tree) oil on the footbed can also work, as it’s naturally antibacterial.

Keeping Them Clean and Ready for Next Time

Once your sandals are clean and dry, a little maintenance can keep them in great shape. For leather pairs, applying a conditioner will keep them soft and protected. Before your next beach trip, you can make future cleanups easier by spraying them with a water and stain repellent. And if you get the chance, a quick rinse at the beach shower before you head home can wash away most of the sand before it even has a chance to dry.

Enjoy That Clean Sandal Feeling

Taking a few minutes to care for your sandals after a trip to the beach is well worth it. By getting rid of the sand and salt, you’ll make your favorite footwear last longer and feel much better on your feet. Now they’ll be fresh, comfortable, and ready to go whenever your next seaside adventure calls.