Making a pair last the summer

Sandals die of neglect far more often than of wear. None of what follows takes more than a minute.

Cleaning the footbed

Cool water, a drop of ordinary dish soap, and a soft brush or a cloth. Work along the length of the bed, not in circles. The mat layer holds skin oil, which is what turns a light footbed gray at the ball and heel, and it comes off easily if you do it before it builds.

Drying

Flat, in shade, with air on both sides. Not on a radiator, not in a car, and never in a tumble dryer. Heat is what makes foam shrink and glue lines let go; water on its own does almost nothing.

Three habits that end a pair early

• Leaving them in a hot car. An afternoon on a dashboard does more damage than a month of wear.
• Driving in thongs. The pedal wears a groove across the footbed and the strap post takes the load sideways.
• Machine washing. The drum flexes the sole past where it wants to bend and the strap anchors come loose.

Two pairs beat one

Foam needs about a day to come back to full height after a long wear. Alternating two pairs makes both of them last more than twice as long as one worn daily, which is the least glamorous and most reliable advice on this page.