9 Best Shoe Deodorizers to Solve Stinky Shoes (2024)

Poo-Pourri's Before-You-Go toilet spray is very effective at trapping odors in the bathroom, so it's no surprise the brand's shoe spray impressed us as well. In our tests, it worked effectively on synthetic and natural materials without causing damage. With a few spritzes on the inside of the shoe’s sole, we found that it replaced stinky shoe odors with pleasant scents of essential oils like cedarwood, grapefruit and eucalyptus.

You do have to wait for the spray to dry before wearing your shoes, which can take some time, so plan accordingly. But as a nice bonus, you can effectively use the product on other stinky surfaces like gym bags, yoga mats and sporting equipment.

Type: Spray | Scented: Yes | Time needed to eliminate odor: 60 seconds

Baking soda has so many household uses from cooking to scrubbing kitchen surfaces to getting rid of smells in places like a closet and even eliminating shoe odor. If you don't already have it on hand, it's one of the least expensive shoe odor eliminators. "Baking soda is alkaline and neutralizes acidic odors like sweat, so they are no longer noticeable," said Executive Director of the Home Care and Cleaning Lab Carolyn Forté. "It removes them and doesn’t just cover them up."

It's easy to apply: Simply sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda inside the shoes, making sure it's evenly distributed. Gently work it into the shoe material with your fingers and, after letting it sit for a rather generous 24 hours, shake, brush or vacuum out the excess.

Even though the application is simple, clean-up requires more work since it's a loose powder. We recommend filling two cotton tube socks with baking soda, knotting the sock tops and placing one in each shoe for neater and easier use.

Type: Powder | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: 24 hours

Woodlore makes a wide assortment of quality cedar hangers and storage accessories designed to help keep clothing fresh and bug-free. These shoe inserts are cotton pouches filled with 100% cedar chips that absorb moisture to help eliminate odors. They require little effort to use — simply place one bag in each shoe for 24 hours.

When we tested these, we found they eliminated shoe odors and worked well to absorb the moisture present in shoes after they were worn. As a bonus, these inserts may help deter some types of insects like moths and carpet beetles. Cedar emits a fresh scent and dries and renews itself, but some users say the natural scent is a bit too potent.

Type: Cedar-filled pouches | Scented: No scents added but cedar wood has a natural scent | Time needed to eliminate odor: 24 hours

Odor-Eaters makes a variety of products to help fight foot and shoe odor, including these insoles. The top layer of the insoles is designed with small holes for ventilation to help keep your feet cool and dry. The other layers are made with activated charcoal, baking soda, zinc and two of Odor-Eater's odor-blocking technologies to trap foul smells and help prevent wetness.

Some of our staff use these and can vouch that they help keep foot odor and moisture at a minimum, though if you're not wearing socks some moisture does build up. For extra protection, Odor-Eaters also makes a deodorizing spray powder that is applied to the feet.

As a bonus, the insoles add some extra padding to give your shoes some cushion, but they will eventually need to be replaced due to wear. They are available in one size, a men's size 12, but can be trimmed to other shoe sizes. We found cutting these with scissors to our specific size was easy thanks to the guidelines.

Type: Insole | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: N/A

Marsheepy shoe deodorizers use odor-absorbing activated charcoal, which is also used in air purifiers and vacuum cleaner filters. Before using them for the first time, the brand recommends placing them in direct sunlight for six to eight hours to reactivate the charcoal. Then, simply insert one into each shoe, and the pores in the charcoal will absorb odor molecules. Once a month, they'll need to be set out in the sun for three to five hours to keep the charcoal activated.

They come in a 12-pack, so you’ll have enough charcoal bags for six pairs of shoes. Because they don’t use any perfume or fragrance, there’s no scent left behind and they can be left in your shoes for continuous freshening.

Type: Charcoal-filled pouches | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: 24 hours

Sprinkling baking soda in your shoes can get messy if you're not careful, so these deodorizing balls help keep things tidy. They are filled with baking soda to harness its odor-busting power without leaving any powder behind to clean up. They're easy to place in a pair of shoes or other places that need freshening like hampers, gym bags, closets and more. And, because they come in a pack of six, you can use them in multiple places or double up for extra stinky items.

According to Arm & Hammer, each scent ball eliminates odors for up to 60 days. The balls are scented with "Clean Burst Fresh Scent," a polarizing attribute — some users like the fragrance; others say the scent is too strong.

Type: Baking soda-filled balls | Scented: Yes | Time needed to eliminate odor: 24 hours

Even though Clorox's Free & Clear Disinfecting Mist isn't specifically designed for shoes, it still works on soft surfaces like fabric. Clorox recommends spraying soft surfaces until thoroughly wet (but not saturated) and allowing the surface to remain visibly wet for two minutes in order to help sanitize and kill germs to deodorize cloth insoles. After spraying, all you need to do is allow it to air-dry completely before wearing the shoes. In our tests, it dispensed evenly and was easy to apply, and we found it to be an effective plant-based, EPA-registered sanitizer that removed odors.

As the name suggests, it's free of fragrances and dyes. Plus, it can be used to clean countertops, toys and more, and it's great for spraying on items that need a fabric refresh such as a dog bed or couch cushions. Clorox claims it's safe around kids, pets and food when used as directed. We also love that refill bottles are available, so you're not throwing away the spray mechanism. Keep in mind that it shouldn't be used on leather or suede.

Type: Spray | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: 2 minutes

HEX laundry products — including their Antibacterial Fabric Protector, which previously won a Cleaning Award — continually impresses us with its ability to banish stink, so we weren't surprised when the brand's deodorizing spray performed as well as we hoped it would.

The biodegradable and fragrance-free spray is safe for use around kids and pets and effectively cleans and removes odors. When one staffer needed to wear a soft boot post-foot surgery, a few spritzes worked well to freshen it. Like other sprays, it does need to dry before you can slip on your shoes again, but because you only need six quick spritzes, the process is relatively quick. We like that it can be used on other items like sports gear and pet beds too.

Type: Spray | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: Not listed

We put this new, highly-rated spray to the test on sneakers and dress shoes, and were immediately impressed. It sprays evenly without puddling inside shoes, plus leaves a pleasing scent in its wake. We like that it's powered by silver ions that work continually to attack odor molecules and bacteria to not only banish shoe stink, but also prevent future odors. There's no chlorine or bleach in the formula, so despite its prowess, it's gentle on shoes.

For the best results, use the spray after wearing your shoes, especially those with fabric insoles and linings, to allow the spray enough time to dry and properly work. You can spritz it onto sports equipment cleats, helmets, pads and jerseys, but it shouldn't be used on leather or suede shoes.

Type: Spray | Scented: No | Time needed to eliminate odor: Not listed

When evaluating shoe deodorizers, we test them in the Lab and send them home with consumer testers to see how effective they are in real-world scenarios. We rate how easy they are to use and note if they are messy or clumsy. We also rate the intensity of the scent, if applicable.

To test performance, we use shoe deodorizers on smelly dress, casual and athletic shoes made from a wide variety of materials like leather, fabric and synthetics. Using the product per its label directions, we deodorize one shoe and leave the other as a control. We then rate the treated shoe for odor removal immediately after application, plus after several hours and days to assess how long the product remains effective.

We also test any claims the product makes and review its labeling for the thoroughness of the directions, plus any safety precautions and warnings present based on the ingredients.

✔️ Type: Spray deodorizers can quickly get rid of odors, but you'll have to wait for them to dry to wear the shoes. Powders like baking soda are a cost-effective option and easy to use but are messier than other shoe deodorizers. Shoe deodorizer bags, balls and inserts are mess-free and convenient to place in shoes and leave them there; just make sure you have enough of them for each pair of shoes you want to deodorize.

Carolyn Forté, Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab Executive Director, has a B.A. in Family & Consumer Sciences from Queens College, City University of New York, and is a consumer products expert. She has been testing, speaking and writing about products that keep clothing fresh and clean, including shoe deodorizers. She has been at Good Housekeeping for more than 40 years as well as consulted with industry experts about testing protocols and consumer laundry habits.

Jamie Ueda is a contributing writer and consumer product expert with almost two decades of experience, including a full-time stint across multiple GH Institute Labs including Home Care and Cleaning. She also has experience in areas of product development and manufacturing and has held leading roles at consumer goods companies and major apparel brands.