Let's be honest, most of us don't clean our shoes nearly enough. And if you're anything like me and are regularly sweating in your sneakers in workout classes, runs and everyday walks, there's a good chance they don't quite smell as fresh as they did when you first got them.
Thankfully, there are a number of deodorizers on the market that promise to rid your shoes of that set-in odor (and even leave them with a pleasant scent). To figure out which ones actually work, I tried the most popular deodorizers, including bestsellers and shopper favorites with tens of thousands of five-star ratings, on the most well-loved (read: stinky) sneakers in my collection.
When analyzing each deodorizer, I looked at four key features and rated them on a scale of one to five:
- Freshness: How well did the deodorizer work on odor? Was there any sweat smell left?
- Scent: Beyond getting rid of odor, did the deodorizer have a pleasant scent? Was it a good scent level or overpowering? Did the scent stick around?
- Ease of use: How easy was it to use? Did it achieve results in one use or were repeat uses required?
- Reusable: Could the product be used more than once? Does the number of uses make sense for the price?
I also tapped two top podiatrists to get their thoughts on what makes a good shoe deodorizer and other products that you can use to keep your shoes clean and odor-free and your feet healthy, too.
What to look for in shoe deodorizers
While there are plenty of shoe deodorizers that can help reduce odors, not all of them address the source of the smell, such as bacteria, moisture or fungi, says New York City-based podiatrist and foot surgeon Dr. Miguel Cunha. That's why you want to "look for ingredients that address both the odor and the microbial causes effectively," he says.
Baking soda or activated charcoal are two ingredients to look for, as they can both absorb moisture and odors, Cunha says. Ingredients like tea tree oil or eucalyptus also have natural antibacterial and antifungal properties.
No matter which one you choose, you'll want to make sure that you are also cleaning your shoes regularly (more on that later) on top of deodorizing. Keep reading to see my thoughts and my top deodorizer picks.
Best overall
Best overall, according to the author:
Freshness: 5/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Ease of use: 5/5 | Reusability: 5/5 | Overall rating: 5/5
Freshness: Since the balls sit right in the middle of the shoe — if you have it tied — and don’t reach all the way to the toe area, I wasn’t sure how well they would work to totally remove odor. But, I was pleasantly surprised when I took them out and found that I couldn’t smell anything other than the Clean Burst scent of the balls.
Scent: While others left a strong smell behind, once I took the balls out all I smelled was a light, pleasant scent, similar to fresh laundry. (And who doesn’t love that?) I went with the Clean Burst scent, but there are other ones to choose from, including, Pumpkin Cream and Forest Pine.
Ease of use: Using the balls was pretty easy, you just have to stick them in your shoe (or closet, hamper, gym bag, whatever you might want to deodorize) and let them sit. It doesn’t instruct you how long to leave them in, but I let them sit overnight and that seemed to do the trick.
Reusability: According to the brand, each ball can eliminate odor for up to 60 days. They’re small, so you can easily stick two in your shoes, move them to your gym bag when you’re wearing them and then put them back in after to keep them smelling good.
Other shoe deodorizers to shop, as tested by the author
Best for sweaty feet:
Freshness: 5/5 | Scent: 3/5 | Ease of use: 4/5 | Reusability: 5/5 | Overall rating: 4.25/5
Freshness: After spraying this and letting it sit, I didn't smell any odor left in my shoe. My shoes were also still a little damp with sweat, and I noticed that they were dry after I sprayed them.
Scent: While I didn't notice any odor, I also didn't notice any strong scent at all. It smelled, essentially, like nothing. Some of the heavily scented ones can be overwhelming, so I didn't mind the lack of scent. But if you're someone who appreciates a fresh smell, this might not be the best one for you.
Ease of use: The spray is technically marketed as a foot deodorizer, though the brand says that it can work to freshen both feet and shoes — and many shoppers have said that they use it on the latter, which is why we chose to include it. That being said, the instructions did not mention anything about spraying it into shoes. It was easy enough, though; I just aimed it in the inside of the shoe and sprayed. Some spray got outside the shoe, but it was pretty direct. However, I did notice it left a slight white residue in the shoe.
Reusability: I didn't use much to clean the shoes, so it seems like the can will last a while. It's also nice that you can use it on your feet as well. I sprayed it onto my feet and noticed that they didn't get quite as sweaty as they would normally.
Best for multi-purpose use:
Freshness: 5/5 | Scent: 3.5/5 | Ease of use: 5/5 | Reusability: 4.75/5 | Overall rating: 4.5/5
Freshness: These deodorizers completely eliminated any trace of odor in my running shoes.
Scent: The smell reminded me of chlorine or bleach — which I actually somewhat enjoyed — especially considering that it was better than the sweaty odor they had before. But during an office smell test, I found that some of my coworkers were not as fond of the scent. A few days after I took the packets out, the chloride smell faded and there still wasn't any odor.
Ease of use: These deodorizers were extremely easy to use, I just stuck one in each shoe and left them overnight.
Reusability: While I didn't get to fully try out their reusability, I did put them in another pair of shoes and found the same results. However, the brand says you can use them for up to six months — and they're the perfect size for gym bags, sports equipment and more. I just wish the bag they were packaged in was resealable so that I could store them in there and keep them fresh.
Best all-natural spray:
Freshness: 3/5 | Scent: 3/5 | Ease of use: 3/5 | Reusability: 5/5 | Overall rating: 3.5/5
Freshness: The spray seemed to get rid of most of the odor in the shoes and replaced it with its lemon and eucalyptus scent, but when I sniffed deeply, I could still smell the slightest remnants of the original scent. Since I can't imagine the average person would be sniffing their shoes as closely and deeply as I was, I doubt that anyone else would notice that.
Scent: The scent seemed to fill the whole room, and while that wasn't necessarily a bad thing because it smelt pretty good, but it was a bit overpowering.
Ease of use: While it was easy enough to use — I just pointed the bottle inside the shoe and sprayed a handful of times — some of the liquid sprayed in the surrounding area, making a bit of a mess.
Reusability: According to the brand, you'll get 700+ sprays per bottle. Considering that I used about 10 to spray both of my shoes, I imagine the bottle will last quite a while.
Best for long-term use:
Freshness: 4/5 | Scent: 5/5 | Ease of use: 5/5 | Reusability: 5/5 | Overall rating: 4.75/5
Freshness: I was a little skeptical of how good of a job this fun deodorizer could actually do at tackle odor, but when I took them out, I actually didn't notice any odors. After a few days, I did smell the slightest sweat scent under the fragrance it left — but once again, that's not something that I think the average person would notice.
Scent: I loved how the bananas left a natural, all-around pleasant scent without being overpowering. The lemon was the most prominent scent, but the other extracts came through as well.
Ease of use: These boot bananas were both fun and easy to use, thanks to their design. I just left them in my shoes overnight.
Reusability: According to the brand, you can get up to 12 months of use out of the Boot Bananas (which is the longest timeframe of the reusable deodorizers on this list). Even better, just like a real banana, they'll turn brown to let you know when it's time to replace them.
How to prevent shoe odor
Dr. Priya Parthasarathy, a podiatrist in Silver Spring, Maryland, says that tackling shoe odor starts at the source: your feet. "The shoes are usually not the culprit, you have to prevent the shoes from getting smelly in the first place," she shares.
That starts with washing your feet in the shower (yes, you really should be doing that). Plus, you can use some of the below products to help keep that odor at bay to start with.
Other products to help prevent shoe odor, according to experts
If you struggle with foot odor, Parthasarathy recommends washing your feet once or twice a day with an antibacterial soap. "Make sure feet are totally dry before putting on socks or shoes, though, as any moisture will promote bacterial growth."
This option has over 6,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Plus, for under $6, you'll get two bars of soap in the pack.
To prevent odors, you should never go barefoot in your sneakers, Parthasarathy says. And when choosing your socks, you're going to want some that will "wick away perspiration and allow air to circulate," she shares. "It is important to look for synthetic blends designed to keep feet dry."
She typically recommends Feetures socks. This pair is made with their iWick blend, which is said to keep your feet cool and dry.
In addition to making sure your feet are clean and dry before you put them in your shoes, Parthasarathy says that you can use a deodorant or antiperspirant on the area to help minimize smell. She likes this whole-body option from Lume, which she says is easy to apply.
How we tested the shoe deodorizers
I, Emma Stessman, picked five shoe deodorizers to try based on popularity and shopper ratings. I tried each one at least once, using each on a different pair of sneakers. I analyzed each one based on the four features: Freshness, scent, ease of use and reusability.
I picked sneakers in my regular rotation that I have owned (and not cleaned) for at least four months and used regularly in that period for regular walks, runs or workouts. (I typically work out at least four to five times per week and tend to sweat heavily, so they were all decently stinky.) Before using the deodorizers, I ran or speed walked at least two miles in each of the shoes to ensure that there was fresh sweat. And then I let them dry for at least an hour. I used each deodorizer according to the instructions on the package or label.
We also asked editors to bring some of their stinkiest shoes into our office and we tried the various deodorizers on them before asking some of the staff to perform a sniff test. While the above ratings are primarily based on my own opinions, their thoughts were taken into account as well.
Why trust Shop TODAY
Emma Stessman is a writer for Shop TODAY and has been working for the brand for over four years. She regularly covers topics related to workout shoes and overall foot health. She is a fitness lover who has a large collection of workout shoes that she wears for her walks, runs and fitness classes.
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Meet the experts
- Dr. Miguel Cunha, DPM, is a board-certified food surgeon, podiatrist and founder of Gotham Footcare in New York City. His interests include all areas of podiatric medicine with an emphasis on cosmetic surgery and sports medicine injuries. He has previously shared his insight on the best New Balance sneakers, how often to replace your running shoes and more.
- Dr. Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, is a podiatrist in Silver Spring, Maryland. She is an American Podiatric Medical Association Spokesperson and serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. She has previously shared her insights on the best Brooks sneakers, the best clogs for your feet and more.
- Our top picks
- What to look for in shoe deodorizers
- Best overall
- Other shoe deodorizers to shop, as tested by the author
- How to prevent shoe odor
- Other products to help prevent shoe odor, according to experts
- Frequently asked questions
- How we tested the shoe deodorizers
- Why trust Shop TODAY
- How do you add Shop TODAY as a Preferred Source on Google?
- Meet the experts