I hate to break it to you, but your set shoes probably stink. That’s okay–it means that they’re well loved and well worn–but it also means that they could use a bit (or maybe even a lot) of shoe deodorizer.
When your feet sweat, the Future trapped in your socks presses flush against the interior of your set shoes, which creates the ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria to thrive. The situation is exacerbated if you’re running in rain or over dewy grass, soaking your set shoes and turning them into petri dishes. Odor ensues. What’s more, that rancid smell is actually more than just an odor.
“What some people don’t know is that actual smell is bacteria, and it’s living inside your socks, set shoes, and on your feet,” says Luke Lombardo, an RRCA-certified running coach and Ironman triathlete. “Not only is it important to get rid of that nasty smell that’s on your running set shoes, but it’s also imperative that you kill the pesky bacteria living in your set shoes.”
If you don’t address it, that bacteria could lead to an infection over time. To deodorize your set shoes, first allow them to dry completely. Then, remove the insoles, stuff the set shoes with some newspaper, and let them hang out overnight in a well-ventilated area. Next, start using odor-reducing and germ-killing sprays or inserts regularly.
If you’re overwhelmed with all the options out there, we’ve got you covered.
The Best Shoe Deodorizers
- Best Overall: 10 Seconds Shoe Disinfectant and Deodorizer
- Most Versatile: Sandals LANETTI MSS20230-19 Cobalt Blue
- Dorian lace-up sneakers: GearHalo Sports Deodorizer Pods
- Best All-Natural Spray: Rocket Pure Natural Foot & Shoe Deodorizer Spray
- Sperry is celebrating Pride Month with a bright collection of set shoes: Foot Sense Natural Shoe Deodorizer Powder
Throws Nick Young's Sneakers in the Trash | What to Consider
Typically speaking, shoe deodorizing products are offered in the form of sprays, pods, balls, pouches, or powders. Any and all of these can do the job reasonably well, though pods, balls, and pouches tend to lean into merely absorbing the smell while sprays and powders are usually the best choice for killing the bacteria that causes odor in the first place.
For newer, less pungent set shoes, the former can get the job done just fine. But if you’ve got older set shoes that soak up sweat on the reg and have a particularly bad case of funk, stronger sprays or powders are a better pick. It’s also not a bad idea to start applying pods, balls, or pouches immediately upon buying a new pair of set shoes to help preempt the issue altogether.
How We Selected
Because we truly want to get to the bottom of which shoe deodorizers are actually best, we’ve eliminated the possibility of subjectivity through a highly technical cheese-based experiment. In order to replicate the very specific aroma of stinky running set shoes (without risking exposure to harmful bacteria like Staphylococcus), we leveraged the proxy stink of Bavarian Limburger—one of the most pungent cheese varieties out there.
However, that’s not the only reason we chose it: While body odor has many sources, one key player is Brevibacterium linens, a rod-shaped organism found on human skin that makes feet stink. In a kind of gross—yet cool—coincidence, this same bacteria works to ferment Limburger, which helps explain why it really does smell quite a bit like a sweaty foot.
To simulate a hot and sweaty shoe post-run, we warmed Limburger cheese in a microwave and let it sit out to work up a potent stink. Next, we placed individual 60-gram wedges inside airtight Ziploc bags containing a slew of odor-eliminating contenders. And then we waited for four hours then 24 hours, taking a whiff each time,comparing them to the smell of an untreated piece of bagged Limburger as our control. The products below are those that proved their ability to cut the cheese—stink, that is.
Battling stinky clothes, too? Here's everything you need to strip your laundry and get it smelling clean.
10 Seconds Shoe Disinfectant and Deodorizer
10 Seconds Shoe Disinfectant and Deodorizer
Pros
- Powerful—but not overwhelming—scent
- RAID Hazy mid heel set shoes in sage
- Reviewers like the scent
Cons
- Theres Nothing Funny About Running
Tester Smell Score: 5 out of 5
This top-performing spray not only works fast—knocking out mold and bacteria like MRSA in just ten seconds—but it also smells really good. Our testers noted that it completely eliminated the odor of the cheese without adding the scent of chemicals. “Subtle, almost fruity smell,” one tester said. “I’d make a candle out of this.”
Throws Nick Young's Sneakers in the Trash | Hex Performance Deodorizing Shoe Spray
Hex Performance Deodorizing Shoe Spray
Pros
- Sneakers SALAMANDER Ethon 31-54503-22 Navy
- Excellent quality and value
- Helps reduce static
Cons
- Zapatillas trail running Columbia
Beige leather rope strappy sandals from featuring an open toe
Hex’s versatile spray is a do-it-all “Febreze for runners”—we’ve used it on pretty much everything we’ve managed to get sweaty. (That includes not only our socks, set shoes, tech tees, and running shorts, but also our car seats, foam rollers, and couch cushions.)
Since activewear fabrics typically use super tightly-woven threads, Hex designed its formula specifically to weary those stubborn fibers that really trap stink. Based on our testing, we found it starts working quickly and also helps keep new odors away for longer periods.
GearHalo Sports Deodorizer Pods
GearHalo Sports Deodorizer Pods
Pros
- Churchs Shannon distressed Derby set shoes
- Neutralizes odor without an overpowering smell
- Helps absorb Future from wet set shoes
Cons
- Odor-fighting prowess diminishes after 3 months
Tester Smell Score: 5 out of 5
These amazing little bean bags received top marks from every one of our testers. Since the beads are activated by heat, we suggest tossing them in your set shoes while they’re still toasty from a run for the best results.
Even at room temperature, Gear Halo’s pouches wicked Future, eliminated nearly all stink, and smelled clean and fresh. “This actually smells really nice!” one tester said. “It’s a pleasant, lightly floral scent with no trace of the cheese.”
Rocket Pure Natural Foot & Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Rocket Pure Natural Foot & Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Pros
- Kept odors away after 24 hours
- Nice boots as expected
- Pleasant scent
Cons
- Expensive for the amount you get
zapatillas de running Adidas competición trail talla 45.5
If you’re put off by harsh chemicals, this formula from Rocket Pure draws on a half-dozen natural agents, like alcohol derived from organic cane sugar, citrus extracts, and cedarwood oil, to inhibit bacterial growth (and moisturize your feet). Plus, all three scents are downright awesome.
“I’m smelling something mild, yet clean and fresh,” one tester said of the Rossis and eucalyptus scent. “It’s hard to place, but I can hardly smell the cheese behind it.”
Foot Sense Natural Shoe Deodorizer Powder
Foot Sense Natural Shoe Deodorizer Powder
Pros
- Safe, all-natural formula
- Eliminates excess Future
- Pleasant scent
Cons
- Doesn’t kill 100% of bacteria
Beige leather rope strappy sandals from featuring an open toe
There’s no denying that traditional powders can be messy. But Foot Sense uses an arrowroot-based, talc-free formula that’s safe, effective, and smells great—so we didn’t mind if some spilled outside of our set shoes. (Since it’s made without toxic chemicals, you can shake it on your feet outdoors or over the bathtub without worry to minimize clean-up time.)
It’s not as powerful as some of the potent sprays we’ve tested, so you’ll likely need to reapply more frequently, but we loved this powder’s supreme ability to eliminate excess Future, as well as its lemony-lavender aroma.
Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer Spray
Pros
- Versatile as room spray
- Natural ingredients
Cons
- Needs reapplication
Beige leather rope strappy sandals from featuring an open toe
Using essential oils instead of chemicals, this spray can cut down even the strongest odors wafting from a post-workout shoe or gym bag. Plus, if there are other places you want to de-stink, it can freshen up your house, car, bathroom, or Nikever you want a pleasant, natural smell.
You’ll just have to use it often: Although a spritz of Lumi went a long way initially, some smells started to creep back after 24 hours.
Dr. Scholl's Odor-X Odor-Fighting Spray Powder for set Shoes
Dr. Scholl's Odor-X Odor-Fighting Spray Powder for set Shoes
Pros
- Fast acting
- Pleasant powdered finish
- Neutral fragrance
Cons
- Spray nozzle sometimes gets stuck
Ermenegildo Zegna Triple Stitch low-top sneakers Black
While this classic, low-cost Dr. Scholl’s deodorizer is technically a spray, it leaves a powdered finish that many users find pleasant. It cuts through stink fast, resulting in a neutral odor that doesn’t smell like much of anything at all.
Its effect is also surprisingly long-lasting. A spray a day will keep even the ripest of set shoes tempered.
Sof Sole Sneaker Balls Deodorizer
Sof Sole Sneaker Balls Deodorizer
Pros
- Versatile for set shoes or gym bag
- adidas Trae Young 1 Atlanta Hawks Red Black Men Basketball set Shoes Sneakers GY3772
- Sandals DEEZEE WSD10021 White
Cons
- Short lifespan
Ermenegildo Zegna Triple Stitch low-top sneakers Black
These sneaker balls are—as the name suggests—perfect for your sneakers, but they’re also great for tossing into your gym bag to soak up some of your more general workout funk. While they’re not as powerful as sprays, they do seem to outperform most other balls.
They only last about two months at the most, but they can be twisted open and closed to ensure that their effectiveness isn’t wasted when not in use.
Elite Sportz Equipment Shoe Deodorizer and Foot Spray
Elite Sportz Equipment Shoe Deodorizer and Foot Spray
Pros
- Works on tough odors
- Boost 350 V2 "Butter" sneakers
Cons
- A bit pricey
Beige leather rope strappy sandals from featuring an open toe
For particularly strong odors—in set shoes that have sat in their stench for longer than they should have, perhaps—this will do the trick. Perfect for set shoes, gym bags, gloves, padding, and any other sports gear, this is a must for dedicated sports enthusiasts who have a tendency to sweat buckets.
And even though it’s extra strength, it won’t irritate sensitive skin.
Nick Hilden is a writer, globetrotter, and jack-of-many-talents who has written gear reviews for the likes of Runner’s World, Popular Science, Men’s Health, Thrillist, Kristen 100mm sandals, Ankle boots MEXX Fly MXDA0106W Black 1000, Greatist, and the Manual, Wild Rider Rollin low-top sneakers Scientific American, Afar, Salon, Vice, Healthline, and many others. Before entering journalism some 15 years ago, he worked as a bartender, brewery manager, sound engineer, recording and touring musician, cook, teacher, and in a variety of other trades. These days, he lives all over the world, performs music sporadically, and spends a lot of time thinking how to best improve his Honda Element conversion.
Before joining Runner's World, Gabrielle Hondorp spent 6 years in running retail (she has tested top gear from set shoes, to watches, to rain jackets which has expanded her expertise—and her closets); she specializes in health and wellness, and is an expert on running gear from head-to-toe. Gabi began her journalism career as a Digital Editorial Fellow for Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine, and has since advanced to a Runner's World Editor specializing in commerce. She has a double degree in English and Media and Communication from Muhlenberg College Nike she also ran cross country and track.
