We compared 5 ways to fix smelly football boots. Only one deals with the moisture.
Spray. Baking soda. Newspaper. The balcony overnight. If the smell is back by the next training, there’s a reason – and it isn’t that you did it wrong. Most fixes go after the smell. The smell is just the symptom. What’s actually causing it is the moisture left inside the boot after every session.
- Designed in Sweden
- 4 million+ pairs sold worldwide
- 30-day fresh-or-your-money-back
Damp + warm + zipped in a bag = the perfect home for smell
Feet sweat into the lining during every session. Then the boots go straight into the bag, the bag gets zipped, and the moisture has nowhere to go.
Warm and damp is exactly where odor-causing bacteria thrive. Add a scent on top and you get perfume plus boot. Dry them once and the next training soaks them again.
So the question isn’t “what smells nicest?” It’s “what takes care of the moisture, every single time?”
We put the usual fixes side by side. Here’s what each one actually does – and the full comparison below.
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Shoe spray
Sprays are quick and smell nice for a while. But most of them add a scent on top of the smell and leave the lining wet. The moisture stays – and so does the smell, by next training.
Verdict: covers the smell, doesn’t take care of the moisture.
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Baking soda or foot powder
It soaks up some of the moisture, partly. It also leaves white dust in the boots, on the socks, on the hallway floor and in the car. And you buy it again and again.
Verdict: partly works, a lot of mess.
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Stuffing them with newspaper
It does help the boots dry – once. That means soggy paper every night, and nothing for the kit bag they sit in all the way home.
Verdict: helps a little, every night, if you remember.
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The washing machine (or the balcony)
A wash gets the boots clean but adds even more water, and boots can lose their shape. The balcony airs them out for a few hours. Either way, the smell is back after the next sweaty session.
Verdict: fresh until the next training.
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SmellWell Freshener Inserts
Bamboo charcoal and minerals. That’s the whole trick. Each SmellWell insert is a sealed pouch filled with Moso bamboo charcoal and minerals. The charcoal is full of microscopic pores that take care of the moisture and counteract odor at the source – instead of masking it with perfume.
- After training: one insert in each boot.
- Next morning: take them out, boots are ready.
- Once a quarter: a few hours in direct sunlight recharges them.
One pair lasts up to 12 months with sun recharging. REACH certified, free from phthalates and biocides.
Verdict: takes care of the moisture, every time, while you sleep.
What’s actually in your options
| SmellWell Freshener Inserts | Shoe sprays | Baking soda / powder | Newspaper | Washing machine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Takes care of the moisture | ✓ Every time, while you sleep | Mostly no | Partly | Partly, once | Adds more water |
| Counteracts odor instead of covering it | ✓ | Many add scent on top | Partly | No | Until next training |
| Mess | None – sealed pouch | Wet lining | White dust everywhere | Soggy paper | Boots can lose shape |
| Reusable | ✓ Recharge in the sun | Buy again | Buy again | Every night | – |
| Also works in the kit bag | ✓ | – | Messy | – | Not for every bag |
| Effort per session | Drop in, take out | Spray, wait | Pour, shake out | Stuff, remove, bin | A whole wash |
Based on how these methods typically work. Individual products vary – always check your boots’ care label before washing.
It started with one pair of football boots
SmellWell exists because our co-founder Vincent’s daughter played football – and her boots smelled so bad they couldn’t be kept in the house. Nothing on the shelf fixed it for more than a day. So we designed something in Sweden that did.
What other parents say
“Football cleats and uniforms in locker all week until games, the pads and shoes – which smelt like a dead animal – are now almost odorless. […] Got a 3 pack of these, put in shoes and keep in bag and no more dead animal. It hasn’t made them completely odorless but they are 90% less stink than before.”
Christina M. · 5/5 · verified purchase
“A must have for parents of athletes. I am certainly buying more – a pair for every pair of shoes and even want to keep them in my kids’ sports bags.”
Kelsey B. · 5/5 · verified purchase
“Nothing else worked for my son’s cleats. Ordering another set.”
Jennifer S. · 5/5 · verified purchase
Reviews from Amazon.com, lightly shortened. Sold at retailers including Apotek Hjärtat and Wyde Footwear.
Limited edition: Sport Edition 4-Pack
SmellWell Active – Sport Edition 4-Pack
- 4 packs of Freshener Inserts – 8 inserts
- One for the boots, one for the indoor shoes, one for the kit bag – and one spare for the sibling
- Rechargeable in the sun, sealed pouches, no mess
Fresh or your money back – 30 days. If the boots aren’t noticeably fresher within 30 days, email help@smellwell.com and we’ll refund you. Even if the pack is opened.
Packed and shipped within 24 hours · EU delivery 2–5 business days
Limited edition – once this print is gone, it’s gone.
Quick answers
Does it work in a hockey bag?
Yes – for big bags, go for the XL inserts, made for larger spaces.
Will the insert itself smell strong?
They have a light, fresh scent. There’s also a fragrance-free option.
Is it safe around kids?
They’re sealed pouches meant to stay in shoes and bags. Keep them out of reach of small children.
P.S. You’ve already tried the spray. You’ve already tried the balcony. This is the one that goes after the moisture – the thing actually causing the smell. Grab the Sport Edition while it’s still here →