We compared 5 ways to fix smelly shoes. Only one deals with the moisture.
Spray. Baking soda. Newspaper. The balcony overnight. If the smell is back after one more day of wearing them, 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 shoe after a full day on your feet.
- Designed in Sweden
- 4 million+ pairs sold worldwide
- 30-day fresh-or-your-money-back
Warm feet + a closed shoe + eight hours = the perfect home for smell
Your feet sweat into the lining all day – at work, on the commute, in the sneakers you live in. Then the shoes go on the rack or in the wardrobe, closed up, 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 shoe. Dry them once and tomorrow soaks them again.
So the question isn’t “what smells nicest?” It’s “what takes care of the moisture, every single night?”
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
Quick, and it smells nice for a while. But most sprays add a scent on top of the smell and leave the lining wet. The moisture stays – and so does the smell, by the time you’ve walked to the bus.
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 shoes, on your socks, on the hallway floor and on your trouser hems. 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 shoes dry – once. That means soggy paper every night, and nothing for the shoe rack or the gym bag they sit in.
Verdict: helps a little, every night, if you remember.
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The washing machine (or the balcony)
A wash gets the shoes clean but adds even more water, and many shoes can’t take it at all. The balcony airs them out for a few hours. Either way, the smell is back after the next long day.
Verdict: fresh until you wear them again.
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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.
- When you take the shoes off: one insert in each.
- Next morning: take them out, shoes 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. Works in sneakers, work shoes, boots, the gym bag and the wardrobe.
Verdict: takes care of the moisture, every night, 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 night, 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 you wear them again |
| Mess | None – sealed pouch | Wet lining | White dust everywhere | Soggy paper | Shoes can lose shape |
| Reusable | ✓ Recharge in the sun | Buy again | Buy again | Every night | – |
| Also works in the bag or the wardrobe | ✓ | – | Messy | – | – |
| Effort per day | 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 shoes’ 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. It turned out the same thing works just as well on the sneakers you wear every day.
What other people say
“I have them in a few of my training shoes and they really help with the smell. Recommended for small spaces.”
Megan P. · 5/5 · verified purchase
“I’ve used them in both sneakers and gym bags, and the smell noticeably drops with regular use.”
Darshil · 4/5 · verified purchase
“Have had them for five years now, and even though the scent has faded they still take care of the moisture in the shoes.”
Chris · 5/5 · Amazon.co.uk
Reviews from Amazon, lightly shortened. Sold at retailers including Apotek Hjärtat and Wyde Footwear.
Start with the Everyday Fresh Set
Everyday Fresh Set – Camo Inserts 3-Pack
- A pair for the shoes you wear most
- A pair for the trainers or the work shoes
- A pair for the gym bag or the wardrobe
- Rechargeable in the sun, sealed pouches, no mess
Fresh or your money back – 30 days. If the shoes 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
Just want to try one pair? Single packs from 149 kr →
Quick answers
Do they work in boots and work shoes?
Yes – anything you wear for hours. For big boots and bags, go for the XL inserts.
Will the insert itself smell strong?
They have a light, fresh scent. There’s also a fragrance-free option.
How long until the shoes feel fresher?
Leave the inserts in for 12–24 hours. After that it’s a nightly habit: in when you take the shoes off, out in the morning.
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. Get the Everyday Fresh Set →