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These shoe deodorizers keep my sweaty sneakers stink-free, and they're $6 for 3

Use the baking soda-filled balls wherever you want to ban odors — funky gym bags, musty closets, even stuffy cars.

I grew up taking dance classes — tap, jazz, ballet, hip-hop, modern and more. I tried it all! Needless to say, my dance bag was filled with an array of sweaty shoes. To help keep the stink to a minimum, my mom purchased these Arm & Hammer Deodorizer Odor Busterz, and low and behold, they worked! To this day, I buy these shoe deodorizers to keep my running sneakers, cycling shoes and winter boots from smelling up my closet.

Start with a pack of three of these deodorizers for freshening up shoes, bags and more.

$6 at Amazon

Arm & Hammer Deodorizer Odor Busterz are small plastic balls filled with the brand's own baking soda and a clean, laundry-like scent. Place one inside each of your shoes, or in your gym bag, hamper, suitcase or anywhere that could use a little freshening up. Each deodorizer is good for up to 60 days, but I'll admit, I probably only replace mine two to three times per year. You can get them in a pack of three, six or 10 at Amazon.

While I do wish that they lasted a bit longer, I like that the deodorizers don't require me to spray any chemicals into my shoes, and I appreciate that they're small enough to travel with. I've used them for over 20 years — talk about product loyalty!

Pair of sneakers and socks after a workout
You can practically smell this picture, right? Let's change that — or make the smell more pleasant, at least. (Amazon)

More than 8,500 Amazon shoppers give them a fresh five stars.

One self-proclaimed "member of the stinky feet guild" shared: "I love these things, they work wonders with moisture absorption and I just bring them with me when I travel so my Dr. Martens boots don’t lead to a miasma in the room. I just put them in my shoes once I get home and bam! Next day, super fresh. Even works on boots I've had for a few years."

"I have three teenage boys and a husband. Need I say more? These have helped my laundry room (where we all dump our shoes) smell less like a locker room," said another customer. "The smell coming out of their shoes was strong, but not as strong as the smell coming from these puppies!"

Another satisfied shopper said they used them outside around their trash cans. "I keep my large trash can that gets picked up weekly in my garage. There was such a horrible odor I could even smell it in my car!" they explained. "I tried another product that worked for about 15 minutes. Then I placed these strategically around the garage and the smell is gone! I will definitely be buying more!"

One four-star reviewer brought up their short shelf life. "As far as I can tell, they are not refillable, which would be better than throwing these plastic balls out when they no longer work," they said. "Please consider making them so they can be opened and one can add a refill that is also eco-friendly."

Go for the 10-pack if you want to save in the long run! The price nets out to less than $2 per ball.

$17 at Amazon

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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