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Effective Odor Eliminators for Your Home

an arm spraying an odor eliminator product over a couch in a living roomIt’s obvious why we need odor eliminators: we all encounter stench—from garbage cans to pet bedding, stinky shoes, and sports and work uniforms. It’s unavoidable. And for every type of smelly item, there’s an odor eliminator product—thank goodness for that! Here are some we recommend to make your home, car, shoes, gym bag, and whatever else smell fresh.

Purchasing an Odor Eliminator

Consider the following factors:

  • Ingredients: Some customers prefer eco-friendly products that contain all-natural ingredients and scents. There are some great environmentally conscious deodorizers available. Other customers want the guarantee of total odor obliteration. Still, others are happy with the middle-ground products that contain common household chemicals and natural fragrances, for example. What’s your preference? You should be able to find a product you’re happy with, whatever your preference.
  • Stink Location: Many deodorizers claim all-surface superiority. But if you want to target items like shoes, you’ll find a product to meet your needs. What if the foul odor is emanating from things you can’t throw in the washing machine, like upholstery or the trashcan? Don’t worry; you’ll find products just for unwashable items.

Powerful Option: Febreze Fabric Refresher and Unstopables

Febreze Fabric Refresher Extra Strength bottle on the right, Unstopables bottle on the left

A well-known brand on the deodorizing market, Febreze doesn’t disappoint with this two-in-one package. Febreze FABRIC Extra Strength targets just about everything having to do with textiles, from clothing to upholstery. Unstopables FABRIC delivers double the fragrance compared to the original Extra Strength FABRIC. Your clothes, curtains, sofas, rugs, pet beds, and more will be smelling extra fresh.

Powerful Option

Febreze Fabric Refresher, Odor Eliminator Extra Strength + Unstopables, Fresh Scent, 27 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)

If you need to eliminate, obliterate, and eradicate stink on fabric, then this may be the product you need.

Prime Bamboo Charcoal: Activated Charcoal Air Purifying Bags

15 small gray bags with bamboo charcoal inside

It’s useful in toothpaste and in your closet as well—charcoal! Who knew? These deodorizing bags contain activated bamboo charcoal. Its porous surface allows for greater absorption of unwanted smells. It makes a great green-friendly alternative to wood charcoal. The bags are made of linen and can be hung or placed anywhere you need. These come in handy if you often find your clothes and closet smelling like the dinner you cooked last night.

Prime Bamboo Charcoal

Best for Unwashables: FunkAway Aerospray

Uniformed man spraying deodorizer into his helmet

Rid that funk you’ve been enduring from your kid’s football uniform, your work gear, the dog’s bed, all the shoes in the house, and that second home—the car. There’s a science behind it, but who cares? As long as it gets rid of that horrible stench from items you can’t wash, and this product does. Spray it wherever you need it, and as the name suggests, the funk will go away.

Best for Unwashables

Shoo the Shoe Odor: Natural Shoe Deodorizer Powder

One shoe powder container standing vertically with a second resting horizontally and at an angle

It doesn’t make sense that an extra strength shoe deodorizer could be made of all-natural ingredients, but Foot Sense powder proves it possible. The product contains zinc oxide, an ingredient often used in medicinal ointments. Shake some into your stiff, new shoes and enjoy a blister-free, odor-free experience. Other ingredients include sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), lavender essential oil, lemon powder, and cinnamon bark.

Plant-Based Power: Fresh Wave Odor Eliminator Spray

Odor eliminator spray bottle with spray top removed and positioned at an angle

Where some deodorizing products aggressively destroy odor with harsh chemicals, Fresh Wave spray ushers out stink by ushering in effective plant-based ingredients. The effectiveness of anise, cedarwood, pine needle, lime, and clove to clean and deodorize is new knowledge to many of us. This product even received a Safer Choice label from the EPA. Wow!

Plant-Based Power
Britta Kallevang Britta Kallevang
Britta is a professional writing tutor and freelance writer that is trained in journalistic, technical, and creative copywriting. At LifeSavvy, she researches products, writes about the items, and shares what she's uncovered with readers. Her writing is comprehensive and sometimes a bit silly. Read Full Bio »
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