10 Best Odor Eliminators of 2023, Tested by Cleaning Pros

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We sniffed out the best stink stoppers and #1 even kills germs!

No matter how clean your home may be, if it doesn't smell clean, it won't feel clean. A fresh scent is a signal that an item or space is free of grime, dust, mold and bacteria. But whether it's sweaty gym clothes, musty closets or even last night's fried fish, odors are unavoidable. And while the best air fresheners can often replace a foul smell with a pleasant one at least temporarily, odor eliminators do more. Many have ingredients that react with odor molecules and absorb them or even kill odor-causing bacteria.

When we test odor eliminators in the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we evaluate them against cooking odors in our many kitchens, musty odors that we create in the Lab and pet and clothing odors from smelly items our staff donates. In addition, we review the labeling for any necessary safety warnings and thoroughness and clarity of the directions. Finally, we take note of how long they remain effective. To supplement our Lab testing, we send the products home with staffers for testing against real-life household odors.

In the last couple of years alone, we've tested over 30 odor-removing products for all types of odors and for all around the house, including the best air purifiers. Here are our latest odor eliminator recommendations.

After checking out our best odor eliminator picks, scroll down to find out more about how we test them, what makes odor eliminators different from air fresheners and why you should trust Good Housekeeping recommendations.

One thing you can count on is wherever you find bacteria, you usually have odors. Think of the kitchen trash can, bathroom toilet and your pet's bedding and toys. As bacteria flourishes on these items, so do odors. Clorox's Disinfecting Mist has earned the top spot on our list of odor eliminators because of its ability to kill bacteria and viruses (including the SARS-CoV2 virus) on hard surfaces, kill bacteria on soft surfaces and freshen the air.

This EPA-registered versatile mist sanitizes upholstery, mattresses and plush toys in 5 minutes, disinfects bathroom fixtures and countertops in 10 minutes and deodorizes the air. In our tests, we like how evenly it covered surfaces without making them overly wet, and it left a clean, light, pleasant scent behind. Food-contact surfaces and children's and pets' toys will need a rinse after using this mist. We're testing a new Free & Clear version of this product now.

Febreze is so synonymous with odor removal that it's almost become a generic term. This GH Seal-star spray quickly tackles airborne cooking odors, smoke, must and more with its cyclodextrin technology that surrounds odor molecules and pulls them from the air. And all this performance comes at a great price, making it our Best Value pick.

The newest upgrade to Febreze Air Mist is that it now dispenses as an even finer mist to linger longer and pull more odors out of the air. In our testing, we found that cooking and bathroom odors were rendered unnoticeable and stale spaces smelled fresh again very quickly. Just be sure to wipe away any excess that lands on hard floors as it can make them slippery.

If you like the "set it and forget it" approach to odor elimination, a gel could be just what you need. Simply peel back the foil top on this Fresh Wave jar and replace the vented lid. This allows the gel to work continuously and evaporate over time. In our tests, we found it removed lingering food and bathroom odors very well, and we like that it can be used in places where you can't use sprays, like inside a closet or microwave oven to extinguish a burnt popcorn smell.

The ingredients in Fresh Wave are plant-based and EPA Safer Choice-certified and refills of the gel can be purchased to replenish it as it evaporates. One jar claims to last up to 60 days in an area of up to 200 square feet. Larger areas may need multiple jars.

Musty closets don't just smell stale when you open the door. They can also make the clothes hanging inside smell musty too. So if you have a closet in a damp location (like a basement) or one that isn't opened often and doesn't get good air circulation, consider placing this airBoss Closet Dehumidifier on the shelf to absorb the moisture that causes the odors. Simply remove the tub from the cardboard sleeve and peel back the foil to expose the moisture-permeable film covering the moisture-absorbing beads inside. As the beads pull in the moisture from the air, they turn to liquid. When all the beads are gone, simply pour the liquid down the drain and put a new airBoss in place.

We tested airBoss in an entryway coat closet with access to a damp crawl space where we noticed an obvious musty smell. It worked continuously and kept the coats hanging in there smelling fresh and clean. Plus, it's neat to use and dispose of. One online reviewer exclaimed, "I love this thing!" Large areas and very damp areas may need multiple tubs.

While there are imitators now on the market, Poo-Pourri was the original in-toilet odor-eliminating spray and, in our opinion, it's still the best. Simply spritz three to five sprays onto the surface of the toilet water before you go, and it traps odors inside the bowl to prevent them from becoming airborne. We tested it both in our office bathrooms and at home with the same great results.

Made with essential oils and without alcohol, parabens or phthalates, it comes in an incredibly wide assortment of scents — some with incredibly cute names like Potty On. We like the discreet little bottles that make it easy to tuck into a bag for travel. Some scents are even available in larger refill sizes. Be sure to keep the bottles out of reach of children and pets.

We are still testing this odor-eliminating candle from Diptyque, but we love it so much already that we just had to include it here. Diptyque's luxury candle burns beautifully and smells divine but is also very hard-working. It replaces malodors with a combination of mint, basil and tomato leaf essential oils.

In our tests, two Cleaning Lab staffers each lit the candle after cooking a particularly pungent dinner and noticed an obvious clearing of the air just a short time later — even after leaving and returning home. It burns evenly and slowly, so though it's a bit pricey, it will last a long time and provide a lot of odor elimination for the cost, not to mention the warm glow it emits. As with all candles, never leave it burning unattended, and keep it away from children and pets. It would absolutely make a great gift!

Shoes can get stinky, especially if you wear them without socks. And even if you allow your shoes to air out between wears, that still may not be enough. That's when you need a good shoe deodorizer. Poo-Pourri's Shoe Spray uses a mix of essential oils for a pleasing scent and enzymes to attack the odor-causing bacteria that linger in your shoes. To use, spritz the insole and let it dry. In our tests, it zapped odors and left shoes noticeably fresher smelling. And one online reviewer raved, "Hands down, the best shoe spray I've ever used." Take note, shoes with synthetic linings will take longer to dry than those with leather or fabric insoles.

A safer alternative to those distracting little tree air fresheners that hang from the rearview mirror, Febreze Car odor eliminators clip directly to a dashboard vent so they won't block your view. The air coming through the vent wafts over them to disperse the scent. We found them to be effective in every car we tested them in, and we like that the intensity of the scent can be dialed up or down as desired. They gave cars a fresh, pleasant scent that was noticeable the minute we stepped in, even before we turned on the ignition.

They can also be placed on the rear seat vents to combat odors from spilled foods, kids and pets riding in the back. Be aware, the scent can be a bit strong when you first clip them on, and some reviewers noted that the "heavy-duty" clip in this package didn't seem any different from the others.

Pets are certainly lovable family members, but the messes they leave behind are anything but. Even if you bathe and brush them regularly, there's pet hair to remove plus, their favorite lounging spots, their bedding (and yours, if they sleep with you!) and toys can all smell dank and stale. But an even coating of Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator on these fabrics will neutralize stinky pet odors as it dries.

In our GH Seal tests, pet owners reported that it effectively removed odors on fabrics and even freshened the air to help camouflage the fact that there was a pet in the house, usually one of the first things arriving guests notice. It's easy and neat to use and works quickly. We also like that it's not just for pet odors. We found it works on cooking and smoke odors, too. For water-sensitive fabrics, be sure to test it on a hidden spot before spraying the entire item.

Front-loading washing machines clean well and save energy, but they have a dirty little secret — they can stink. Honestly, top-loaders can too, but front-loaders are the biggest offenders. Water that pools in the drum, door gaskets and dispenser drawers — if not dried promptly — can smell stale and even cause mold to grow. Plus detergent and fabric softener residues left behind can smell and transfer the odors to your laundry. Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner tablets are an easy and effective way to rid your appliance of unwanted odors.

Once per month, simply add one tablet to the drum and run a normal cycle (with hot water) or your machine's self-cleaning cycle, if it has one. The time-release tablet works throughout the entire cycle removing the residues bacteria feast on. It cleans the drum, pump, valves, hoses and more. In our tests, it left both front- and top-loading machines clean and fresh smelling.

We also like the list of months on the side of the box so you can check off each cleaning and keep track of when it's time to do the next one. We still recommend drying the gasket, door and dispenser drawer regularly, however, and you'll still have to occasionally remove and scrub the detergent dispenser as Affresh won't reach in there.

Odor eliminators can be tricky to test, especially in the expansive, wide-open spaces of our Good Housekeeping Institute Labs and Test Kitchens. The most accurate way to test them is in specially constructed small, climate-controlled "smell" chambers, where a measured amount of malodor and the test fragrance are introduced and trained smell testers rate the extent of odor removal. Since we don't have these types of chambers in our Labs, we evaluate odor eliminators the way consumers do: by using them in our day-to-day tasks both in the Lab and at home in our own cars, washing machines, kitchens, bathrooms, closets and more.

In the Lab, we cook stinky foods, make stinky garbage, put wet towels into plastic storage containers to make them smell musty and ask staffers for stinky pet toys and clothing items they'd like to donate for testing. We then call in staffers to smell these containers or the air before and after using the test products to rate the performance. We assess the chemical formulas, safety data sheets, packaging, labeling, scent strength and duration and ease of use and we review the manufacturer's documentation for the internal claim support testing they do. Finally, we have consumer testers use the products in their own homes and give us feedback via a detailed survey that is incorporated into our performance and ease-of-use tabulations.

While both products make household odors less noticeable, many air fresheners simply cover up a bad smell with a floral or fruity one. That's why they often quickly fade and the malodor returns — it was never really gone in the first place. Essentially an air freshener's primary purpose is to do just that, freshen the air and impart a pleasant scent to it.

Odor eliminators use chemical, mechanical or physical means to actually trap and neutralize odor molecules so they are no longer perceptible to the human nose and can no longer return. Sanitizers and disinfectants work by actually killing the bacteria that cause the odors.

Check the label of any odor-removing product you are considering for an explanation of how it works and the types of odors it removes. If it doesn't say anything, it's likely just an air freshener designed to impart a pleasing fragrance.

Carolyn Forté has over 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert testing all kinds of products that both clean and remove odors from the air, fabrics, appliances and more. She has visited the testing facilities of air freshener manufacturers to see and experience firsthand the tests they conduct on their products to evaluate odor intensity and removal. Forté has also personally conducted air freshener research studies with consumers so she knows what they look for in scented cleaning products and air fresheners and presented the research findings at industry conferences and meetings.

Carolyn Forté brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert to her role as executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab. Using deep analytical testing and writing expertise in appliances, cleaning, textiles and organizational products, she produces cleaning and home care advice for GH, has authored numerous books and bookazines for the brand and partners with the American Cleaning Institute to co-produce the Discover Cleaning Summits. She holds a bachelor's degree in family and consumer sciences from Queens College, City University of New York.

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