Compare the options
| Product | Who it suits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
 Fresh Step Simply Unscented | Readers who want written scooping and depth directions. | Fresh Step Simply Unscented clumping litter asks for a daily habit. The maker says to scoop solids and clumps every day, and the clumps go in the trash, not down the toilet. |
 Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented | Readers who want a clumping clay with activated charcoal and a choice of jug, pail, box or bag bundle. | Five pack types mean a choice to make: a 14 or 20 lb jug, a 35 lb pail, a 40 lb box or a 40 lb bag bundle. Match the size to how fast you use litter and where you store it. |
 Purrify activated carbon deodorizer | A separate add-in for either litter, 120g for most homes. | Not a litter, so it is a second purchase. |
Fresh Step Simply Unscented
Clumping clay with enhanced carbon and Ammonia Block Technology, formulated with no added fragrances or dyes. The maker also describes a Multi-Cat version and a low-dust formula. [1]
Fresh Step's directions for Simply Unscented say to fill the box 3 to 4 inches deep and remove solid waste and clumps every day. Put the waste in the trash. Do not flush it. [1]
Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented
Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented is a clumping clay litter with activated charcoal. The maker lists no fragrances and no dyes. It comes in a 14 lb jug, 20 lb jug, 35 lb pail, 40 lb box and a 40 lb bag bundle, so you can pick a size by how you store and carry litter. [3]
Purrify activated carbon deodorizer
Activated carbon granules in bags. Mix 2 tablespoons into fresh litter and top up when the smell returns. [4]
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View on PurrifyFormulas and types each brand lists
Fresh Step lists Simply Unscented, a clumping clay litter with enhanced carbon, and Fresh Step Crystals, a silica gel litter that does not clump. Tidy Cats lists Free & Clean Unscented as a natural clay, multi-cat, clumping litter with activated charcoal. The like-for-like pair is clumping clay against clumping clay, so Crystals is set aside here.
[1][2][3]Scent and clumping details
Both are described without added scent. Fresh Step says no added fragrances or dyes and describes a fragrance-free experience, and Tidy Cats says without fragrances or dyes. Both are clumping clays, and both makers describe multi-cat use, so neither scent nor multi-cat suitability separates them. Cornell's feline health center says most cats prefer unscented, finer-textured litter, in general guidance on a page updated January 2015. Unscented covers half of that advice. This page has no texture comparison, so the other half is unchecked.
[1][3][5]Where the two differ on paper
Fresh Step names a technology, Ammonia Block Technology, and gives directions: fill 3 to 4 inches, remove solids and clumps daily, and put it in the trash rather than flushing. Tidy Cats names activated charcoal and lists five pack types: a 14 lb jug, a 20 lb jug, a 35 lb pail, a 40 lb box and a 40 lb bag bundle. Product lines change, so check the bag you are buying.
[1][3]Choosing between them
Going by the maker pages, pick Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented if you want a choice of jug, pail, box or bag bundle. Pick Fresh Step Simply Unscented if you want carbon with written depth and scooping directions. Both makers describe multi-cat use, so that does not decide it. Either way, Cornell's quick tips apply: one more box than cats, and clumps and feces removed daily. For deodorizing inside the litter, Purrify is a separate fragrance-free carbon add-in for either brand, and the 120g bag is our start for most homes.
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[3][1][5][4]How we compare
These are desk comparisons. We read what the makers publish, set the products side by side and pick by fit. We have not tested the products ourselves, so the pages report no measured results, no lab figures and no numerical ratings. Every comparison lists its sources.
Sources checked
- Fresh Step Simply Unscented litter page: formula description Source read on 2026-10-23
- Fresh Step FAQ: Fresh Step Crystals litter description Source read on 2026-10-23
- Purina Tidy Cats Free & Clean Unscented: formula description Source read on 2026-10-23
- Purrify products Source read on 2026-10-23
- Cornell Feline Health Center: house soiling quick tips on litter (page updated January 2015) Source read on 2026-10-23