Fresh Wave vs Cleanomic is the quiet showdown behind every "why does my home still not smell fresh?" search. Both are earth-friendly home brands, both promise a cleaner-smelling house without a chemical fog, and both have loyal followings — but they solve the problem from opposite ends. Fresh Wave attacks odors that already exist; Cleanomic reduces the residue and waste that create odors in the first place. This comparison lays out exactly what each brand does, using only the facts on record, so you can decide which one (or which combination) belongs in your cabinet.
Here is the one-line version before we dig in: Fresh Wave is an odor-elimination brand, and Cleanomic is a sustainable-cleaning brand. They overlap in the laundry room and the trash can, which is exactly where most household smells are born, and that overlap is why people keep pitting them against each other.
Why homes smell in the first place
Before you can pick a brand, it helps to know what you are fighting. Household odors almost always trace back to one of three sources: trapped molecules in soft surfaces (fabric, carpet, upholstery that hold onto cooking, pet and body smells), residue in appliances and drains (the film inside a washing machine, a bin, a fridge seal), and stale air that never fully clears. Masking sprays only address the third source, and only for an hour, which is why a scented air freshener keeps losing the same battle.
Fresh Wave and Cleanomic each attack a real source rather than the symptom. Fresh Wave targets the trapped molecules in fabric and air; Cleanomic targets the residue in your laundry and machines. Knowing which source dominates your home is the fastest way to pick the right brand, so keep it in mind as you read the sections below.
The core difference at a glance
- Fresh Wave — natural odor removers (sprays, gels, packs) that dissolve smells at the source instead of masking them with heavy fragrance. Best when a room, fabric, or space already smells and you want it gone now.
- Cleanomic — planet-friendly cleaning, laundry, kitchen, and storage products designed to keep your home clean with far less plastic waste. Best when you want an eco-conscious routine that prevents grime and odor from building up.
Fresh Wave: made with plants, not perfume
Fresh Wave's whole pitch is in its tagline — odors dissolved, problems solved. The brand's chemistry is built to dissolve and solve odors, leaving what it calls a breath of fresh air, rather than smothering a smell under synthetic fragrance. Its Fresh Wave Odor Removing Spray is described as made with plants, not perfume: a Fabric & Linen Spray that clears the air and removes stubborn smells trapped in surfaces and fabrics, with scent options like Lavender for the bathroom, Lemon for the kitchen, or Original for living spaces.
Beyond sprays, the range includes an odor-absorbing Gel that works around the clock (the Home Odor Solutions Bundle pairs a 24 oz spray with a 15 oz gel), an Air Spray that mists like an aerosol but is billed as safer for the planet, and refill kits for people who want to cut waste. If your problem is a specific, present smell — pet, kitchen, gym bag, musty room — this is the brand built for that job. You can browse Fresh Wave's sprays, gels and packs to match the format to your space.
Best for
- Households with pets, smokers, or a kitchen that fights back after cooking fish.
- Anyone sensitive to heavy synthetic air fresheners who still wants odors gone, not covered.
- Fabric and linen odors — sofas, curtains, gym bags, laundry that sat too long.
Cleanomic: earth-friendly products for a healthy, happy home
Cleanomic comes at freshness from prevention. Its whole catalogue — laundry, cleaning, kitchen, and bathroom — is framed as being better for you and better for the planet, offering affordable, sustainable alternatives that keep your clothes and home clean without all the waste. Instead of one hero spray, you get a system: Earthwash laundry detergent sheets that dissolve instantly and ditch the bulky plastic jug, Earthfresh dryer sheets pre-moistened in a gentle fabric-care solution, and a Laundry Essentials Kit that bundles the routine together.
Cleanomic also targets odor at its source in ways Fresh Wave does not. Its Wash Wizard washing machine cleaning tablets are designed to penetrate, dissolve and remove the odor-causing residue that builds up inside washing machines — the hidden reason a lot of "clean" laundry still smells off. Add reusable pieces like the shatter-resistant aluminium Tablet Tin storage and Super Bamboo reusable towels, and you have a low-waste home routine. It is easy to stock a full Cleanomic laundry and cleaning routine in one order.
Best for
- People trying to cut single-use plastic from their cleaning and laundry habits.
- Anyone whose washing machine or towels have started smelling musty from residue.
- Subscription-friendly shoppers — the Clean Planet Club ships curated eco essentials every three months.
What to buy first from each brand
Ranges this broad can be paralysing, so here is where to start with each brand if you only want one or two products in the cart today.
Fresh Wave starter picks
- Odor Removing Spray (24 fl. oz.) — the do-everything bottle for fabrics, linens and rooms. This is the single product to own if you buy nothing else.
- Home Odor Solutions Bundle — pairs the 24 oz spray with an odor-absorbing gel so you cover both the on-demand and the round-the-clock jobs at once.
- Gel Eco-Refill Kit — for people who like the gel and want to keep refilling rather than rebuying the jar.
Cleanomic starter picks
- Ultimate Softness Laundry Bundle — three packs of Earthwash detergent sheets that dissolve instantly, mess-free and pre-measured, to replace the plastic jug entirely.
- Wash Wizard tablets — the cheapest way to kill musty-machine smell at the source, safe for front-load machines.
- Tablet Tin & Super Bamboo — reusable storage and reusable towels for anyone whose real goal is cutting paper and plastic.
Head to head: which wins each room?
Because these brands do different jobs, the honest answer is that each one wins different rooms rather than one beating the other outright.
- Living room / bathroom air: Fresh Wave wins. A present, lingering smell is exactly what its spray and gel are engineered to dissolve.
- Laundry routine: Cleanomic edges it for everyday washing and machine upkeep; Fresh Wave's Fabric & Linen Spray is the finishing touch for garments that still hold a smell.
- Waste and sustainability footprint: Cleanomic wins on plastic reduction, thanks to detergent sheets, reusable towels, and refill-first design.
- Fast fix for a specific odor: Fresh Wave wins — spray, wait, done.
The trap to avoid: buying a stronger air freshener to cover a smell your washing machine is actually causing. Cleanomic fixes the residue; Fresh Wave clears the air. Used together, they close the loop.
The sustainability angle, honestly assessed
Both brands wave the eco flag, but they earn it differently, and it is worth being precise. Fresh Wave's environmental story is mostly about what is in the bottle: plant-based chemistry that dissolves odors, safe natural ingredients, and a light Air Spray positioned as safer for the planet than an aerosol. Its refill kits reduce repeat packaging, but the core products are still liquids in containers.
Cleanomic's story is mostly about the packaging and the waste stream itself: detergent in dissolvable sheets instead of jugs, reusable bamboo towels instead of paper, refillable tins, and a membership model designed to keep essentials flowing without impulse over-buying. If your definition of "green" is fewer plastic bottles in the recycling bin, Cleanomic is the stronger pick. If your definition is gentler ingredients touching your fabrics and air, Fresh Wave holds its own. Neither claim requires you to sacrifice a fresh-smelling home, which is the whole point of choosing brands like these over harsh conventional products.
Do you actually have to choose?
For most homes, no. The cleanest setup is Cleanomic for the routine that prevents build-up — laundry sheets, dryer sheets, a monthly Wash Wizard tablet — plus a bottle of Fresh Wave spray and a gel for the odors that slip through anyway. That pairing covers both prevention and cure, and both brands emphasise plant-based, planet-friendlier formulas, so you are not undoing your eco intentions to get a fresh-smelling home.
If your budget only allows one this month, choose by symptom. Reactive problem (something smells, right now)? Start with Fresh Wave. Systemic problem (waste, musty machine, an unsustainable routine)? Start with Cleanomic.
Verdict
In the Fresh Wave vs Cleanomic matchup there is no single loser, because they are answering two different questions. Fresh Wave is the specialist that dissolves odors on contact and is worth keeping within arm's reach of any room that gets funky. Cleanomic is the generalist that quietly lowers how often things get funky in the first place while shrinking your plastic pile. Buy Fresh Wave to fix the smell today; buy Cleanomic to stop generating it tomorrow; buy both if you want a home that stays genuinely fresh with the least effort.
Want more before you decide? Read our full Fresh Wave odor removers review and our honest Cleanomic review. For the broader category, see the best natural odor eliminators for the home, and if you are building out the rest of the house, our best home and living brands roundup is a good next stop.