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Image: MytourAddressing stubborn stains on carpets and furniture demands a deeper clean than what a standard household vacuum can provide. A specialized carpet cleaner, on the other hand, is equipped to handle tough stains such as red wine, coffee, and pet mishaps.
“When selecting a carpet cleaner, start by identifying your specific needs and which model can best address them,” advises Ken Doty, COO and cleaning expert at The Maids. For instance, are you looking for a device ideal for spot cleaning, or do you need something to tackle extensive stains in high-traffic zones like stairs or rugs?
To determine the top carpet cleaners for various tasks, we rigorously tested multiple models in both lab and home settings, assessing their performance, usability, setup, and other essential features for quick stain and odor removal. We also consulted Doty for his professional insights on selecting the right carpet cleaner.
Top Pick
Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Carpet Cleaner
IMAGE: AmazonThis user-friendly device and its accessories efficiently removed up to 100% of fresh stains.
Assembling the cleaner proved to be difficult and time-intensive.
Our top-rated carpet cleaner is one of the highest-performing upright models we’ve evaluated. In its standard position, it successfully eliminated 95% of tough stains, while the bristled hand wand attachment effectively scrubbed away leftover residue, achieving a 99% to 100% clean.
We appreciated the ease of filling the water tank and adding the cleaning solution. The tank can be effortlessly detached, allowing you to unscrew the lid and fill it to the indicated levels (one for water and another for the solution). The dual-tank system separates dirty water into a separate container beneath the clean water, which can then be removed and drained by pulling out the rubber stopper.
While not the loudest carpet cleaner we tested, it does produce noticeable noise during operation. (With a single-speed decibel level of 89.3, it falls between the noise levels of a blender and a hair dryer.)
Setting up the cleaner was simple, although a screwdriver is required to attach the cord wrap. Weighing 17 pounds when empty and 25 pounds with a full water tank, you might need some effort to carry it upstairs. However, its built-in wheels make it easy to maneuver across different rooms.
Weight: 17.5 pounds | Cord Length: 22 feet | Dirty Water Tank Size: 1 gallon | Clean Water Tank Size: 1 gallon | Cleaning Path Width: 11 inches
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry WortockTop Budget Pick
Hoover PowerDash Pet Advanced Carpet Cleaner
IMAGE: AmazonThis high-performing model is lightweight and simple to assemble.
It ranks among the louder options in our selection.
This cleaner excels at tackling stubborn stains. It successfully removed coffee, wine, and chocolate marks in just two to four passes. While it maneuvered well under taller furniture, it couldn’t reach under lower items like dressers or bedside tables, which needed to be moved for full carpet access.
The clean and dirty water tanks were user-friendly and rarely needed refilling for routine tasks. (For more persistent stains, a second refill might be necessary.)
Assembly was quick and hassle-free, with only a few components to connect. The included attachments—an upholstery tool, 8-foot hose, and nozzle cleanout tool—were effective for stain and debris removal. However, the hose attachment instructions were unclear, leading to minor leakage.
After six months of use, we observed a significant improvement in room freshness and carpet cleanliness. Even long-standing, stubborn stains that seemed permanent were effectively eliminated.
Keep in mind that this is one of the noisiest models we tested, reaching 94.7 decibels, comparable to the sound of a lawn mower or hair dryer. However, we found the noise level acceptable given its impressive performance.
Weight: 18.4 pounds | Cord Length: 20 feet | Dirty Water Tank Size: 0.62 gallons | Clean Water Tank Size: 0.62 gallons | Cleaning Path Width: 7.5 inches
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry WortockTop Choice for Pet Stains
Bissell Big Green Pet Pro Carpet Cleaner
IMAGE: AmazonThe carpet cleaner is highly maneuverable and excels at eliminating tough stains.
Storage for attachments is insufficient, which might pose a challenge for those with limited space.
Bissell's model is tailored for pet owners, showcasing exceptional performance in removing pet-related stains as well as spills like coffee and wine. Although it weighs 60 pounds when fully loaded, the cleaner remains easy to handle and move around. Its weight doesn't hinder its mobility, even with full water tanks, making it effortless to operate.
Given its bulk, this cleaner is better suited for larger homes. Smaller spaces or apartments might find it cumbersome to store and use. Additionally, the lack of dedicated storage for attachments could be a drawback for those seeking a more compact solution.
Despite these considerations, its cleaning capabilities make it a standout choice. The attachments are particularly effective on carpeted stairs, making it an ideal pick for households with pets or children.
While it comes with a higher price tag, this robust cleaning tool delivers exceptional performance. It effortlessly tackled tough stains, persistent pet odors, and visible wear marks, rejuvenating the look of carpets and floors. Cleaning the dirty water tank was a breeze, as its design allowed us to reach inside and wipe it down thoroughly.
The hose attachment is best cleaned outdoors or in a tub using a garden hose (we ended up creating a mess in the sink). The machine operates at 91 decibels, comparable to the noise level of power tools, which was in line with our expectations.
Weight: 44 pounds | Cord Length: 25 feet | Dirty Water Tank Size: 1.75 gallons |
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry WortockIdeal for Carpet & Upholstery
Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet
IMAGE: BissellThe built-in attachments are highly effective for cleaning upholstery.
Certain stains proved challenging to remove completely.
Portability is crucial for cleaning carpets and upholstery, especially in tight or hard-to-reach areas. This Bissell model excels in portability, allowing seamless movement between spaces, and its attachments efficiently tackle those tricky spots.
However, it struggled with stubborn carpet stains like red wine and marinara sauce, performing less effectively compared to other models we tested.
Even after 40 passes over the stains, slight discoloration remained. Similar results were observed on upholstery, though it required fewer passes (up to 10) to achieve a cleaner look.
Despite lacking wheels, this carpet cleaner was easy to maneuver. The upholstery cleaner was lightweight and convenient for moving between furniture pieces. It also featured three cleaning modes and a trigger on the hose for spraying cleaning solution, enhancing its usability.
This design allowed for continuous vacuuming while spraying, making the process more efficient. Additionally, the machine was self-contained, with attachments, hose, and power cord neatly stored on the unit for convenience.
The clear instructions and well-marked water tank made preparing for carpet cleaning straightforward. Setting up the unit was as simple as filling the tank with cleaning solution—no assembly needed. Unlike most carpet cleaners that require some construction, this feature was a pleasant surprise during our evaluation.
Weight: 18.07 pounds | Cord Length: 15 feet | Dirty Water Tank Size: 51 ounces | Clean Water Tank Size: 64 ounces | Cleaning Path Width: 5 inches
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera BurresonTop Choice for Stairs
Bissell Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner
IMAGE: AmazonThis compact device offers powerful suction and is easy to carry around.
The spray width could be better suited for more targeted cleaning tasks.
Thanks to its small size, light weight, and cord-free operation, the Bissell Little Green stands out as the top choice for cleaning carpets on stairs. Its portability allowed us to effortlessly move it to any spot that needed attention without the hassle of finding a power outlet.
Assembly was straightforward, with all components fitting together seamlessly. After setup, you just need to fill the tank to the appropriate level marked for either light or heavy cleaning, ensuring you have sufficient water for the task at hand.
Included with the machine is a handy attachment designed to clean hard-to-reach areas that the main unit can't handle. However, when it came to removing wine stains, the cleaner didn't perform as well as hoped, even on its highest setting.
Finding the perfect carpet cleaning solution for this machine may require some experimentation, as the right formula can significantly improve its performance.
Although it struggles with tough stains, the carpet cleaner effectively removes odors, ensuring your space stays fresh and free from unpleasant smells.
The machine offers two modes—eco and turbo—tailored to different stain intensities and fabric types. While eco is ideal for delicate upholstery, turbo mode proved safe even on a challenging wine-stained cushion without causing damage.
Weight: 7.2 pounds | Dirty Water Tank Capacity: 37 ounces | Clean Water Tank Capacity: 33.8 ounces | Cleaning Path Width: 4 inches
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera BurresonIdeal for Spot Cleaning
Shark CarpetXpert Carpet Cleaner
IMAGE: SharkThe machine and its attachments feature printed instructions, making it user-friendly and straightforward to operate.
The dirty water tank needs to be emptied more often than expected.
We particularly appreciate the well-thought-out design of this carpet cleaner, which excels at spot cleaning. Its integrated spot cleaner extends to tackle stairs, upholstery, and other hard-to-reach stains with ease.
This machine efficiently handles liquid spills, making it an excellent option for pet owners. While it removed wine stains almost instantly, tougher stains like coffee required more effort. Dry chocolate and fresh dirt also needed extra time—around two additional minutes—though faint traces of the stains remained afterward.
After cleaning, the rug appeared brighter, but it had a strong ammonia-like detergent odor and felt sticky to the touch. Additionally, while setup was mostly straightforward, the lack of diagrams for certain steps meant we had to rely on intuition to complete the process.
Despite these drawbacks, the carpet cleaner operates quietly and is user-friendly. We appreciated the instructions printed directly on the machine and attachments, ensuring you never forget how to use it.
One downside is the frequent need to empty the dirty water tank to prevent overflow. During a 12-minute cleaning test, the tank appeared nearly full, so for longer tasks, it’s essential to monitor the tank closely.
Weight: 16.98 pounds | Cord Length: 20 feet | Dirty Water Tank Capacity: 30.4 gallons | Clean Water Tank Capacity: 0.53 gallons | Cleaning Path Width: 10 inches
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Eric Brockob
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Henry Wortock
IMAGE: Mytour / Eric BrockobTop Choice for Pretreatment
Bissell Oxy Stain Pretreat
IMAGE: WalmartIt offers excellent value for its cost and effectiveness.
The solution had difficulty removing mustard stains.
During testing, this Bissell pretreatment effectively tackled tough stains like wine, soda, and marinara. While some traces of mustard stains remained, allowing the solution to sit longer might improve its stain-removing capabilities.
The bottle is user-friendly, with an adjustable nozzle that switches between mist and spray modes to suit different cleaning needs. Additionally, it has a mild fragrance, making it suitable for those sensitive to strong scents.
Once applied and cleaned, no lingering odor remains. Considering its performance and affordability, this product offers excellent value. Its effectiveness even makes it worth a higher price point.
Volume: 22 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Carpets, area rugs, and upholstery
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera BurresonTop Spray Solution
OxiClean Total Interior Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner
IMAGE: WalmartIt features a built-in brush, eliminating the need for an additional cleaning tool.
The attached brush was too harsh on some delicate fabrics.
This aerosol cleaner includes a brush head, offering a convenient two-in-one solution. Although the trigger required some effort to press during testing, it was manageable, and the foam only needs 30 seconds to set before scrubbing.
The spray effectively tackled tough stains like marinara and dark soda, excelling particularly with wine stains. However, it struggled to completely eliminate mustard stains.
While the built-in brush is handy, it’s not suitable for all upholstery types. Its roughness can potentially damage delicate fabrics. In such cases, you can use the spray with a rag or washcloth, though this method requires more effort and isn’t as effective as the brush.
After application, the product leaves a subtle, fresh scent that isn’t overwhelming. The fragrance remains localized, making it unlikely to bother those sensitive to strong odors.
Volume: 19 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Carpet, leather, fabric, and vinyl
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera Burreson
IMAGE: Mytour / Dera BurresonFinal Verdict
The Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Carpet Cleaner is a top choice for its effectiveness, user-friendliness, and excellent value. With the included brush tool, we achieved 99% to 100% stain removal.
For a budget-friendly option, consider the Hoover PowerDash Pet Advanced FH55000. It’s lightweight, simple to assemble, and removed coffee, wine, and chocolate stains in just two to four passes.
MytourOur Testing Process
We rigorously tested popular carpet cleaning products to assess their effectiveness in tackling common tough stains. Each product was evaluated using the same methodology to ensure accurate comparisons.
For each cleaner, we assessed the setup process, including the time required, ease of assembly, and overall simplicity. We used decibel readers to measure noise levels and noted how intrusive the sound was during operation.
Effectiveness was a key factor in our evaluation. To ensure consistency, we created stains using common culprits like red wine, coffee, marinara sauce, mustard, dark soda, orange juice, and dirt. Each carpet cleaner was tested on both wet and dry stains, with results noting the time taken and whether the stain was completely removed.
We also assessed the overall usability and portability of each carpet cleaner. This included how easy it was to operate during cleaning, refill and empty the water tank, and transition between different floor types.
Several cleaners on our list are versatile, suitable for rugs and upholstery. We applied the same testing process to these surfaces as we did with carpets to evaluate their performance.
Finally, we considered the value of each carpet cleaner by comparing its performance to its price, determining whether it offers a worthwhile investment.
MytourHow to Shop for Carpet Cleaners Like a Pro
Type
We’ve included three main types of carpet cleaners in this list. Here’s an overview of each:
- Upright: Upright carpet cleaners, such as the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Carpet Cleaner, are perfect for large carpeted spaces, offering powerful deep-cleaning capabilities to eliminate dirt, stains, and allergens. Key features to consider include tank size, cleaning path width, and versatile attachments.
- Portable: Portable carpet cleaners are ideal for small spills, pet messes, or spot-cleaning tasks. Compact and cordless models, like the Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner, provide convenience and ease of use. Important factors include battery life, tank capacity, weight, and included accessories.
- Spray: Spray carpet cleaners are a quick and easy solution for small stains and refreshing carpets without the need for a machine. They’re also great for homes with limited storage. Choose formulas that target common stains and ensure compatibility with your carpet or upholstery type.
Tank Size
Tank size is a crucial factor in carpet cleaners, impacting both cleaning efficiency and ease of use. Models with larger tanks, such as the Bissell Big Green Pet Pro Carpet Cleaner, minimize the need for frequent refills and are perfect for tackling large areas in a single session.
However, larger tanks add bulk and weight, making storage and maneuverability more challenging. Smaller tanks, on the other hand, are more compact and easier to handle but require more frequent refills, making them better for smaller spaces or spot cleaning.
Features
Several key features can help you determine the best carpet cleaner for your needs, depending on your preferences. Here are some to keep in mind:
- Cleaning Path: Wider cleaning paths allow for faster coverage, while narrower paths are better for navigating tight spaces.
- Weight: Lightweight designs with handles or wheels make transportation and storage more convenient.
- Cord Length: Longer cords minimize the need to switch outlets in larger rooms, and cordless models provide greater flexibility (though battery life is a factor).
- Noise Level: Quieter machines are more pleasant to use, especially in households with pets or children.
- Suction Power: High suction power enhances cleaning effectiveness and speeds up drying times.
Attachments and Accessories
Additional attachments and accessories can enhance cleaning capabilities for stubborn messes. For instance, crevice tools are perfect for reaching tight spaces and seams in carpets and upholstery that larger tools can’t access.
Specialized stair tools simplify cleaning the edges and vertical surfaces of carpeted stairs. Spot-cleaning attachments, like brushes, are ideal for targeting localized stains and spills. If specific attachments are important to you, prioritize them in your search.
More Carpet Cleaners to Consider
- Hoover Powerscrub XL Pet Carpet Cleaner FH68002V: This carpet cleaner is excellent for eliminating pet odors, thanks to its solution that leaves a mild, pleasant scent rather than just masking odors. The machine is easy to use, including the water reservoir, but its heavy weight makes it difficult to move around.
- Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Cleaning Spot Cleaner FH15000V: This cleaner performs well on dark stains like red wine and soda but struggled with marinara and mustard stains in our tests. While it’s easy to maneuver on stairs, it lacks a crevice-cleaning accessory. After cleaning, some surfaces remained damp and required air drying.
Questions You Might Ask
What is the difference between a carpet cleaner and an upholstery cleaner?
Carpet cleaners are larger, more powerful machines designed for deep-cleaning large carpeted areas. They feature wide cleaning paths, strong suction, and attachments for various carpet types and cleaning tasks.
Upholstery cleaners, in contrast, are smaller and tailored for delicate fabrics and surfaces like furniture, drapes, and car interiors. They focus on gentle cleaning and often include specialized tools to prevent damage to materials.
While both types of cleaners have their uses, instead of purchasing two separate machines, consider an all-in-one solution like the Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner.
However, it’s worth noting that some carpet cleaners may contain chemicals that can harm delicate fabrics, which are better handled by an upholstery cleaner. Before opting for an all-in-one model, verify its compatibility with the upholstery materials in your home.
Is a carpet cleaner worth buying?
Carpet cleaners can transform your home by providing clean, fresh, and allergen-free carpets, enhancing both the health and appearance of your living space.
“The ideal scenario for purchasing a carpet cleaner is a home with extensive carpeting, pets, and children,” Doty explains. Owning a carpet cleaner can save you money on professional services and make routine maintenance more convenient.
How much should you expect to pay for a carpet cleaner?
Carpet cleaner machines typically cost around $200, with prices ranging from $100 to $430 based on the brand and model. In contrast, carpet cleaning sprays are more affordable, often priced under $15.
While a carpet cleaner is a significant investment, Doty notes that a high-quality machine can pay for itself within a year or two. This is due to savings on professional cleaning services and the extended lifespan of your carpets from regular maintenance.
MytourTake Our Word for It
This piece was authored by Kate Fann, a seasoned writer with five years of expertise in home-related content. To curate this list, we rigorously tested carpet cleaners on various surfaces and stains, assessing factors like setup, noise, performance, usability, portability, and value. We also consulted cleaning specialist Ken Doty, COO of The Maids, for his professional insights.
