If you buy a best carpet cleaners, you can clean your carpets and rugs whenever you want without having to rent a machine or call an expert. Whether it’s wall-to-wall carpeting or a small area rug, there are a lot of different types made for different needs.
We looked at how well they removed different types of stains, how loud they were, how they were designed, and how much they cost overall. David Ragsdale, the production manager at SERVPRO, gave us advice on how to choose the best carpet cleaner for your needs.
Ragsdale says that if you want to buy a carpet cleaning machine, you should think about whether you will use it regularly on a big area or just for spot cleaning in between professional cleanings. “If you want to clean an entire house, you will need a machine with a large holding tank and attachments for upholstery and drapes.” Below we have mentioned the best carpet cleaners.
Best Carpet Cleaners Comparison Table
| Carpet Cleaner Model | Hoover Smartwash | Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro | Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Plus | Bissell JetScrub Pet | Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic cleaning | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Heatwave technology for heated cleaning | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Pet-specific cleaning | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Water tank capacity (gallons) | 1.25 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 |
| Weight (lbs) | 18.49 | 17.5 | 4.6 | 18.0 | 12.5 |
| Cord length (ft) | 22 | 25 | N/A | 22 | 20 |
| Hose length (ft) | N/A | 8 | 4 | 7.0 | 5.5 |
Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Weight | 18.9 lbs |
| Cord length | 22 ft |
| Tank capacity | 1 gallon |
| Cleaning path width | 12 inches |
| Power rating | 10 amps |
| Cleaning technology | Automatic cleaning system |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
At $250, this upright cleaner is pretty cheap. It has a large tank, strong cleaning power, is easy to put together, releases and mixes shampoo automatically, and is easy to clean. Even though it’s not the smallest cleaner, it works like a regular upright vacuum. However, its size may not be ideal for people who don’t have much room to store things.
The two tanks, one for dirty water and one for clean water, were big enough for our tester to clean furniture and an 8-by-10-foot rug without having to empty or add water. We loved that we could put cleaning solution right into the machine’s pre-measured tank, and the machine would mix and dispense it automatically. Overall, it is one of the best carpet cleaners that you can buy.
We also liked the dry-only mode, which lets you push and pull the machine without water or cleaner coming out. This speeds up the drying time. A de-gunking brush is easy to get to because the tip can be taken off. Overall, we were really pleased with how well this machine was made and how well it worked. We think it’s a good choice for most homes.
Pros
- Automatic cleaning system simplifies the cleaning process
- Large tank capacity reduces the need for frequent refills
Cons
- The 22-foot cord length might not be enough for larger rooms or spaces
Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Carpet Cleaner
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Weight | 17.5 lbs |
| Cord length | 25 ft |
| Tank capacity | 1 gallon |
| Cleaning path width | 11 inches |
| Power rating | 6.8 amps |
| Cleaning technology | Dual DirtLifter PowerBrushes and Heatwave technology |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
More than 10 years ago, our experts tried out a model from Bissell’s ProHeat 2X line for the first time. This cleaner did a great job of cleaning thanks to its Heatwave technology, which helped it win the top spot in our Lab tests. This new model from the same line uses similar technology to keep the hot water in the clean water tank at the same temperature as it deep cleans stairs, furniture, and even pet hair. Even though we haven’t tried this updated model yet, we trust the performance of the brand and know from experience that using heated water makes it easier to clean carpets, so we feel safe recommending it. Plus, more than 19,000 people have given it five stars on Amazon.
One of the unique things about this Bissell is that it has a spray nozzle that can be directed at stains. It works by pressing a button, so you don’t have to stop, bend down, and use a different product to treat stains. The 2-in-1 Pet Upholstery Tool can be used dry to pull out tough pet hair and wet to get rid of stains on furniture fabrics and beds. Its dual DirtLifter PowerBrush makes it easier to get tough stains out of rugs. In the past, carpet machines were big and heavy, but this one is small and has a brush roll cover that comes off so it can be cleaned. We did wish, though, that this cleaner had a place to store the tools and extras that came with it so we wouldn’t lose them. Currently, it is one of the best carpet cleaners that you can buy.
Pros
- Large tank capacity reduces the need for frequent refills
- Comes with a 5-year limited warranty for added peace of mind
Cons
- The weight of the machine might make it difficult to maneuver for some users
Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Plus
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Weight | 4.6 lbs |
| Cordless | Yes |
| Tank capacity | 8 oz |
| Cleaning path width | 3 inches |
| Battery runtime | 15 minutes |
| Cleaning technology | Spot and stain cleaning |
| Warranty | 2-year limited warranty |
The Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Plus is great for people who have less carpeting or who don’t want to drag out a full-size machine for every small spill. It doesn’t have a plug and weighs just over three pounds, so you can take it anywhere. During our tests, it was able to get rid of all the coffee and wine stains, but it wasn’t as good as some of the other models on our list at getting rid of dirt and chocolate stains. But it cleaned pet spots that had been there for a long time and completely got rid of pet odors when we tested it at home.
Unlike the other carpet cleaners we tried, this one doesn’t use water. Instead, it uses cleaning solution, which can be stored in the tank when not in use. And out of all the machines on our list, it is the quietest. Just keep in mind that, while the small size lets you get into tight spaces (like car seats and upholstery), you often have to bend over or get on your hands and knees to use it. This makes it harder to use than upright machines. Overall, it is one of the best carpet cleaners that you can buy.
Pros
- Cordless design makes it easy to use and maneuver
- Lightweight and portable, making it ideal for spot cleaning
Cons
- The 3-inch cleaning path might not be wide enough for some users
Bissell JetScrub Pet Carpet Cleaner
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Weight | 13 lbs |
| Cord length | 25 ft |
| Tank capacity | 1 gallon |
| Cleaning path width | 12 inches |
| Power rating | 6.5 amps |
| Cleaning technology | JetScrub Pet cleaning system |
| Warranty | 5-year limited warranty |
Even after many tests in The Lab, the Bissell Jetscrub 25299 Upright Pet Carpet Cleaner is still our top pick for a carpet cleaner. It has a preparation mode and an LED light on the floor head. It also has different cleaning modes. It’s small and easy enough to use that you’ll want to take it home and use it to get rid of spots, dirt, and other things. Still, it is one of the best carpet cleaners that you can buy.
This machine is easy to use because the parts snap together in a natural way. Even though the instructions weren’t the most clear, we found them to be pretty easy to follow. Filling the water tank and adding the solution was easy because there were clear lines showing how much of each to add. In addition to being easy to set up, the machine had cleaning options written on it. There was a “express clean” setting for cleaning the surface, a “deep clean” setting for cleaning stains, and a “CleanShot” feature for pre-treating tough stains. This cleaner comes with a storage mat and a handle that you can fold up so you can store it in a small room when you’re not using it.
Pros
- Large tank capacity reduces the need for frequent refills
- Comes with a 5-year limited warranty for added peace of mind
Cons
- The weight of the machine might make it difficult to maneuver for some users
Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12.5 pounds |
| Tank Capacity | 0.5 gallons |
| Cord Length | 20 feet |
| Hose Length | 5 feet |
| Motor Amps | 7 amps |
| Cleaning Path Width | 10 inches |
| Warranty | 1-year limited |
The Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner is made to remove tough stains and loosen and vacuum up pet hair from your rugs. We think it’s a great deal for how cheap it is. Pet owners will like how the PowerSpin Pet’s antimicrobial brush roll drives bristles into the fibers of carpets and rugs to loosen and collect hair, and how the clean water tank only holds a half-gallon, so the liquid doesn’t weigh the machine down like it would with a bigger tank. Thus, it is one of the best carpet cleaners that you can buy.
During tests at The Lab, this carpet cleaner got rid of a fresh coffee stain with just one forward pass. However, it took more work to get rid of stains that had been there for a while. It moved the potting soil a bit, so you should vacuum any 3D spots that you can see before. We liked how light and easy to move this machine was, but we wish it had attachments to help with tougher spots. It’s also important to know that this brush roll can be hard to clean, but Hoover gives you a tool to help you do the dirty job.
Pros
- Comes with a removable, easy-to-clean nozzle and water tank
- Quick-drying feature reduces drying time for carpets and upholstery
Cons
- The cleaning path width is narrower compared to other full-sized carpet cleaners
FAQs
The best way to clean a carpet relies on what kind it is and how dirty or stained it is. Carpets can usually stay clean with regular sweeping and spot cleaning, but they should also be deep cleaned every so often with a professional-grade carpet cleaner. You can do this with either hot water treatment or dry cleaning.
How often you should have a professional clean your carpet depends on how often people walk on it and what they do on it. Every 6 to 12 months, rugs should be cleaned by a professional in homes with pets or children or where there is a lot of foot traffic. In places with less traffic, it can be done less often.
Yes, you can clean your own rugs if you rent or buy a machine that does that. But it’s important to carefully follow the advice from the manufacturer and choose the right cleaning solution for your carpet type. Also, you should try the cleaning solution on a small, hidden part of the carpet first to make sure it won’t damage or change the color of the carpet.
