What is the best carpet shampooer?

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Now almost every home has carpet and at the same time pets like cat or dog. How to keep away from allergen or to remove pet furs by vacuum cleaner? Can you achieve the result with best carpet shampooer? They use a combination of specially formulated cleaning solutions and powerful brush heads to reach deep into your carpet pile, lifting away grime and ground-in dirt. In many cases, the machines also restore carpet, leaving it looking refreshed and almost new.

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What is the best carpet shampooer?

Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro Plus Carpet Cleaner – best carpet shampooer

Designed with pet owners in mind, our tester, a parent of two border collie mixes and two young adults, has relied on this machine for years to remove stubborn stains and general dinginess from her carpets and rugs. Weighing in at 18 pounds with two gallon-size tanks for clean and dirty water, this is the second-largest machine on our list, but it’s not unmanageable. In fact, our tester noted that it’s easy to maneuver and reaches underneath furniture and beds with no problem.

A nozzle and brush cover pop off with ease so you can remove built-up pet hair, a huge pro for our tester who said combing out fur and dirt is essential to keeping the machine running smoothly. Now, a few downsides: there is no hook to keep the power cord out of the way, a minor detail, but still annoying; the dirty tank has a very small opening, making it difficult to fully rinse out; the upholstery nozzle isn’t great – it’s finicky and uncomfortable to use.

Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner

RUG DOCTORPet Portable Spot CleanerRug Doctoramazon.com$189.00SHOP NOW

Pros
  • Excellent stain removal
  • Four-foot hose
  • Retractable carrying handle and wheels
Cons
  • Can be heavy, especially when tanks are full
  • Louder and more expensive than other portables

This Rug Doctor is a real workhorse that powered through our stain tests and did the best job removing both stains and odors. Its large tanks hold 64 ounces of cleaning solution meaning there’s less refilling and emptying during big or multi-room jobs. Though heavy — especially when full — its retractable handle and large wheels make it easy to maneuver or wheel into a closet for storage. And with the Rug Doctor, staircases are no longer an obstacle to clean. Place it either at the top or bottom of a staircase and with its four-foot stretch hose you may be able to clean an entire flight. Have pets? No problem! The Rug Doctor’s nozzle has rubberized bristles to grab hair while it’s removing stains.

Weight: ~ 19 lbs.

Bissell Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner – another best carpet shampooer

We tested Bissell’s larger Spot Clean Professional model and cordless Pet Stain Eraser, but Little Green was the perfect in-between in terms of size, tank capacity and price. It was a really close call between the Spot Clean Pro and Little Green, but ultimately, Little Green’s smaller size makes it easier to move around the house and use in the car.

Because the tank size is smaller, we recommend using it just for spot treating or cleaning upholstery as water and cleaning solution ran out quickly when we tried to clean an entire rug. Our tester loved the hydro rinse tool for cleaning out the hose, a feature that’s not available with the Spot Clean Pro. Removable clean and dirty water tanks make it super easy to dump and refill as needed. If you’re looking for a small but mighty machine that tackles tough stains, this is our pick.

Bissell CrossWave Floor and Carpet Cleaner

Pros

  • Wet-dry vacuum
  • Works on rugs and bare floors
  • Comes with a tray for no-drip storage

Cons

  • Not for use on silk or other delicate rugs

Low pile area rugs are easy to clean because dirt stays mostly on the surface, so you don’t need a stiff brush to get deep down. The Bissell CrossWave gently cleans area rugs with a soft microfiber and nylon brush, so there’s no fear of damaging the short pile or fraying the loops. Best for low flat rugs, this lightweight Good Housekeeping Seal holder also vacuums dry dirt and works on bare floors. 

And we liked that it dispenses just enough water for cleaning, but not so much that it wets the carpet back or the flooring underneath. It’s lightweight and has easy-reach controls so you can go from vacuuming to washing without missing a step. There’s even a spot to stash the wet brush until it’s dry.

Weight: ~11 lbs.

Hoover Smartwash Automatic Carpet Cleaner – popular best carpet shampooer

For just $200, this relatively affordable upright cleaner checks all the boxes for us: ample tank size, powerful cleaning capability, simple assembly, automatic shampoo release and mixing, and easy to clean. While it’s not the lightest of cleaners, it handles like a standard upright vacuum, although its size may not be ideal for those with limited storage space.

Dual tanks, a half-gallon dirty water tank and a one-gallon clean water tank, were large enough for our tester to clean upholstery and an 8-by-10-foot rug without emptying or adding more water. We loved being able to add cleaning solution directly into the machine’s pre-measured tank for automatic mixing and dispensing. (No trigger, here!)

We were also won over by an additional dry-only feature that allows you to push and pull the machine without dispensing water or cleaner to help speed up drying time. A removable nozzle gives easy access to brushes for de-gunking. Overall, we were really impressed by the design and effectiveness of this machine, and believe it’s a solid choice for most households.

Bissell Big Green Machine Professional Carpet Cleaner

Pros

  • Large tanks
  • Handle folds for storage
  • Easy to disassemble and clean

Cons

  • Heavier to maneuver than some models

This is the most user-friendly professional home carpet cleaning machine we’ve found: The large tanks are super easy to fill, carry and replace, it’s simple to operate and the spinning flow indicator on top takes the guesswork out of knowing when the cleaning solution needs refilling. 

Though it looks bulky, we didn’t find it difficult to maneuver for a machine this size even when full. The adjustable handle moves to the most comfortable position for each user and folds for easier storage.

A rotating brush roll gently works the cleaning solution into the carpet pile and this, combined with the strong suction, removed deep down dirt and left our carpets feeling soft and not overly wet so they dried quickly.

The extra-long 25-foot power cord meant we could clean an entire room and then some without stopping and a nine-foot hose and handheld stain tool is perfect for cleaning upholstery and stair treads.

Weight: ~ 42 lbs.

Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3

Pros
  • Large capacity tank requires fewer fills
  • 12-foot hose for long reach
  • Handle folds down
Cons
  • Heavy and difficult to maneuver for some
  • Pricey

If you’re really serious about carpet cleaning, we think the Rug Doctor is the next best thing to a professional cleaning. The rental option is best if you don’t want to own or don’t have adequate storage space for your own carpet cleaner. The Rug Doctor has earned the highest rating from the Carpet & Rug Institute — the trade organization of the carpet industry — for soil removal, water removal and gentleness.

Note it only works on the backward stroke. If you purchase it, you get a hose and attachments for cleaning stairs and upholstery along with cleaning formulas. When you rent, everything is purchased separately.

Weight: ~39 lbs.

Editor’s recommendations

Abu Saleh Rizvee
Abu Saleh Rizvee

I love to write content and contribute for my society. I invest my days in creating content for products those I love and brands who need online presence

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