Best Overall
Bissell Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner
AMAZON
- It’s lightweight and easy to use in tight spaces like your car.
It’s lightweight and easy to use in tight spaces like your car.
- The tank leaked slightly when the power turned off.
The tank leaked slightly when the power turned off.
One of the key factors to consider in a portable carpet cleaner is its size, since it’s important to have a machine that fits in tight spaces, is easy to carry, and takes up very little storage space when not in use.
The Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner delivered on all these specifications and more. It works by circulating a mix of water and cleaning solution onto the affected spot on your carpet.
During testing, the device completely removed the coffee stain on a light-colored, medium-pile carpet with about ten passes of the stain trapper attachment. The wine and dirt stains only left a faint hint of a stain after cleaning.
The chocolate stain was the only mess that proved tough for the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe cleaner to tackle, though it was able to remove around 50% of the discoloration.
The 15-foot power cord provides plenty of length for most tasks, as does the hose, which comes with three different stain tools. The tough stain tool scrubs and suctions debris out of your carpet and upholstery while the stain trapper tool contains pet messes and other liquid debris inside the tool instead of getting inside your machine.
We also liked the self-cleaning tool, which makes it easy to rinse out your device after every use. About two hours after scrubbing, we found that the rug was only faintly damp, meaning this device doesn’t dispense excess water onto your flooring.
We loved how quiet it was at just 70 decibels. However, the biggest reason to purchase the Bissell Little Green Deluxe portable carpet cleaner is that it can easily be carried with one hand, leaving your other hand free to clean as you go. It would easily fit in a car seat or other tight spaces, making clean-up on the go less of a hassle.
Putting this device together was a little more complicated than others on our list. You’ll need a screwdriver to put the cleaner together, and we found the directions were a bit tricky to follow. Also, we found that the tank dribbled a bit when the power was turned off, so be sure to completely empty the tank after every use.
Product Details: Weight: 9.65 pounds | Surface Types: Upholstery and carpet | Cord Length: 15 inches | Capacity: 48 ounces | Noise Level: 70 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Budget
Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner FD13000
AMAZON
- This budget-friendly carpet cleaner works incredibly well on hard-to-reach spots like staircases.
This budget-friendly carpet cleaner works incredibly well on hard-to-reach spots like staircases.
- The tank capacity is a lot smaller than most options.
The tank capacity is a lot smaller than most options.
The Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner FD13000 is by far the best option if you’re looking for something comfortably within budget without sacrificing cleaning capabilities.
During the testing process, we found it especially good for cleaning tricky-to-reach spots like staircase crevices or the corners of furniture. It’s also small and portable enough to use while detailing the upholstery or mats in your vehicle.
The machine is very intuitive and easy to set up; we didn’t need to fuss with the different parts or struggle to fill the tank. It also worked very well on big-time stains like red wine and dark soda, leaving little-to-no trace of the stains once dried.
We also really like that this option is quite compact and is easy to store without taking up a bunch of space.
The only thing you’ll want to keep in mind is that it has a much smaller tank capacity than the other portable carpet cleaners we’ve tried. It clocks in at just 19 fluid ounces, which is enough for small surface areas but might not be sufficient for larger jobs.
Product Details: Weight: 11 lbs | Surface Types: Carpet and Upholstery | Cord Length: NA | Capacity: 19 ounces | Noise Level: Medium
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON
Best for Pets
Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Clean Spot Cleaner
HOOVER
- It's large enough for uninterrupted cleaning without being too heavy.
It's large enough for uninterrupted cleaning without being too heavy.
- The hose nozzle is very stiff and can be tough to maneuver.
The hose nozzle is very stiff and can be tough to maneuver.
Anyone who shares a home with pets knows that it requires a whole different level of cleaning to ensure your house or apartment doesn’t look or smell like you, well, share it with pets.
We found the best portable carpet cleaner for pets is without a doubt the Hoover CleanSlate XL Deep Clean Spot Cleaner. During the testing process, it stood out for its uninterrupted cleaning abilities.
The tank capacity sits at 96 fluid ounces, which is more than enough to take on tough jobs without having to stop and refill. What’s more—despite its large tank capacity, the machine weighs only 11 pounds.
It reigned supreme in terms of speed and efficiency when it came to removing tough stains. The cleaner emits a bit more water than other options, which would make it great for pet-related accidents like hairballs and waste.
That said, there are a few flaws. One thing to keep in mind is that the hose and nozzle are made from a very stiff plastic material that was hard to maneuver around while cleaning. The plastic does soften up a bit with regular use, but can still be tricky to use in tight spaces.
Product Details: Weight: 16 lbs | Surface Types: Carpets and Rugs | Cord Length: 22 feet | Capacity: 96 ounces | Noise Level: Medium
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best for Spot Cleaning
Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner
AMAZON
- It removed all stain types we tested in just a few passes.
It removed all stain types we tested in just a few passes.
- The hose is shorter than other models we tested.
The hose is shorter than other models we tested.
If you’re frequently finding dirt or stains on your carpet, but the whole thing doesn’t need shampooing, we recommend getting a portable carpet cleaner to help deal with messes right after they happen.
The Rug Doctors Pet Portable spot cleaner is perfect for handling spills, ground-in debris, and pet messes alike thanks to its excellent cleaning features and portability. We also found that it decreased age-related discoloration on our rugs at home.
Setting this cleaner up takes less than three minutes out of the box, and there’s no assembly required, so you can get scrubbing right away. Unlike other carpet cleaners on this list, you’ll need to use a pre-treatment solution on the stain first and wait five minutes for it to sink in, but after that, it’s smooth sailing.
We were extremely impressed by how the handheld tool pulled stains out of light-colored carpet, noting that it completely removed a coffee stain on the first pass. When trying to remove set-in chocolate, red wine, and dirt stains, this machine only needed three passes to clean up.
The treated carpet dried in about two hours after the final cleaning, which means it wasn’t using excess liquid to get the job done.
The portability of this cleaner makes it ideal for spot cleaning since it has wheels and a retractable handle you can release to roll the cleaner like a rolling suitcase. However, for all its benefits, it does have a few small drawbacks.
The hose isn’t as long as some of the other models we tested, so you may have trouble cleaning in tight corners. It’s also a bit tricky to fill in the sink since you’ll have to steady it with one hand to keep it from tipping.
And, while we love it for spot-cleaning smaller messes, it takes too long and requires too much effort on larger stains.
How it Performed After Six Months
We used this carpet cleaner most frequently for spot-treating dog messes. Since it's on the smaller side, we didn't think it would make much difference on the big, older stains set deeply into our carpet. But it was very effective at preventing new stains from accidents and eliminating urine and vomit odors.
Product Details: Weight: 18.96 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet and upholstery | Cord Length: Cordless | Capacity: Not listed | Noise Level: 90 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best for Cars
Hoover CleanSlate Pet Spot Cleaner
AMAZON
- This cleaner comes with extra tools to make cleaning easier.
This cleaner comes with extra tools to make cleaning easier.
- We found the instructions were unclear and lacking.
We found the instructions were unclear and lacking.
When spills occur inside your car, cleaning up the mess can be a tricky endeavor. Because of the tight quarters and so many hard-to-reach crevices, it’s difficult to fully eliminate the mess with normal cleaning tools.
Instead of dealing with a sticky, stained, or messy car, the best portable carpet cleaners allow you to get into these tight spaces and get your vehicle looking good as new.
The best unit for cars, the Hoover CleanSlate, impressed us with its portability, ability to fight stains, and helpful attachment tools. The design of this cleaner makes it a great choice to keep handy for cleaning a car, thanks to its convenient carrying handle on top.
This makes it easy to carry it in one hand and use the cleaning hose in the other. It’s lightweight and also comes with a selection of attachment tools that help in removing tough stains.
During testing, we found that this portable carpet cleaner needed very little water or cleaning solution to be effective in fighting stains, which makes it easy to use on the go. The Hoover CleanSlate effortlessly removed chocolate and coffee stains from white carpet using the tight-spot tool.
While the cleaner was also effective at treating red wine and dirt, there was still a tiny shadow left after targeting both of these spots, so we recommend trying to clean these types of messes as soon as possible for best results.
The Hoover CleanSlate took a little over five minutes to get out of the box and set up, so you’ll be able to get to work soon after unboxing. However, when we tried removing the water tank to clean it, we found it difficult to reinsert it.
As much as possible, we recommend keeping this device intact to avoid wrestling the tank back into place.
Product Details: Weight: 9.4 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet and upholstery | Cord Length: 15 feet | Capacity: 40 ounces | Noise Level: 92 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Cordless
Bissell Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner 3682
- This cordless carpet cleaner is lightweight and great for liquid spills and quick cleanups
This cordless carpet cleaner is lightweight and great for liquid spills and quick cleanups
- May require a stronger cleaning solution for tough stains
May require a stronger cleaning solution for tough stains
It doesn’t get much more portable than cordless, and the Bissell Little Green Cordless Carpet Cleaner 3682 is lightweight, easy to maneuver, and has a long battery life—everything you would look for in a portable carpet cleaner.
From the same brand as our best overall, the Little Green Pet Deluxe, this cordless model is light enough to be carried with one hand, super quiet, and effective—all great qualities we love in the Pet Deluxe. But the cordless version is a bit easier to set up, lighter, and even more portable.
During testing, the device left not a sight of dark soda behind, with 75 percent removed after just one pass. Salsa and mud stains were tougher, taking us 30-50 passes while still not completely removing them. We felt spraying a stronger solution directly on the carpet would help break down the particles and lift tougher stains more effectively.
The cleaner has two modes-turbo and Eco, with turbo delivering higher suction power. Regardless of your chosen mode, the cleaner has a long battery life of up to 35 minutes. While testing, the battery lasted over four hours, a great amount of time for removing small, quick messes.
And despite its compact size, we only had to empty the tank once after testing large-sized messes in the lab. The device also comes with two attachments, one for cleaning and brushing the carpet and the other for the machine and hose itself.
Overall, we loved this cordless carpet cleaner for its ease of maneuvering, cordless design, and cleaning effectiveness for small, fresh messes. It’s also a great option for those in smaller spaces cleaning upholstery furnishings, hard-to-reach spots, carpet stains, auto interiors, and patio furniture.
Product Details: Weight: 4.85 pounds | Surface Types: Upholstery, carpet | Cord length: Cordless | Capacity: 37 ounces | Noise Level: 78
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK