Best Overall
Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Carpet Cleaner
WAYFAIR
- During testing, it cleaned 95% of fresh stains while upright, with the hand wand completely removing the stains.
During testing, it cleaned 95% of fresh stains while upright, with the hand wand completely removing the stains.
- Assembling the machine requires significant effort.
Assembling the machine requires significant effort.
The Bissell ProHeath 2X Revolution 35799 is among the highest-scoring uprights we’ve ever tested. The machine was both easy to use and effectively removed nearly 100 percent of our fresh stains, making it our top overall pick.
Getting the machine up and running was a bit challenging. Attaching the hose required much time and effort, taking us 14 minutes total. However, filling the tank and using the machine was simple once we got everything set up.
The tank detaches from the machine, which we found super convenient for filling. You don’t have to worry about using a funnel or hauling the machine back and forth to the sink. We also love that the cleaner has separate tanks, one for the clean water and solution mixture and one for dirty, both detachable.
When evaluating the machine’s effectiveness, we saw that 95 percent of the fresh stains were removed while upright. We then went back over those stains with the hose attachment, and it removed 100 percent of the dirt and nearly all the wine and coffee spills.
After cleaning, we found that pushing the machine forward versus pulling it backward works better when suctioning the water from the carpet.
Overall, the Bissell is a great option for cleaning those fresh spills that you’re scared to scrub by hand for fear of spreading and worsening them. It is a bit noisy, with a high decibel level of 89.3, but we’d rather have an effective carpet cleaner than a quieter one that doesn’t perform nearly as well.
Product Details: Weight: 17 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet and upholstery | Cord Length: 22 feet | Capacity: 1 gallon | Decibel Level: 89.3 decibels
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Budget
Hoover Pro Clean Pet Carpet Cleaner
WALMART
- This large-sized cleaner is great for removing stains in large, high-traffic areas.
This large-sized cleaner is great for removing stains in large, high-traffic areas.
- Pretreatment may be required for tougher stains.
Pretreatment may be required for tougher stains.
With an easy setup, a budget-friendly price tag, and the ability to effectively remove fresh and stubborn dried coffee stains, the Hoover Pro Clean Pet Carpet Cleaner is our top pick for those shopping on a budget.
While it did an excellent job cleaning the fresh and dried coffee and dirt stains, we found the cleaner to be the least effective at removing the red wine. After suctioning up all the messes, the rug appeared cleaner, but there was still a faint discoloration from the set-in wine and dirt.
The cleaner weighs 26 pounds with water. During testing, we found ourselves having to put in more muscle work when turning, but the carpet cleaner’s two large wheels made maneuvering the machine over carpet and hardwood floors smoother.
The device is great for pet-owning households with larger, high-traffic areas to cover. Because of its large size, it would overcrowd an apartment that's tight on space. The brand recommends pre-treating tough stains, which we couldn't do during testing, but we think that would've helped the faint wine stains left behind.
Product Details: Weight: 18 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet and upholstery | Cord Length: 20 feet | Capacity: 1 gallon (clean water) 0.8 gallons (dirty water) | Decibel Level: 86
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Splurge
Bissell Pet Pro Carpet Cleaner
AMAZON
- This one is worth the price if you occasionally rent a carpet cleaner and have multiple pets.
This one is worth the price if you occasionally rent a carpet cleaner and have multiple pets.
- There’s not great storage for attachments.
There’s not great storage for attachments.
This is one of the pricier cleaners we tested, but the Bissell Big Pet Pro is worth every penny. The hard-working machine will pay for itself over time—you’ll no longer need to rent a carpet cleaner or pay a professional as often since it reliably gives good results.This machine comes with an attached hand vac, which is perfect for picking up dirt and hair before attacking stains. We passed over each stain three times in wet and then dry mode. The coffee stain was completely removed, while the dirt, chocolate, and wine were extremely faded.
After a few more passes the wine stain disappeared, and the attached wet/dry scrub brush took care of the remaining chocolate and dirt stains. The machine comes with two attachments, a stain trapper tool and a stair tool, and an extra 9-foot-long hose that’s perfect for cleaning carpeted stairs or upholstered furniture. It also comes with a full-size bottle of Pet Pro Oxy Urine Eliminator cleaning solution. While the decibel level is higher than some of the other machines we tested, we didn’t find it crazy loud.
Product Details: Weight: 41 pounds empty | Surface Types: Carpet, upholstery | Cord Length: 25 feet | Capacity: 48 ounces | Decibel Level: 91 decibels
- The Bissell Pet Pro required a few passes to remove wine stains, and we found it to be one of the heaviest we tested. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Portable
Bissell Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner
AMAZON
- This lightweight, quiet cleaner is so portable we could carry it with one hand.
This lightweight, quiet cleaner is so portable we could carry it with one hand.
- The directions are a bit hard to follow, and the machine leaks occasionally.
The directions are a bit hard to follow, and the machine leaks occasionally.
When looking for the best carpet cleaner for pets, one of the key factors to consider is portability so that you can easily clean spaces only pets seem to find. We loved Bissell Little Green’s compact size and quiet noise level. The machine does a great job spot cleaning despite its size. It works by circulating a mix of water and cleaning solution on the affected spot and lifting away dirt from rugs, car interiors, and upholstered furniture.
During testing, Little Green completely removed the coffee stain with about 10 passes of the stain trapper attachment. The wine and dirt stains only faintly remained after cleaning. The chocolate stain was toughest to tackle, with the Bissell removing about 50% of the stain.
The 15-foot cord gave us plenty of length for most tasks, as did the hose. A stain trapper and tough stain tool attach to the hose for extra deep cleaning, and a handy hydro-rinse self-cleaning tool makes it easy to get built-up gunk out of the hose and tank.
This appliance was easily the most portable that we tested, and easy to carry with one hand. The setup was a little cumbersome, taking about 10 minutes to get the machine out of the box and assembled. We needed a screwdriver to put the machine together, and the directions were a bit tricky to follow.
One of our favorite things about this portable carpet cleaner for pets was how quiet it was, noting that it had a muffled sound—nothing obnoxious.
Product Details: Weight: 9.65 pounds | Surface Types: Upholstery, carpet | Cord Length: 15 feet | Capacity: 48 ounces | Decibel Level: 70 decibels
- The Bissell Deluxe portable carpet cleaner completely removed the coffee stain and left faint stains from wine and dirt during our testing. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best for Spot Cleaning
Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner
AMAZON
- This model eliminated even the toughest stains disappear in three passes.
This model eliminated even the toughest stains disappear in three passes.
- It was slightly tricky to fill the tank with water in a sink.
It was slightly tricky to fill the tank with water in a sink.
If you have pets, especially older ones, you know that spot cleaning is essential to keeping your carpet and upholstery looking their best. Rug Doctors Pet Portable is the best for spot cleaning, thanks to excellent cleaning features and portability.
This machine effectively treated all of the stains in our testing session, completely removing the coffee stain after the first pass and making chocolate, wine, and dirt stains disappear from the carpet after three passes. Pretreating is essential to successful stain removal with this machine.
A retractable handle lets you release and roll the machine like a suitcase, so you can easily wheel it around the house or to the car for convenient stain treatment. The hose isn’t as long as some of the other models we tested, but the shorter hose length wasn't a dealbreaker, necessarily.
Setting up the spot cleaner takes less than three minutes out of the box, and there’s no assembly required, so you can get to the task at hand right away. You’ll need to use a pre-treatment solution and wait five minutes, but after that, it’s smooth sailing.
The water tank is a little tricky to fill in a sink, so you may want a buddy to help you. Since the tank is rounded and can’t stand on its own, we had one person hold the tank steady while another added water and soap.
We also noted that this machine is on the loud side and difficult to talk over, so you may want to put your pet in another room while using it.
Product Details: Weight: 18.34 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet, upholstery | Cord Length: 28 feet | Capacity: 1 gallon | Decibel Level: 90 decibels
- The Rug Doctor Pet Portable spot cleaner was a bit on the loud side, and it was difficult to talk over it when it was running. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best for Upholstery
Hoover Carpet Cleaner
AMAZON
- This cleaner comes with extra tools that make cleaning upholstery easier.
This cleaner comes with extra tools that make cleaning upholstery easier.
- The tank is tricky to remove and put back.
The tank is tricky to remove and put back.
If your pets are allowed on the furniture in your home, it’s hard to think of a more practical use for a pet cleaning appliance than cleaning upholstery. The Hoover CleanSlate impressed us with its portability, how little water and solution were needed to fight stains, and the included cleaning tool attachments. We used the Tight Spot Tool on chocolate and wine stains. Very little water and cleaning solution was needed for any of the stains, which saw the chocolate and coffee completely removed. The dirt and coffee stains, however, remained faintly visible.
The ergonomic handle allows for comfortable one-handed carrying and multitasking, freeing up the other hand to use the cleaning hose. The Hoover CleanSlate’s small, lightweight design makes it a great choice for anyone looking for an effective spot cleaner that is easy to store and can tackle hard-to-reach stains.
No assembly is needed, and we took no more than five minutes setting up the machine. However, filling the water tank was awkward as the tank couldn’t sit upright on its own.
We found the noise level decent at 92 decibels, although it may be too loud for an animal, so put your pets in a different room or expect them to hide while cleaning the couch.
Product Details: Weight: 9.4 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet, upholstery | Cord Length: 15 feet | Capacity: 40 ounces | Decibel Level: 92 decibels
- The Hoover carpet cleaner’s tight spot tool was beneficial in removing chocolate and wine stains on stairs. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Small
Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro
AMAZON
- The tough stain and stain trapper tools work wet and dry.
The tough stain and stain trapper tools work wet and dry.
- This cleaner runs louder and could scare your pets.
This cleaner runs louder and could scare your pets.
If you need a small machine, Bissell Spot Clean Pet Pro is easy to use and ideal for spot cleaning around the house or in the car. It's a quick, no-fuss solution for addressing pet messes.The attached tough stain and stain trapper tools work wet and dry but can take a few passes to remove stains. The coffee stain was removed completely, and the wine stain faded by 80%. Unfortunately, this machine struggled with the dirt and chocolate stains, leaving both messes still visible on the carpet.
Suction power wasn't as strong as expected, which could be why the spot cleaner performed inconsistently when treating various stains. Another thing to consider before purchasing is the noise level on this model; we would describe the sound as medium to high. It could scare a skittish pet.
You’ll need to use Bissell’s Pet Pro Oxy Urine Eliminator solution, and the Spot Clean Pet Pro, both of which are included with the machine as 8-ounce samples. According to the manufacturer, the solution targets and removes lingering smells. Mix with hot tap water (no need to heat beyond that) and start cleaning.
The best feature of the Bissell Spot Clean Pet Pro (and the reason it made our list) is its compact, lightweight design. We love that it’s easily picked up with one hand so you can take it up and down the stairs—or stop on the stairs to clean up a mess.
Product Details: Weight: 13 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet, upholstery | Cord Length: 20 feet | Capacity: 96 ounces | Decibel Level: 88 decibels
- The Bissell Spot Clean PetPro has a cord holder to wrap up the 20-foot cord for easy storage. BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Upright
Tineco iCarpet
AMAZON
- This upright carpet cleaner effectively removed at least 90 percent of fresh stains during testing.
This upright carpet cleaner effectively removed at least 90 percent of fresh stains during testing.
- Resistance when pulling the machine back and forth can be tiresome.
Resistance when pulling the machine back and forth can be tiresome.
The Tineco iCarpet is an upright carpet cleaner that looks and moves just like a vacuum, requiring no bending or crouching-perfect for those with back pain. We love this device for its quiet operation, smooth maneuverability, and high cleaning performance on fresh spills.
It’s the ideal pick for busy families looking for an upright model to lift small stains. Unlike with most models we tested, assembly was simple—the pieces popped right in place. The handle doubles as the tank’s release button, so we were able to detach the fresh water tank and fill it at the faucet while using a funnel.
When it came to emptying, the dirty tank’s release button was pretty straightforward. Despite its small size, we didn’t have to empty the dirty water tank during testing. The device performed best on fresh dirt, leaving no trace behind. It removed over 90 percent of the fresh and dried wine and coffee stains, but we could still see faint marks.
We love the Tineco iCarpet for its upright design, quietness, lightness compared to others, and cleaning effectiveness on almost all messes. The cleaner is perfect for small and large houses, but its compact water tank is best suited for small stains and not whole-house cleaning.
Product Details: Weight: 17 pounds | Surface Types: Carpet | Cord Length: 21 feet | Capacity: 50 ounces | Decibel Level: 82 decibels (high), 80 decibels (low)
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
Best Cordless
Bissell Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner 3682
AMAZON
- 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.
The days of lugging a heavy carpet cleaner from room to room are over when there are cordless options like the Bissell Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner. This portable carpet cleaner is lightweight, has a long battery life, and quickly cleans small, quick messes.
The cordless device removed 75 percent of our dark soda spill within one pass. The salsa and mud stains were a bit tougher to lift, taking over 50 passes for them to still not be completely removed. Spraying a stronger solution directly on the carpet would probably help with tougher stains.
Filling the cleaner’s water tank is simple. It has a small screwable lid with a two-inch opening for you to either fill under the faucet or place a smaller funnel in. The portable machine has a small tank capacity of 37 ounces, but even after testing large messes in the lab, we only had to empty the tank once.
The cleaner is perfect for small living spaces or those looking for a lightweight, portable device to pick up and clean around the house without being confined to an outlet. It’s also great for cleaning upholstery furnishings, hard-to-reach spots, auto interiors, and patio furniture.
Product Details: Weight: 4.85 pounds | Surface Types: Upholstery, carpet | Cord length: Cordless | Capacity: 37 ounces | Decibel Level: 84 decibels (high), 78 (low)
- BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK
BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / HENRY WORTOCK