A vacuum cleaner can do a great job of getting rid of the general day to day dust and grime that can build up on your carpet. However, over time some dirt sinks into the pile, and a more thorough clean is needed to get your carpet looking back at its best.
A carpet cleaner will give your carpets a deeper refresh, eliminating dirt, tackling stains and removing odours, especially if you have pets. This is a service that some people choose to bring in the professionals to handle, as they tend to use larger carpet cleaning machines or a carpet washer.
However, there are portable and convenient options for you to use yourself, and especially if you have kids or pets, a home carpet cleaner can be a worthwhile investment. There are various types of carpet cleaner machine to choose from, such as a steam carpet cleaner, each with its own pros and cons. To help you make a decision on the best carpet cleaner for you, we’ve reviewed some of the top models on the market.
Best Carpet Cleaners
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Best Overall
3VAX Rapid Power Carpet Cleaner
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Best For Low Budgets
4BISSELL ProHeat Carpet Cleaner
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Best For Higher Budgets
5BISSELL CrossWave Carpet Cleaner
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Buy On AO1. VAX Platinum Power Max Carpet Cleaner
- Cleans five times better than using a high performance vacuum cleaner
- Removes up to 93% of bacteria from carpets
- Can also be used on upholstery and car interiors
- Brush bar agitates carpet fibres to remote trapped dirt
VAX is a well-known and popular vacuum cleaner manufacturer and they promise that this carpet cleaner cleans five times better than a regular vacuum.
The operation is straightforward, with cleaner and water added to one tank, and spinscrub brushes which work to agitate the carpets fibres as the cleaner passes out them, releasing and sucking up dirt and bacteria.
Dirty water is collected in a separate tank ready to be disposed of. There are some useful accessories, such as a pre-treatment wand so you can target specific locations, such as stains or high traffic areas.
There’s also an attachment for cleaning upholstery, and the long hose makes it easy to clean stairs. The wash and rinse mode means cleaner residue and any excess water is sucked up to reduce the drying time to around an hour. Overall this is a solid choice, and we like the 6 year manufacturer guarantee for added peace of mind.
Specifications
Pros
- Includes pre-treatment wand for more soiled or high traffic areas
- Carpet is dry in around an hour
- Long reach hose makes it easier to clean stairs
- Twin tanks to keep clean and dirty water separate
Cons
- Some users report that it can pull too many fibres from some types of carpet
- Cleaning the machine’s brushes can be tricky
2. Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner
- Dual cross action brushes to deeply clean the carpet fibres
- Clean and dirty water tanks are simple and easy to lift out
- Removable tool caddy
- Super boost spray feature for high traffic areas
This is a sturdy machine which works well on stains, removing most of any marks after a few passes of the machine.
The dual cross action brushes work to deeply clean the carpet fibres from every angle. For particularly stubborn stains or high traffic areas there’s a super boost spray, dispensing a targeted burst of cleaner near the base of the machine.
The hand tool makes it easier to clean stairs, car interiors or any areas which are harder to reach. This machine is large and quite heavy, so it can be hard to manoeuvre – and the size also means it takes up a fair amount of storage space.
However, the size means it has a large tank capacity, and it does a good job of lifting and refreshing carpet.
Specifications
Pros
- Large tank capacity
- Lifts carpet to give a refreshed appearance
- Powerful suction removes excess moisture to reduce drying time
- Hand tool for stairs, car interiors or smaller hard to reach areas
Cons
- Larger size can be hard to manoeuvre
- Tricky to store
3. VAX Rapid Power Carpet Cleaner
- Brushes rotate in different directions to lift dirt from carpet fibres
- Designed to allow you to clean right to the edge of your carpet
- Includes a tool for cleaning upholstery or car interiors
- Choice of quick dry or deep clean modes
Another option from VAX, this Rapid Power model has large tanks so you can clean for longer before needing to refill with clean water or empty the dirty water. The auto mix system also takes care of mixing the right ratio of cleaning solution to water.
There are two modes, offering either a Quick Dry or Deep Clean option. If you opt for Quick Dry, carpets should be dry in about an hour. The Deep Clean option gives carpets a more thorough clean. There are five spinscrub brushes that rotate in different directions to lift dirt from the carpet fibres.
This model also comes with some handy tools, such as a hand tool for cleaning stairs, upholstery or car interiors, and a crevice tool for getting into hard to reach corners. The long hose gives you more range to clean all around the home.
Specifications
Pros
- Large tank capacity so you can clean for longer before refilling
- Crevice tool for hard to reach areas such as corners
- Auto mix cleaning system mixes the right ratio of cleaning solution and water
- Long hose for cleaning stairs easily
Cons
- Some users report quality control issues
- Several people have found removing the solution connector tricky
4. BISSELL ProHeat Carpet Cleaner
- Lightweight design makes it easy to manoeuvre
- Deep Clean mode to tackle stains and deeper dirt
- Express Clean mode allows carpets to dry in around 30 minutes
- HeatWave technology keeps the water temperature consistent
The lightest of the carpet cleaning models we’ve reviewed, this Bissell ProHeat model is easy to manoeuvre and has a low profile base making it easy to clean under furniture.
There are two cleaning modes – Deep Clean, to tackle stains and deeper dirt, or Express Clean, which allows carpets to dry in around 30 minutes. The HeatWave technology keeps the water temperature consistent to aid cleaning.
Rotating brushes with 12 rows of bristles help lift dirt trapped deep in the carpet leaving it refreshed. There are also useful attachments to clean upholstery or stairs.
Specifications
Pros
- Low profile base to clean under furniture
- Includes attachments to clean upholstery or stairs
- Tanks keep clean and dirty water separate
- Rotating brushes have 12 rows of bristles for a deeper clean
Cons
- Some users find it isn’t effective on all stains
- Noisy operation
5. BISSELL CrossWave Carpet Cleaner
- Designed for hard floors and areas rugs
- Vacuums and washes floors in one
- Pivoting head to manoeuvre under and around furniture
- Brush roll has microfibres to mop and nylon bristles to scrub
If you’re looking for a cleaner for hard floor surfaces, the Bissell CrossWave can both vacuum and wash floors. The pivoting head allows you to manoeuvre under and around furniture, and digital touch controls conveniently located on the handle let you easily switch modes if you move from a hard floor surface to an area rug.
There are two tanks to separate clean and dirty water and they’re easy to remove and refill or empty. The brush roll has both microfibre to mop the floor, and nylon bristles to tackle tougher patches of dirt.
After use, the CrossWave is easy to clean as the brush roll is removable, and the compact size makes it easy to store. This isn’t a product for cleaning carpets, but if your home has mainly hard flooring, this could be ideal for you.
Specifications
Pros
- Digital touch controls to easily switch between surface modes
- Two tank system to separate clean and dirty water
- Brush roll can be removed for easy cleaning
- Long cord for easy long range cleaning
Cons
- Not designed for carpets
- The build quality gets mixed reviews
Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide
Type
There are a variety of carpet cleaner machines available to suit different needs, and the best choice for you will depend on the size of your home and how often you plan to use it.
A portable carpet cleaner is the most common choice for home use, so you can easily move the machine around to wherever it’s needed. Here are some of your options.
Handheld Carpet Cleaner
If you have only small areas of carpet in your home, a handheld carpet cleaner may be your best solution. A handheld cleaner is small and to use it you’ll need to crouch or kneel on the floor, so it’s not suitable for covering a large area.
But these handheld machines can be a great option for cleaning carpet on stairs, and to have on hand to deal with spills and stains. They can also be useful for cleaning upholstery, or car interiors. A cordless carpet cleaner will give you extra flexibility, the same as a cylinder vacuum.
Upright Carpet Cleaner
Most carpet cleaner machines are upright, meaning they stand up and are pushed around the floor. This makes them easier to use over a larger area.
Because they function differently to a regular vacuum cleaner, a cleaner usually weighs more, so look out for a model that is a comfortable weight for you to manoeuvre, especially if you will be carrying it up and down stairs.
It’s also helpful to look out for models with a flexible and low profile base if you want to be able to easily navigate around and under furniture.
Industrial Carpet Cleaner
Industrial carpet cleaning machines are designed for working in a venue with a large floor area, so you’ll most commonly find them used in spaces such as large offices or hotels.
Their size, weight and cost means that these industrial machines are not best suited to domestic spaces.
Size
If you’re looking for a carpet cleaner machine to use at home, think about the size of your home when you’re deciding on the best size of machine to opt for.
Larger models tend to have larger tanks for clean water that’s dispensed onto the carpet, and the dirty water that the machine sucks back up. This means if you’re cleaning a large area, you’ll need to make fewer trips to refill or empty those tanks.
That convenience needs to be balanced against other factors, such as how much a large machine will weigh, and whether it will be easy for you to move it around your home. You’ll also need to think about storage, as some of the larger machines can take up a fair amount of space.
A small carpet cleaner on the other hand may be lighter and so more portable. A mini carpet cleaner, such as a handheld model, may be all you need in a small apartment, and is much easier to store. If you want a handheld vacuum cleaner, check out our review!
Pricing Range
The price of a carpet cleaner can vary according to the size, power and functions of the model. If you want a cheap carpet cleaner to deal with an occasional clean, then entry level models can be found for around £50.
Prices can increase to over £400 for a more substantial and durable model, with features such as different cleaning settings.
Carpet Cleaner Spray
For a carpet cleaner to do an effective job, you will need a good quality carpet cleaner spray. This is added to the water tank of your machine and is dispensed onto the carpet as the machine passes over the floor. The spray both cleans the carpet and helps give it a refreshed, clean fragrance. You can also use a steam cleaner for in-depth cleaning.
Many carpet cleaner machine manufacturers produce their own range of sprays which they’ll recommend for use with their machines, and a bottle may be provided with your machine purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best carpet cleaner for your specific needs will depend on factors such as the size of your home, but we found the VAX Rapid Power Revive to be a solid all round option, with handy features such as Quick Dry or Deep Clean modes, and a variety of tools to help you clean right to the edges of your carpet, and into hard to reach areas.
Before you clean your carpets, you should vacuum to pick up any surface dust or debris. You’ll then need to fill the clean water tank of your machine with a mix of water and the spray or shampoo.
The instructions on the spray bottle or with your machine should tell you the appropriate ratio.
In most cases, you then pass the machine over your carpet in the same way that you’d use a regular vacuum cleaner. Keep an eye on the dirty water tank and empty it as needed so the machine keeps functioning as it should. Once the carpets are clean, try not to walk on them until they’re dry.
Our Verdict
If you have carpets in your home, you’ll know that there are some marks and stains which vacuuming alone can’t resolve. Rather than continue to hire a carpet cleaner, investing in a machine can pay off in just a few uses.
Of the machines we reviewed, we highly rated the VAX Rapid Power Revive. In terms of pricing this was at the higher end of the models on our list, but it has some great features, from the automix feature to give the right ratio of spray to water, to the crevice tool that allows you to clean right into tricky corners or edges.
A great all-rounder for domestic use, with a 2 year manufacturer warranty.
