Who it's for: People who have minimal carpeting or who are looking to clean area rugs. I've rented this beast a few times, and it has never failed to impress, leaving carpets clean, fluffed up, and relatively dry. Test it on the lowest heat setting before going over the whole floor. Finally, a Smart Air Fryer We Actually Like. There's a Name for ThatHere Are 8 Ways You Can Break Through It. Over time, tramping feet, molting pets, and spilled drinks can take a heavy toll on our hard-working carpets. This list has you covered, no matter how you're feeling. Hoover's SmartWash Pet Carpet Cleaner is a bit more capable than the PowerDash for bigger messes. For expert tips on how to buy a carpet cleaner, Melanie consulted David Ragsdale, production manager at SERVPRO. And if you havent washed your carpets in a while (or ever), be prepared for an embarrassing amount of hairy clogs to fill the dirty water tank. Its good for complete kitchen or bathroom cleaning without the need for any detergent or other products. Who it's for: People who find themselves renting carpet cleaners often. But the carpet cleaner is lightweight enough to carry up and down stairs so you can use it wherever you need, although navigating around crevices can still be a bit difficult. To use, first push the nozzle of the tool onto the stain while slowly pulling it towards you to suction up any excess liquid before spraying the stain with a cleaning solution. It really stands out for its HeatWave technology, which helps to maintain the temperature of the water you put in the tank. A toothpaste stain on the upstairs landing initially disappeared but gradually returned, and an old red wine stain in the living room refused to budge. Even better? Finally, scrub the carpet clean by pushing the nozzle pack and forth over the stain. Out of all the commercial-style carpet cleaners we tested, this one was the most effective at removing stains and the easiest to maneuver. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. This carpet cleaner also features an Express Clean Mode, which dries in 30 minutes, so you can do some last minute carpet cleaning prior to company arriving. According to Ragsdale, most commercial carpet cleaners use what's known as "hot water extraction" to clean carpets: "To clean carpet, soils must be suspended in a solution and then extracted. In our testing, it lifted the coffee and orange juice stains without leaving behind any trace, while the ketchup and potting soil were very faint after just a few passes: "The ones that remained had been sitting for quite some time and had definitely set in, but if I'd been able to clean right after the stain hit the floor I have no doubt they would have come right up," says one tester. The carpet cleaner itself is lightweight enough to carry up and down stairs with ease when there are accidental spills and messes, and the collapsible handle makes it easy to store. However, their build and heft can make them difficult to maneuver around small spaces. RELATED: The 5 Best Cordless Vacuums, According to Our Tests. Upright carpet cleaners, which resemble upright vacuum cleaners, are designed to tackle wall-to-wall carpeting. Most carpet cleaners come with some detergent, but I had a good experience with Rug Doctor's Commercial Carpet Cleaner ($20). When you absolutely, positively must clean every carpet in the house, accept no substitutes: The Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 is as good a clean as youll get without hiring professionals. Copyright 2022, How to Shop for Carpet Cleaners Like a Pro, Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner, which is particularly useful for area rugs, The 5 Best Cordless Vacuums, According to Our Tests, The 10 Best Upholstery Cleaners to Tackle Every Spill and Stain, According to Reviewers, The 8 Best Car Vacuums to Keep Your Vehicle Looking Brand New, According to Reviews, The Best Mops for Your Home, According to Hours of Real-Life Testing, The 9 Best Steam Cleaners for Every Type of Surface, According to Customers. If you're someone who frequently rents carpet cleaning machines or hires professional carpet cleaners, investing in a commercial-style carpet cleaner can save you money in the long run. Pet Carpet Cleaner Solution, Commercial Carpet Cleaning Machine, Powerful One Pass Cleaning System, Bissell 3624 Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner - Corded , Black. Tackle stubborn stains, ground-in grime, and pesky pet hair with one of these WIRED-tested cleaners. This lightweight and portable carpet cleaner is well under the average price of those we tested, yet its performance and design resemble that of a much more expensive unit. PowerPoint Parties Are the Party Trend You Have to Try: Here's How to Host One. But if you find yourself frequently renting a carpet cleaner or hiring a professional carpet cleaning service, this machine might just save your money in the long run. We found it to be extremely effective at spot treating stains, second only to the Bissell Little Green. Unlike with many other connected appliances, thats a good thing. It comes with two brushesthe Rotating DirtLifter is the standout for carpets, while the Stationary Pet Tool may work better on furniture. Putting money in the bank is smart, but too much cash savings can actually be a poor use of that money. Multiple cleaning sessions can sometimes chip away at established stains, and at least reduce, if not remove, them. That pristine pile loses its shine and bounce, fibers get tangled with hair, and stains settle in for the long haul. If you have pets, kids, or other sources of build-up, you may want to do more frequent cleanings. Unfortunately, testers found it bulky and cumbersome to use. It has three heat levels, and you press down to release a jet of steam for stubborn stains. I wasn't sure we were going to meet any [carpet cleaners] that really got up all the stains, but this one proved me wrong.". This spot cleaner is not meant for use on wall-to-wall carpet, but it makes an affordable option for spot treating small patches of carpet, furniture, car interiors, and more. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. It removed plenty of cat hair and eliminated lingering odors. Protect your hearing. Like the others on this list, this one has a dirty-water tank at the bottom and a clean-water and solution tank at the top. (Even at its full price of $120, it's cheaper than others we tried.). There's no pukey grime clogging up hoses like with other spot cleaners I've tried. You'll be able to get the benefits of a commercial-grade cleaner without paying a fortune. It only comes with one microfiber cover, and its not recommended for use on fabrics or carpets. Keep in mind that it's on the heavier side of those we tested, as it is a full-size upright carpet cleaner. Our testers found this portable carpet cleaner easy to empty and clean, and it comes with a self-cleaning tool so you can rinse out the hose after each use. Carpet cleaners are sometimes referred to as "steam cleaners," but this is actually a misnomer. Our Lab testers were blown away by its ability to lift tough stains in just one to two passes: "Wow! Here are some tips to keep in mind. I was pleased with the results; my whole house felt renewed. Clean your carpet before you use a carpet cleaner. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Most carpet cleaners have different settings, and they will suck up some of the water, but they all leave carpets a bit damp. I also really like that it's easy to clean; many of the pieces can be taken off and rinsed under a faucet. From Alexa-powered Echo Dots to gaming laptops, here are all the greatest discounts weve found. It has a relatively narrow cleaning line and is only effective if you go very slowly, so it can take a while to clean a whole room. For small, carpeted surfaces, such as a single room, a small apartment, or an area rug, it's the perfect middleground: It makes an excellent alternative to more cumbersome, full-size carpet cleaners, yet it still provides a larger cleaning path than those of portable carpet cleaners. All rights reserved. I regularly use this mop to clean laminate, composite, and tile floors, but you must be careful using steam, especially on wood or vinyl flooring. Of all the ways you can damage your hearing, a carpet cleaner is perhaps the least fun, so protect your ears. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. Use fans, fire up the heating, or do your carpet cleaning in the spring and summer months when you can leave windows open. Then it was time to test each machine's effectiveness at removing stains: The night before our stain removal testing, we stained medium-pile carpet samples with wet potting soil, orange juice, and ketchup. A steam cleaner, on the other hand, relies solely on steam and water to loosen dirt, and then vacuums it up into a holding tank. You can usually find it for around $90 too. Hoover SmartWash PET Complete Automatic Carpet Cleaner, Hoover Spotless Portable Carpet & Upholstery Spot Cleaner, Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner, Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner, The 6 Best Carpet Cleaners, According to Our Testing. It's also one of the most expensive carpet cleaners we tested. Try one of these three easy methods to make sure your ring fits perfectly, every time. Most quality carpet cleaners come with extra features that set them apart from the competition. 14 Early Amazon Prime Day Deals on Google Hardware. RELATED: The Best Mops for Your Home, According to Hours of Real-Life Testing. Who it's for: People who want a carpet cleaner for spot treating spills and messes. It's cordless, so you can clean every spot in the house without being tethered to an outlet (I've only had to charge it twice in four months). RELATED: The 10 Best Upholstery Cleaners to Tackle Every Spill and Stain, According to Reviewers. The Best Travel Mugs to Keep Drinks Cold or Hot. (It also can depend on how dirty and stained your carpets are.) It's bulkier, but it has automatic cleaning and drying cyclespushing it forward releases the solution and pulling it back starts the drying process. The cons are similar to our top pick and true of most carpet cleaners. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners & Accessories. This Shark Steam Mop is great for cleaning hardwood, tiles, or laminate flooring (not carpets). Brevilles new countertop air fryer oven can be controlled by a mobile app. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. All you need is a tape measure and a little free time. Portable carpet cleaners are much smaller and feature narrower cleaning pathways for spot cleaning carpets, furniture, car interiors, etc. We like the Hoover SmartWash PET Complete Automatic Carpet Cleaner for its versatility and ability to remove tough stains with ease. 9 Cheeses You Can Eat Even If You're Lactose Intolerant, Feel Like You Don't Enjoy Anything Anymore? With any cleaner, you shouldn't expect it to pick up large chunks of blown chunks (sorry), but I find even little pieces of hair or food got clogged in there. On the downside, this carpet cleaner didn't do as well at picking up hair, so you're better off using a regular vacuum first for that purpose. "Shampooing is achieved with aggressive agitation of a product into the carpet which will create a shampoo/foam and that is then extracted.". We'll keep trying it to see if we run into that issue. Gear can make or break your home office setup. It's easy to use, with the two removable tanksfill the top tank to the marked lines with warm water and detergent, pull a trigger on the handle to wet wash, and then run over the area slowly and watch the bottom tank fill with dirty water. Wired may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. After you've gone over the whole area, you can turn just the drying mode on for an extra pass if the carpet needs it. For cleaning area rugs, it's important to purchase a carpet cleaner with good water extraction so you don't over saturate your rug. Read on for more of our best carpet cleaner picks, as well as tips on how to choose the right carpet cleaner for your home. It needs storage space similar to an upright vacuum, and you only get a drawstring bag to store all the attachments. Whether you're sipping hot coffee in the morning or downing a cold one in the afternoon, these insulated mugs will do the trick. WIRED spoke with casting director Julia Bianco Schoeffling about breaking into the industry and how its more than just voice acting. Although the base itself is fairly lightweight at just under 10 pounds, you'd mostly be maneuvering the stain remover tool, which connects to the eight-foot hose. Some of these get very loud, so wear earplugs while you work. Offers may be subject to change without notice. However, they're big, bulky, and difficult to store, not to mention pricey. The high temperature can act as a disinfectant and help get rid of pests, germs, and allergens. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries. We particularly loved the LED headlights that illuminate hard-to-see stains and the CleanShot Pretreater that made a difference in the machine's ability to remove stains. If you're looking to regularly deep clean a space with wall-to-wall carpeting, there are few carpet cleaners that can compete with the power of this commercial-style model. Some carpet cleaners feature a dual or two-tank design, meaning there's one for clean water and another for dirty water. And, without the use of carpet cleaning solutions, steam cleaners may struggle to remove set-in stains. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Also available at Bed Bath & Beyond and Target. In general, steam cleaners can help to refresh your carpets, but for heavily soiled carpets, a carpet cleaner is the better choice. But unlike the Little Green, it features a dual tankone for dirty water and one for clean, so you won't need to stop and refill. Tackle stain-causing spills immediately. Look for a carpet cleaner with a powerful motor that can tackle tough stains and a large tank that can cover large areas. This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). We made sure the stains were really worked into the carpet fibers by rubbing them in with rubber gloves. This model doesnt offer quick-clean modes or have any attachments in the box, though you can buy a Hand Tool ($100) separately. However, owning a home carpet cleaning machineas opposed to renting one or hiring a professional servicemeans you can achieve a deeper clean as often as you think necessary, whether it be monthly or even weekly. We gathered 24 of the best carpet cleaners on the market, including commercial, upright, and portable machines, and spent three days rigorously testing them in our Lab. They generally have large tanks with more cleaning capacity and more powerful motors. Do you have pets or kids that make big messes? In our testing, it was able to remove all the stains on the first pass, except for the ketchup, which came up after a few additional passes. "The pre-treat wand was easy to use and really helped the machine remove most of the deep stains.". Everything You Need to Work From Home Like a Pro. For people cleaning up after pets or kids, or anyone with high traffic carpeting, investing in a carpet cleaner gives you the ability to clean your carpets and rugs on your own schedule, without the hassle of renting a machine or hiring a professional. Emptying and cleaning the tank is an easy, mess-free process in part due to the self-cleaning hose that flushes after each use. On the downside, the ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro is very loud (like a jet taking off). Each carpet cleaner was used to clean medium-pile carpet samples stained with wet potting soil, orange juice, ketchup, and fresh coffee. Who it's for: People with pets or kids who want an upright cleaner for tackling big messes. Be sure to check out our Best Robot Vacuums, Best Handheld Vacuums, Best Dyson Vacuums, and Best Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products for more cleaning recommendations. During testing, we used a decibel meter to record the noise level of each machine. Bissell ProHeat 2X Steam Cleaner 6" Wide Stair Cleaning Tool/Nozzle. Many carpet cleaners also feature a powerful suction to remove moisture for quicker drying. Some households may choose to own both an upright carpet cleaner for deep cleaning entire rooms and a portable carpet cleaner for spot cleaning.