If you have a busy household, a pet or two, or just love the look and feel of a freshly clean, fluffy carpet, then a carpet cleaner is well worth purchasing. Using strong brush heads, carpet cleaners can reach deep down into your carpet fibres, lifting up dirt and debris with ease.
How do carpet cleaners work?
Most models use a dual water tank that allows cleaning solution to shoot down via a nozzle onto your carpet. A clever mechanism sucks back up the dirty water into a separate used-water tank.
There are two predominant styles of carpet cleaner; standard upright designs, which are ideal for large cleaning jobs, and smaller, compact models that are great for spot-washing individual stains and spills. Many of the top-rated models, reviewed here, also come with a special cleaning solution, so your carpets will not only look clean but they will smell deliciously fresh too.
How much are carpet cleaners?
Carpet cleaners can range in cost depending on how powerful and how many functions you need from your model. The machines we have chosen range from £69 to £199.99, so there will hopefully be a model to suit your budget.
From specially designed models for cleaning up after pets, to spot-wash designs built for whipping out whenever you need it, here we break down five of the best-reviewed carpet cleaners on the market right now, so that you can find the right one to suit your needs.
Best carpet cleaners in 2024
VAX Spotwash
Best for a quick clean up
- Weight: 3.89kg
- Dimensions: 38.3 H x 35.8 W x 24.1 D cm
- Clean tank capacity: 1L
- Dirty tank capacity: 1L
- Accessories: Hard-floor scrub attachment, multi-purpose attachment, 250ml cleaning solution
The low-down: If you’re after a quick and convenient carpet cleaner for everyday spills and stains, the VAX Spotwash is for you. It sprays, scrubs and removes everyday marks and is ideal for cleaning up after messy toddlers and muddy pets. With an additional hard-floor attachment, it also cleans messes made on sealed hard floors, as well as carpets and upholstery. Thanks to its compact design and 1.5m long hose it’s perfect for hitting those tricky corners and tight spots, and also works well as a car cleaner.
Russell Hobbs RHCC5001
Best for ease
- Weight: 6kg
- Dimensions: 109 H x 26 W x 42 D cm
- Clean tank capacity: 1.8L
- Dirty tank capacity: 2.45L
- Accessories: None
The low-down: The Russell Hobbs upright carpet cleaner is a reliable, no-fuss model that’s easy to operate and manoeuvre and it won’t break the bank. Simply fill the clean water tank with warm water, add the carpet cleaning solution and switch it on. A wide jet spray, which you can trigger via the handle, means that you can remove dirt across large swathes of carpet, while an eight-metre power cord allows you to move around and access those hard-to-reach areas.
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Vytronix Wet & Dry carpet washer & blower
Best 4in1
- Weight: 6kg
- Dimensions: 50 H x 36.5 W x 40 D cm
- Clean tank capacity: 5L
- Dirty tank capacity: Doesn’t have one
- Accessories: Wet and dry floor heads, 2-in-1 crevice dusting tool, disposable vacuum bag, 500ml carpet fresh classic shampoo
The low-down: This all-in-one cleaning machine from Vytronix can vacuum both wet and dry surfaces, deep clean carpets and even help keep garages, studios and workbenches clear, thanks to a built-in blower function. For carpet cleaning, this model is a great compact and budget-friendly buy that’s easy to navigate, thanks to its handy wheels. A wide brush head lets you deep-clean a wide surface space and its eight-metre power cord gives you the freedom to tackle areas without carrying the tank. Its 1600W motor means that this carpet cleaner is designed for powerful pick-ups and it also makes easy work of spillages.
[monetizer101 productname="Vytronix Wet & Dry carpet washer & blower" price="69.99" /] [highlight-box]Top tip
Deep cleaning your carpets should be an annual job, but if you have pets, allergies or a very busy household with lots of people coming and going, we’d recommend cleaning every six months.
Head to our complete guide to the best cleaning products to find the best products to spruce up your home.
VAX Rapid Power Revive
Best for pets
- Weight: 8.4kg
- Dimensions: 108.8 H x 30.5 W x 40.2 D cm
- Clean tank capacity: 4.7L
- Dirty tank capacity: 4.7L
- Accessories: SpinScrub brush, wash tool, stretch hose 250ml platinum cleaning solution, crevice tool, storage bag
The low-down: Specially engineered to reach the deepest fibres of your carpet, the high-powered VAX Rapid Power Revive carpet cleaner is a grand choice for those of us who have messy pups or cats in the house. A 4.7-litre dirty tank capacity lets you clean up large areas, and a special SpinScrub brush and deep clean setting provides a thorough clean, sucking up debris, such as fur and muddy paw prints, with consummate ease. A stretch hose and wash tool also comes in handy for specific, one-off stains and the product claims to leave your freshly cleaned carpets dry within just one hour.
Top tip
To get the best results, carpet cleaning experts BISSELL recommends vacuuming any pet hair before pre-treating stubborn stains, making sure that you use the right kind of cleaning formula
BISSELL PowerClean
Best premium buy
- Weight: 5.6kg
- Dimensions: 109 H x 25.5 W x 36 D cm
- Clean tank capacity: 2.36L
- Dirty tank capacity: 1.72L
- Accessories: Motorised brush roll, removable floor nozzle and 236ml bottle of Wash & Protect Pro
The low-down: For a lightweight, easy-to-handle model that provides a great overall deep clean, look no further than the BISSELL PowerClean. It has a motored rotating brush head that reaches deep into carpet fibres and sucks up spills while a trigger handle allows you to shoot cleaning solution as and when you need. Its compact design and small footprint make it ideal for homes with limited storage space, or for anyone looking for a model that can be easily tucked away. Hard-to-reach spots may prove to be a little tricky as there is no small, spot-cleaning tool but for large swathes of carpet this is ideal.
