The best portable carpet cleaners

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Nothing ruins the vibe faster than a spilled glass of wine or an unexpected pet mess on the rug. While professional deep cleaning is great for yearly upkeep, owning a portable carpet cleaner is the most cost-effective way to save your upholstery, stairs, and car seats on a daily basis. I know this firsthand. As an Airbnb host, I regularly clean up every guest disaster imaginable. To find out which spot cleaners actually work, I skipped the spec sheets and did the dirty work. I consulted industry pros and pitted today’s top models against real stains (from red wine to makeup) to find the absolute best portable carpet cleaners. Tackling a whole room? Check out our top full-size carpet cleaners first.

Find out more about how Business Insider Reviews tests and reviews home products.

Our top picks for the best portable carpet cleaners

Best overall portable carpet cleaner: Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro – See at Amazon

Best budget portable carpet cleaner: Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner – See at Walmart

Best compact portable carpet cleaner: Bissell Little Green – See at Amazon

Best portable carpet cleaner for pets: Bissell Little Green HydroSteam – See at Amazon

Most versatile portable carpet cleaner: Hoover CleanSlate Plus – See at Amazon

Best portable carpet cleaner for spot cleaning: Shark StainForce Cordless – See at Amazon

---

Best overall

My dream cleaning machine. The Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro is the machine I used in my Airbnb before testing. It removed coffee and wine stains with minimal scrubbing thanks to its three-inch-wide cleaning head, making it ideal for targeting specific stains, especially on furniture. The SpotClean Pet Pro also performed the best of the bunch at removing red wine stains, which were barely noticeable after cleaning. It also has particularly strong suction, which was helpful at working on tough carpet stains like makeup and crayons.

Designed for most stains, with an emphasis on targeting pet stains and odors. As the host of a pet-friendly Airbnb, I needed this aspect of the carpet cleaner to work, and I was impressed when it lifted pet stains and odors that I’d spent far too much time removing with spot cleaning and my vacuum cleaner. The included stain trapper tool isolated the urine stain in its own tank, so I didn’t have to worry about it contaminating the main tank. Pet hair did tend to clog, but not as badly as other portable carpet cleaners I’ve tried. The large 96-ounce tank lets me focus on the dirty corners longer without constantly changing the water. When it needs a change, it has a straightforward folding mechanism to open it. It’s also compact and easily fits in my storage cupboard.

Lighter than a traditional carpet cleaner, but heavier than most portable models. It’s still easy to maneuver, though. The extendable nozzle made it easy to clean tight spaces, like car crevices, during testing, and it’s held up well so far, despite some online reviews saying it’s prone to deterioration. I also didn’t experience a leaky water tank, which was also mentioned across a few reviews, which may come down to properly securing the tank. Just note: Bissell requires its own cleaning solution to maintain the two-year warranty.

---

Best budget

A powerful machine that costs under $100. The Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner has a slightly wider cleaning head than the Bissell, at 4.5 inches. However, it’s still small enough to concentrate the solution in one spot, allowing for relatively easy removal of food stains like chocolate and wine. It didn’t get the entire amount out, however, leaving the test carpet a light pink in spots.

Lightweight and effective, but it feels less durable. The Dirt Devil looks sleek, but the plastic feels cheaper than that of other models I tested, with a thinner water tank that feels prone to cracking if dropped and a fold-out handle that may wear over time. Still, it handled both fresh and set-in stains well in testing.

Compact size means more refills and one design flaw. Its 19-ounce tank is much smaller than most, so I had to refill it often — not ideal for bigger jobs. I also accidentally lifted the dirty tank by the lid, which popped open and spilled, despite a warning label. On the plus side, the self-cleaning hose is a real time-saver and reduces maintenance.

---

Best compact

Compact, powerful, and great for small spaces. The Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner uses the same 3-inch cleaning head as our top pick to focus on small, set-in stains. In testing, it performed above average on wine, coffee, marker, and makeup, delivering impressively thorough cleaning despite its size.

Lightweight with a surprisingly large tank. At under 10 pounds, it was easy to carry around while cleaning stairs, bathrooms, and car interiors. The small size easily fits in a cabinet when not in use. Unlike many compact models, it has a 48-ounce tank, so I didn’t have to refill it constantly. It also handled oil and marker stains particularly well, removing them completely.

Less effective for pet messes, but still a strong value. While it can handle everyday stains, it’s not as well-suited for pet hair or tougher messes as the SpotClean Pet Pro, which has a larger tank and a stain-trapper tool. I also found that pet hair could get stuck in the tool and required extra cleaning. The warranty is also shorter, but the Little Green still stands out for its price, portability, and handy self-cleaning hose.

---

Best for pets

A premium pick with steam-powered cleaning for tough messes. The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam stands out as the brand’s most advanced portable cleaner, and it proved especially effective on areas soiled by pets who came to stay at my Airbnb during testing.

Three modes make it more versatile than most competitors. It offers SteamWash, Steam, and Wash settings, including a steam-only mode for hard surfaces like tile. The SteamWash setting helped loosen and sanitize stubborn pet stains better than standard suction models, and the heated cleaning cut drying time to about 25 minutes — a major advantage when turning over a space quickly.

Strong performance with less reliance on chemicals. The added steam improved clearing wine, coffee, and makeup stains while still handling hair and fur without clogging — an issue I ran into with the base Little Green. It also reduces the need for harsher cleaning solutions.

Well-designed with solid capacity and a premium build. The 64-ounce tank offers a good balance between size and portability, while the larger cleaning head and 5-foot hose make it easier to tackle bigger or hard-to-reach areas. At 13 pounds, it’s still easy to move, and it comes with a three-year warranty — the longest of any Bissell in this guide.

---

Most versatile

Versatile tools make it great for targeted cleaning. The Hoover CleanSlate Plus stands out for its interchangeable attachments, including a 7-inch-wide path tool — the largest in our roundup — and a smaller tight-spot tool for precise cleaning. I found this especially useful in my car, where the smaller head helped reach between seats and lift embedded grime.

Strong everyday performance, with a few weak spots. It handled common pet stains in my Airbnb efficiently and did an excellent job removing makeup and coffee. In standardized tests, it performed best on coffee and makeup, average on red wine, and below average on chocolate stains.

Lightweight, compact, and quieter than most. At under 10 pounds, it was easy to carry from room to room, and it runs relatively quietly compared to other spot cleaners. The compact design also simplifies storage, with the hose wrapping neatly around the unit. The 40-ounce tank is on the smaller side, though, so expect more frequent refilling.

A few usability drawbacks to note. You’ll need to prime the pump when first adding the cleaning solution — an extra step not required by most competitors — and the 90-day warranty is shorter than those of others in this category.

---

Best for spot-cleaning

Cordless convenience for quick stains and touch-ups. I’ve found extensive use for the Shark StainForce for small messes. It works especially well on pet accidents, even removing a days-old stain in my testing. However, the 15-minute battery life limits how much you can clean in one go, making it less practical for larger jobs, such as clearing a spilled protein shake stain that settled into the front seat of my car.

A unique spray system that simplifies cleaning. Instead of mixing water and solution, it uses a dual-formula spray bottle with Oxy to break down stains and odors before extraction. To clean, you simply spray the solution, scrub it away, and extract the moisture into its small tank. No extra water is required. It’s effective, but the bottle is hard to monitor and a bit tricky to swap out.

Lightweight and easy to store, but pricey for the runtime. The compact, cordless design and included caddy make it highly portable and great for cleaning at a moment’s notice. Altogether, the system weighs about six pounds, but the cleaning tool itself is just three pounds. However, at $200, the short battery life may not justify the price for everyone. — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

---

The best portable carpet cleaners, compared

	Our pick	Weight	Tank capacity	Standout features
Best overall	Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro	13.25 pounds	96 ounces	Powerful suction, large tank, stain-trapping tool
Best budget	Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner	8 pounds	19 ounces	Lightweight, affordable, good on pet stains
Best compact	Bissell Little Green	9.65 pounds	48 ounces	Compact, strong stain removal, self-cleaning hose
Best for pets	Bissell Little Green HydroSteam	13 pounds	64 ounces	Steam modes, faster drying, better for tough stains
Most versatile	Hoover CleanSlate Plus	9.4 pounds	40 ounces	Wide + tight tools, quiet operation, compact design
Best for spot cleaning	Shark StainForce	6 pounds	N/A	Cordless design, lightweight, stain-fighting formula spray

---

What to look for in a portable carpet cleaner

With the help of Sara San Angelo, founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady and a cleaning professional with more than 20 years of experience, we nailed down the most important aspects of a great portable carpet cleaner.

Suction power: San Angelo said suction strength is the most important factor to consider. “Just like suction strength in a vacuum, this will matter most in how clean the carpets get,” she said. “It is useless if you have a great carpet cleaner that can’t get up the solution it sprays on the carpet.”

Most models don’t advertise suction strength, but wattage can be a good indicator. Higher wattage means more power to facilitate better suction.

Attachments: The best portable carpet cleaners I tested have easy-to-use attachments that focus all the machine’s power on small but stubborn stains. Additionally, my favorite models had built-in attachments to clean the water hose, making maintenance easier.

San Angelo said pet owners should pay particular attention to what specialized brushes and attachments come with each machine and look for tools specifically designed to handle pet hair. No matter how much pre-vacuuming you do, there will still be hair in your carpets if you have pets, and it can get clogged in your carpet cleaner. “Hair can bog down the machine, and it is important to have one that can handle that type of debris,” said San Angelo.

Weight and size: If you plan on cleaning many different areas in your house, it’s important to find a portable carpet cleaner that is lightweight and compact. All the units we looked at are under 15 pounds. A machine that weighs under 10 pounds will be easy to move from stain to stain, and will typically be more compact for storage.

Cord and hose length: It’s a fact of life that some stains are not located directly next to a wall socket. Carpet cleaners with longer power cords and hoses can reach the whole staircase in one go and out to external areas like the car without too much hassle. Most of the units we tested had 15-foot cords, with the Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro being the only design with a 20-foot cord. Cordless designs are also becoming more widely available, but then you have to consider battery life, too, which typically ranges from 15 to 35 minutes. We’ll be testing cordless options in our next round of testing.

Water tank size: Once you start cleaning carpet stains, it might be difficult to stop; I’ve found this out firsthand at my Airbnb. We preferred carpet cleaners with water tanks of 48 ounces or more, which were usually enough to tackle most stains in our testing environment without refilling.

---

How we test carpet cleaners

These portable carpet cleaners went through tons of testing. I used carpet samples to spot-test a variety of common stains, such as red wine, chocolate, marker ink, and coffee. I also tested each portable cleaner in my Airbnb after guests, especially those who brought dogs. I made sure to pay attention to little details like how often I had to replace the solution, fix a clog, or adjust a setting.

• Food and drink stains: Arguably the most common carpet stain. I tested each carpet cleaner on new and historic coffee, oil, sauce, and chocolate stains applied to carpet samples.
• Makeup and marker stains: Makeup stains are common on the bedroom carpet and can be tricky to clean. I used powder and cream makeup to create stains on carpet samples and evaluated how well each model cleaned them up.
• Pet hair and waste: I used the carpet cleaners in my Airbnb after guests stayed with pets, and I also used them at home in my cat’s most heavily trafficked areas and around her litter tray.
• Car cleaning: For this test, I noted how easy each carpet cleaner was to use in hard-to-reach areas, such as beside the seats, and how maneuverable it was. The best carpet cleaners for the car test also had large water tanks, so I didn’t need to go back inside to refill and empty them.
• Attachments: All carpet cleaners have different attachments to enhance the cleaning experience. I noted how easy it was to switch between attachments and how well they worked while in use.

---

Portable carpet cleaner FAQs

How can I deep-clean my carpet myself?

Carpet cleaners are the best way to remove visible stains and get beneath the obvious stains on top to remove dust, dirt, and allergens hidden underneath.

However, if you don’t have a carpet cleaner, San Angelo recommended the following steps for cleaning up carpet stains:

1. Clean up the excess with a rag, aiming to blot instead of rub.
2. Spray the cleaning solution onto the affected area, then blot again instead of rubbing side to side to avoid spreading the stain.

What is the most effective carpet cleaning method?

If you are planning to clean an entire carpet, not just spots, the best method is professional steam cleaning. However, if you’re looking to spot clean or maintain carpets between professional cleanings, a portable carpet cleaner is a solid option to have on hand.

Can I use any cleaning solution in my portable carpet cleaner?

Officially, you should use the brand’s recommended solution. Almost all manufacturers (including Bissell and Hoover) state that using third-party or homemade solutions will void your warranty. Branded formulas are strictly low-foaming; household soaps create excess suds that can flood and ruin the motor.

Do portable carpet cleaners work on old stains?

Portable carpet cleaners work best on fresh stains, but older, set-in stains may require pre-treating. First, soak the spot with a dedicated stain remover, let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, and then extract the stain with your portable carpet cleaner to scrub and suck up the loosened mess.