The best portable carpet cleaners of 2024

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Whether it's a cozy vintage area rug or a wall-to-wall installation, carpets can make a house feel like a home, but they have one big drawback: they're notoriously difficult to keep clean. While we recommend professional cleaning every few years to keep your carpets in the best shape, the best portable carpet cleaners are an affordable way to tackle spills, stains, and everyday wear and tear.

For this guide, we endeavored to find the best portable carpet cleaners: handheld machines that weigh under 15 pounds and are primarily used for spot-cleaning or tricky spots like carpeted stairs. They can also be used on upholstered furniture or in your car, but they're not meant for cleaning whole carpets like the large, vacuum-sized machines we recommend in our guide to the best carpet cleaners.

After extensive testing and interviews with professional cleaners, we chose the Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro as our top pick for its superior suction, big tank load, and tools that isolate specific messes for easy cleaning. If you're looking for clean carpets for less, check out the Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner, which is super lightweight and packs a punch with pet stains.

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

Our top picks for the best portable carpet cleaners

Best overall: Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro - See at Amazon

Best budget: Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner - See at Amazon

Best compact: Bissell Little Green - See at Amazon

Best for pets: Bissell Little Green HydroSteam - See at Amazon

Best for spot cleaning: Hoover CleanSlate Plus - See at Amazon

Best overall

The Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro is my dream cleaning machine. The sleek purple and black carpet cleaner stood out as soon as it arrived at my front door. I got it up and humming (quite loudly) within a few minutes, thanks to its simple setup and easy-to-understand instructions. In my testing, I found it removed stains caused by coffee and wine with minimal scrubbing thanks to its cleaner head being only around 3 inches wide, making it better for targeting specific stains, especially on furniture. The SpotClean Pet Pro performed the best out of the bunch at getting out red wine stains, which were barely noticeable after cleaning.

Sara San Angelo, founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady and a cleaning professional with more than 20 years of experience, attributes good suction power, like that of a vacuum, to a carpet cleaner's performance — and Bissell is her favorite brand for these features. I personally found this to be true in my testing, where the Bissell showed strong suction that worked wonders on tough carpet stains like makeup and crayons.

The Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is designed for most stains but focuses on 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. I will say that pet hair does tend to clog, but not as badly as other portable carpet cleaners I've tried. The large 96-ounce tank allows me to focus on the dirty corners for longer without constantly switching out the water. When it does need a change, it has a straightforward folding mechanism to open it up. It's also compact and easily fits in my storage cupboard.

While it's lighter than traditional bulkier carpet cleaners, it's still one of the heavier portable carpet cleaners in our roundup. Despite the weight, I could maneuver it around the crevices in my car with relative ease during testing thanks to the extendable nozzle (which has stayed intact for me, though some reviews online say it is prone to deteriorating). While some reviews highlight a leaky water tank, I haven't had this issue, and it could be due to the tank not being appropriately secured before use. The warranty on this carpet cleaner should last two years, but you need to stick to Bissell's cleaning solution, or you could void it.

Best budget

For a powerful machine that costs under $100, we recommend the Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner. The cleaning head is slightly wider 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.

The Dirt Devil has a nice look; however, the plastic feels cheaper than other carpet cleaners I tested, and it's likely the machine would show wear and tear over time. For example, the thin plastic water tank felt more susceptible to cracking if dropped, and the fold-out handle seems like it may lose some functionality over time. Despite looking a little more flimsy, it still performed well during testing on both new and set-in stains.

It's also one of the lightest carpet cleaners I tested, but this comes at a cost, as the clean water tank capacity is only 19 ounces — much smaller than other models we tested. This meant plenty of refills during testing, so this model wouldn't be ideal for cleaning large spaces. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of picking up the dirty water tank by the lid during this test, and it popped open, spilling the tank's contents on the floor I had just cleaned. There is a warning on the lid, but it's easy to forget when emptying it multiple times during a big clean. I did like the self-cleaning hose, however, which meant I didn't have to remove various parts to clean them individually — a time saver.

Best compact

The Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner is our best compact carpet cleaner choice. This funky and lightweight model in the recognizable green (you may have seen it on TikTok) has the same 3-inch cleaner head as our best overall pick to help focus all of its energy on small, set-in stains. It truly was tough on stains, performing above average on wine, marker stains, coffee, and makeup. While it might not be the best choice for larger surface areas due to its smaller size and capacity, the overall cleaning was still super effective.

The Little Green is an excellent choice for smaller spaces like apartments or cars — especially if there are no pets in the house — and it weighs a lot less than more heavy-duty carpet cleaners. At under 10 lbs, it was effortless to move it around while cleaning the stairs and in the bathroom during testing. Like other Bissell carpet cleaners I tested, it gobbled up oil stains and didn't take long to remove marker stains, which were not visible at all after cleaning.

If you need a tougher tool that specializes in pet stains, paying the extra money for our best overall, The Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro, might be worth it. The SpotClean Pet Pro has double the tank capacity of the Little Green, and the stain trapper tool made it more effective, particularly on pet stains. While the Little Green advertises itself as effective for pets, I noticed pet hair became trapped inside the tough stain tool and required soaking in hot water to remove it.

The warranty is also half the time of its bigger brother. However, I still love this nimble carpet cleaner for the price. It has a big enough capacity to tackle areas like my car without emptying and refilling too often. I also love the HydroRinse self-cleaning hose tool to keep the machine clean between uses.

Best for pets

The Bissell Little Green HydroSteam Multi-Purpose Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner is Bissel's most premium carpet cleaner and a great option for pets. I put its credentials to the test on particularly furry parts of my Airbnb and areas that were, unfortunately for me, soiled by pets who came to stay.

What I love most about this carpet cleaner is its three different modes: SteamWash, Steam, and Wash. The steam-only setting, in particular, is unique among competitors and allows the machine to be used on hard surfaces like tile in the bathroom to make them sparkle and shine. The SteamWash setting is ideal for pet stains since it sanitizes and loosens tough stains better than models that only use suction. The heated cleaning also means the machine has a super quick drying time of around 25 minutes on fabric surfaces, which I appreciated when I had to get the Airbnb ready for a guest's imminent arrival on one occasion.

Thanks to the steam cleaning, this carpet cleaner performed above average in removing red wine stains, coffee stains, and makeup stains and average in removing chocolate and marker ink. The Little Green HydroSteam also easily handled fur and human hair and, unlike the base Bissell Little Green, didn't clog.

I also love that this carpet cleaner's steam feature meant I didn't have to rely as heavily on harsh chemicals as other options. The cleaner head is slightly larger than the other Bissell carpet cleaners to tackle larger stains with less elbow grease, and the hose is a stretchy 5 feet in length to reach hard-to-get spots.

The capacity of the clean tank is 64 ounces, which is in between the other two Bissell options I tested. The cords and cleaning hose wrap nicely around the machine when not in use. It weighs 13 pounds, which is light enough to move between rooms or out to the car. It also has the longest warranty of any Bissell in our roundup (3 years) and has an excellent design that suits its premium price tag.

Best for spot cleaning

The Hoover CleanSlate Plus is an excellent companion for spot cleaning. I liked how I could switch the 7-inch wide path tool (the largest cleaner head in our roundup) to the much smaller tight spot tool when I needed to focus on a smaller area. This attachment was handy during the car cleaning test as I could reach down the sides of the seats where I noticed some grime and used the more direct sprayer and the smaller brush head to get it up.

Back inside, I put it to work on the usual pet stains left by guests in my Airbnb, which it handled efficiently. It did a great job removing makeup stains from the shaggy carpet in the bedroom and quickly took care of coffee grounds on the living room carpet. In our standardized cleaning tests, the Hoover performed below average with chocolate stains and average when it came to removing red wine stains, but excellent with coffee and makeup.

This sturdy and clean-looking device runs relatively quietly compared to other spot cleaners, making cleaning for longer periods less annoying. It's also lightweight, at under 10 lbs, and was easy to move around the house as I went from stain to stain. The clean water tank capacity is on the smaller side, at 40 ounces, which means more refilling than some of the other options.

I also noticed how compact the whole device was after wrapping the hose neatly around the machine afterward. The main drawback I found was that you need to prime pump the first time you add cleaning solution, which is an extra step I didn't have to do with other cleaners. It also only has a 90-day warranty.

What to look for in a portable carpet cleaner

With the help of Sara San Angelo, founder of Confessions of a Cleaning Lady with more than 20 years of cleaning 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. 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. Cordless designs are also available, but then you have to consider battery life, too.

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 was usually enough to tackle most of the 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, like beside the seats, and how maneuverable they were. 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.

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 cleaning solution on the affected area and again blot instead of rubbing side to side to avoid spreading the stain.

What is the best thing to clean a carpet with?

A carpet cleaner is the best tool for cleaning carpets. These machines clean carpets thoroughly thanks to specialized attachments that deliver cleaning solution and the suction it up to lift away stains. A portable carpet cleaner is a great option for spot cleaning and awkward spots like stairs, but if you're cleaning a large area, we recommend a full-size carpet cleaner.

What is the most effective carpet cleaning method?

If you are planning on cleaning a whole 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.