Carpet cleaner reviews: FAQs

Some carpet cleaners have an extra nozzle for treating specific areas of carpet

Why would I need a carpet cleaner?

If you’ve got light-coloured carpets, then sooner or later they’ll get dirty with everyday wear – especially if you’ve got children or pets.

A carpet washer deep-cleans and refreshes tired-looking carpets with warm water and detergent.

Having a carpet washer on standby in the cupboard under the stairs can certainly prove useful. But you can but you can also hire machines for a day or weekend, or pay a professional to do the job for you.

Do I need a carpet cleaner or a multi-function cleaner?

It depends what you want to use the machine for, and how much space you’ve got.

A multi-function machine can vacuum and wash carpets, so you won’t need to store a separate vacuum cleaner as well. But multi-function cleaners’ vacuuming performance isn’t as good as you’d get with a stand alone vacuum cleaner.

If you’ve got the space, a carpet washer (and a separate vacuum) may be a better choice. You can compare the pros and cons of each type in our carpet washer reviews.

We assess how well carpet cleaners tackle gravy stains

Will a carpet cleaner remove spills and stains?

Although we check how well each machine removes dried-in red wine, coffee and gravy stains in our carpet cleaner tests, carpet cleaners aren’t great at tackling stains.

For nasty marks, a spot cleaner stain remover will be your best option.

All machines are able to suck up spills. Nozzle attachments for the hose are handy for this.

How much do carpet cleaners cost?

You can pick up a Best Buy from around £160. Cheaper machines don’t tend to have powered brushes or hose attachments, so what you save in money, you may lose in cleaning power and ease of use.

Where can I buy a carpet cleaner?

You’ll find carpet cleaners in large high-street electrical shops, department stores and supermarkets, and online.

Carpet cleaners aren't as popular as vacuum cleaners, you might not find them in smaller shops.

Powered rotating brushes help carpet cleaners give a deep clean

If you're happy to buy online, each of our carpet cleaner reviews shows where you can buy each model and the price.

How do I use a carpet cleaner?

1. It’s best to empty the room before you wash the carpet to ensure the whole floor is cleaned evenly.

2. Vacuum the carpet to pick up any loose dirt, dust and fluff.

3. Read the carpet cleaner instructions for details on how much detergent to use (most manufacturers recommended you use their own brand).
When using the carpet cleaner follow the instructions about how to use the machine and how many times you need to go over each section of carpet – too much detergent in one spot could lead to an uneven finish.

How long will my carpet take to dry?

Good machines will generally leave carpets dry enough to walk on after about five hours. But it takes around 24 hours for carpet to dry thoroughly.

Can carpet and multi-function cleaners be used on hard floors?

Some machines can be used on hard floors, so check the specification before you buy if you want to clean more than carpet.

Don’t use carpet washers or multi-function cleaners on unsealed laminate or wood floors though, as these surfaces can be damaged by the water.

What features do I need?

Check our Features explained page which highlights the key features of carpet washers and multi-function cleaners.

You can hire carpet cleaning machines for a day or weekend

What if I want to hire a carpet cleaner?

Cost

For a one-off clean, hiring a carpet cleaner is your cheapest option.
A one-off hire is generally less than a fifth of the cost of a Best Buy.

Where to hire from

Most DIY stores and many dry cleaners stock Rug Doctor and other carpet cleaners. You can pick one up for about £25 a night (make sure that you take two forms of ID). Four litres of detergent cost about £15 – this will be more than enough for a three-bedroom house.

Professional carpet cleaning

For £70-£100 you can get two average-sized rooms cleaned by a professional. Which? members can log onto Which? Local to find their nearest recommended carpet cleaning company.

In this review

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