11 best carpet cleaners to remove stains, tried and tested in real homes

Sometimes a vacuum cleaner can’t cut it. Ground-in dirt and food and drink stains won’t budge unless you tackle them with a good carpet cleaner.

Unlike vacuums, these appliances use water and detergent to loosen crumbs. The water floats debris off of the carpet fibres and the detergent breaks down stains, and this alllows a carpet cleaner to reach much further into a rug. If your carpet is looking a little dingy, it’s probably because of deep-seated dirt.

You have to pick the right carpet cleaner for your home. If you're a pet owner, for instance, go for a cleaner equipped to deal with muddy paw prints and picking up pet hairs (the RugDoctor pets spot cleaner is great for this). Lightweight and compact, spot cleaners are best for getting stuck into concentrated or tricky areas, like stairs and in the car (see the Tower and Vax cleaners below), while full-size models, like the Vytronix, are best-suited for covering more ground.

Carpet manufacturers recommend deep cleaning carpets at least twice a year, but if you live in a house with pets or children, it’s a good idea to double that, to prolong the life of your investment. Equipping your home with a good-quality domestic carpet cleaner will save a great deal of money on professional cleaning over the years. You might even find it strangely satisfying, especially when you see how much dirt is being pulled up.

How we tested

First of all, we assembled each carpet cleaner and noted how easy it was to set up. We made a note of how heavy it was and how easy it was to push. But, of course, the ultimate test was in how much dirt it could remove. We tested each cleaner on at least two different carpets to see how well it performed on piles of different thicknesses. We inspected the carpet colour before and after use to see if it looked visibly cleaner to the naked eye and whether or not any stubborn stains were left behind. Finally, we looked at whether the floor was sodden, damp or completely dry after use, giving extra points to those that left our floor good to go straight away.

The best carpet cleaners for 2025 are:

• Best overall – Vax platinum smartwash pet-design carpet cleaner: £229.99, Vax.co.uk
• Best budget buy – Russell Hobbs steam and clean steam mop: £34.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best for pet owners – RugDoctor pets spot cleaner: £107.09, Amazon.co.uk
• Best value – Vytronix P800Cw upright carpet cleaner: £84.99, Amazon.co.uk