Best Carpet Cleaner For Pet Stains And Odor: Carpet Cleaning 2024

Your fur babies mean the world to you, but there is one little thing you could do without. All the stains in the carpet are really getting out of control. A traditional vacuum just doesn't get the job done, and it's nearly impossible to get everything out just by hand scrubbing.

There comes a time in every pet owner's life when they will realize they need to break down and purchase a carpet cleaner. Lucky for you, here is a list of the best carpet cleaners for pet stains to make sure you get the right product for your needs.

How To Pick The Best Carpet Cleaner For Pet Stains And Odor

When it comes to finding the best carpet cleaner for pet stains and odors, you'll want to consider a few factors.

First, look for a formula that contains enzymes or bacteria that actually break down pet waste and the odors they cause. Products with sodium percarbonate or hydrogen peroxide are also effective at eliminating tough stains and smells. Avoid cleaners with lots of perfumes, as they just mask odors temporarily.

You'll also want a cleaner that can handle old, set-in stains as well as fresh ones. Look for a product that can penetrate deep into carpet fibers. The best carpet cleaners for pets will often require some dwell time before vacuuming for maximum effectiveness.

Ease of use is important too. Look for a carpet cleaner that doesn’t require a lot of scrubbing or rinsing. The ideal solution should be simple to apply, leave on for a period of time, and then vacuum away. Bonus points if the product is non-toxic, pet safe, and won’t damage your carpet fibers.

Finally, check reviews from other pet owners to get real-world feedback on how well the product eliminates odors and stains. Look for a cleaner with mostly positive reviews mentioning pet, urine, and feces odors. The best carpet cleaner for you will get the job done without a ton of hassle or cost.

Keeping these factors in mind will help you find a carpet cleaner that really refreshes your floors and leaves your home smelling clean again. With the right product and some regular use, you'll be well on your way to stain and odor-free carpeting once more.

Also consider its size. Hand vacuums may be more preferable for certain surface areas such as couches and car seats, whereas full-sized ones are best for cleaning wide flat areas like carpets.

Best Overall: Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner

Powerful Suction and Cleaning

It has a powerful motor that produces strong suction to extract moisture, dirt, and grime from carpet fibers. The automatic cleaning mode delivers the right amount of water and detergent to loosen stains and odors.

Large Tank Capacity

This Hoover carpet cleaner has a large 1-gallon clean water tank and a separate 1-gallon dirty water tank. The large tank sizes mean fewer trips to refill and empty, allowing you to clean more of your home in one session. The clean water tank also has an automatic detergent mixing system to automatically dilute and dispense the detergent at the proper concentration for maximum cleaning power.

Convenient Features

Some convenient features of the Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner include:

• Automatic detergent dispenser - Automatically mixes and dispenses the proper amount of detergent for optimal cleaning. No measuring is required.

• Dual Tank Technology - Separate clean and dirty water tanks to keep the cleaning solution and extract dirt/water separate for improved efficiency.

• Automatic cleaning mode - Press the automatic cleaning button, and the machine will automatically dispense the proper amount of detergent and water to clean your carpets.

• Large wheels - Extra large rear wheels make it easy to maneuver the machine and navigate over various floor surfaces.

• Additional tools - Comes with a 2-in-1 antimicrobial pet tool, stair tool, and upholstery tool for cleaning pet hair and stains from various surfaces.

• Lightweight - Weighs only 18.5 pounds for easy carrying up and down stairs.

The Hoover SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner is an excellent choice if you want a powerful carpet cleaner that can tackle tough pet stains and odors in an easy, automatic way. Its large tank sizes, automatic features, and additional tools provide convenient and efficient deep cleaning for homes with pets.

Best Budget: Bissell Eraser PowerBrush

Affordable and Effective

If you’re on a budget but still want an effective carpet cleaner that can tackle tough pet stains and odors, the Bissell Eraser PowerBrush is a great option for under $100. This lightweight upright carpet cleaner is designed specifically for homes with pets.

Powerful Suction and Brush Roll

The PowerBrush features a powerful 4-amp motor that provides strong power to lift dirt and stains from your carpet fibers. It also has a rotating brush roll with stiff bristles to loosen tough stains and odors from deep in the carpet pile.

Large Tank Capacity

This Bissell model arrives with two tanks, so you can do more cleaning at your home at once. The tanks are easy to remove, fill, empty, and reattach. An 8-foot hose also provides extended reach for cleaning stairs and upholstery.

Pet-Friendly Features

The Bissell Eraser PowerBrush includes several features tailored to homes with pets. There is also a pet odor eliminator spray you can pretreat stains with before cleaning. The pet hair strainer helps prevent clogs from pet hair winding around the brush roll.

Hoover Carpet Basics Power Scrub Deluxe

The Power Scrub weighs in at only 18 pounds and is loaded with convenient features. No need to worry about elbow grease, the spin brushes and other features of this product do all the work for you.

It also comes with plenty of attachments, including an eight-foot hose to tackle stairs, upholstery, and other hard-to-reach places. Another awesome feature of this product is the separate water compartments.

This machine is able to rinse with just water to avoid annoying residue left in your carpets, or of course, use the detergent for a deep-down clean. Users also comment on how easy to empty the dirty water compartment is, and it shuts off when it's time to change the water!

This product is very reasonably priced for everything that it offers and even comes with a sample of the detergent to use for washing.

Rug Doctor Deep Carpet Cleaner

The one major downside of this rug doctor is the price tag. However, if you're willing to look past that and spend a decent chunk of change on a good product, this is it.

Rug Doctor offers professional-grade cleaning with up to 75 percent more suction than any other brands on the market. The Rug Doctor gets even the deepest stains out of your carpet. This machine is actually rated the best in its class by The Carpet and Rug Institute and won't void the warranty of your carpets or rugs.

The only other thing that may defer you is the weight. Coming in at over 25 pounds, this machine is a bit on the heavy side, but that's to be expected with this kind of cleaning power.

Bissell PowerLifter PowerBrush Upright

If you're looking for something to fit your budget, this might be the best pet carpet cleaner for you. Weighing in at only 16 pounds, this product is super easy to maneuver.

The Bissell PowerLifter is top-rated by customers and under $100. Unfortunately, it doesn't work with any special attachments for upholstery or stairs. However, this carpet cleaner will get those stains out of your floors and comes with a one-year warranty.

Hoover Carpet Cleaner Max Extract Dual V

The ultimate product for versatility is this awesome machine! Not only is it the best carpet cleaner for pet pee, but it also deep cleans hardwood floors. This machine comes with all those handy attachments for hard-to-reach places.

Stairs and furniture upholstery are no problem for this carpet cleaner. It also has an auto-rinse feature, so you don't have to worry about detergent residue being left behind in your carpet.

It is important to note that this carpet cleaner is on the heavy side, weighing around 27 pounds. It's also a little more pricey than many other carpet cleaners but is overall an awesome product for a pet home.

Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner

The full-size Rug Doctor may be the best carpet cleaner for pets, but if you're not ready to spend that much money, then this spot cleaner may be the right choice for you. This portable cleaner offers the cleaning power guaranteed by this brand but at a much more reasonable price.

Being that it is portable, this product is great for hard-to-reach places. However, if you're looking to clean the entire carpet, this spot cleaner probably isn't the product for you. Using this product on your entire living room would certainly work just fine, but it might take you all day.

Bissell Little Green Proheat Portable Carpet Cleaner

The Bissell Little Green Proheat is a compact yet powerful machine perfect for pet owners. This little guy packs a punch when it comes to lifting tough pet stains and odors from your carpets.

At only 9 pounds, it's easy to carry up and down stairs or move from room to room. The built-in handle makes it simple to transport wherever the mess is. It uses hot tap water and a cleaning formula to penetrate deep into carpet fibers, loosening caked-on dirt and stains.

While compact, this little wonder can save you money by extending the time between professional carpet cleanings. For under $100, the Bissell Little Green Proheat is a must-have for pet owners and a great all-purpose spot cleaner for any home.

Keep one on each floor for convenience; your carpets will look their best all year. This handy little helper will give you clean, fresh carpets without the high cost or hassle of renting a machine.

Conclusion

Look no further for the best pet carpet cleaner. Pet stains will be a thing of the past once you have one of these awesome products in your hands. Enjoy cleaning in your favorite dog shirt with these cleaning solutions at hand.

Using these products will leave you confident that your floors are actually clean, even with your pets around. To help avoid future messes and mishaps, check out these helpful tips for dog-proofing your home!

FAQ

What's the best carpet cleaner for pet urine?

An enzymatic cleaner is your best option. Enzymatic cleaners contain bacteria that break down pet urine and its odors. However, do make sure that you choose pet-friendly cleaning products to avoid any nasty repercussions.

What is the best portable carpet cleaner for pet stains?

Look for a compact model with strong suction and attachments for pet messes. Two highly-rated options are:

1. Bissell Pet Stain Eraser Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner. This cordless model is lightweight yet powerful. It has a sprayer to pretreat stains and a motorized brush to lift dirt and stains from carpet fibers. The large tank means fewer refills are needed.

2. Hoover PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner. This affordable Hoover is compact but mighty. It has strong suction, a pet hair strainer, and heated drying. The dual tank keeps clean and dirty water separate. It's easy to maneuver and great at removing pet stains, odors, and embedded dirt from carpets.

What are DIY options for carpet cleaning pet stains?

If you want to try DIY carpet cleaning for pet stains, here are some options:

• Baking soda: Apply baking soda to fresh stains to absorb moisture and odors. Let sit for a few hours or overnight. Vacuum up the baking soda and then treat any remaining stains with an enzymatic cleaner.

• Hydrogen peroxide: For set-in protein stains, try hydrogen peroxide. Apply and let bubble for 5 minutes. Blot with a clean, wet rag. The peroxide helps lift the stain from the carpet fibers. You may need to repeat it a few times.

• Vinegar and water: Mix water and vinegar in a spray bottle in a 1:1 portion. Spray over the soiled area, let dry completely, and then vacuum. The vinegar helps deodorize and brighten the carpet.