Best Carpet Cleaners for Serious Deep Cleaning

Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro is the biggest revolution in the world of carpet cleaning. It borrows the efficiency of Rug Doctor units, but it comes in a smaller and lightweight build (less than 18 pounds) packed with incredible features for ease of use. Maneuvering it will be appreciated by the owners of huge older carpet cleaner models, thanks to the low-profile foot and a bending body that make it glide like a regular vacuum. With this, you can get under furniture with ease. The removable brush roll cover also makes it easier to clean the brush and other parts of the machine.

As for its performance, nothing can beat it; even any of the well-known Rug Doctor models on the market. It removed mud, clay, and sauce stains we scattered on a test carpet with fewer passes compared to others. And even on its first two passes, the result was already very visible. We attribute the success of its performance to the inclusion of 2 DirtLifter PowerBrushes, HeatWave Technology, and suction power. With the said elements, it doesn’t just suck in dirt and stains but also the very last drop of solution it has dispensed. This renders the carpet visually dry and clean after a slow pass. 

Furthermore, you can set the ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro into 2 modes: Deep Clean or Express Clean. Depending on the mode chosen, it will dispense the right amount of solution. In our test, the Express Clean proved itself very ideal for rugs and fast cleanup as the spot we used dried within 40 minutes. 

We also find the CleanShot Pretreater a huge help in effective spot cleaning. Via the built-in pedal, you can activate it to release a continuous, controlled spray of solution onto a specific spot. This will give you the option to soak an area to the solution and dry it with the cleaner afterward. There’s even an included 3" stain tool and the 2-in-1 pet upholstery tool. You can attach the said accessories using the tube included and they will allow you to tackle dirt and stains in detail.

For heavy-duty carpet cleaning, there is no doubt that the products of Rug Doctor are the best choice. Though there are larger Rug Doctor carpet cleaners on the market, the size of Pro Deep Commercial can be overwhelming enough if compared to the other models we tested. It is heavy at 56.8 pounds and will certainly require you to exert more effort in setting it up each time you need it, but its cleaning power is satisfying.

Together with its rotating brush system, it can tackle stains and dirt on low- and high-pile carpets with ease. What’s surprising about it is how fast it can clean everything even on its very first pass along the surface. In our test, the carpet came up almost free from stain after 2 passes. Its suction performance was wonderful, leaving less damp carpet compared to others and no trace of dirt was found afterward. 

We also love its other details such as the 2 large-capacity 1.5-gallon clean and dirty water tanks with a built-in measuring cup. It can cover a wide area which saves you time from repeatedly filling in the tank. There’s even a solution indicator light that alerts users when the content level of the tank gets low.

Further, Pro Deep Commercial can work with a motorized upholstery tool which is sold separately. This gives you the option to use it for other surfaces such as upholstery, stairs, mattresses, pet areas, car interiors, and more.

Hoover SmartWash Pet is designed to make carpeting cleaning as easy as possible for anyone. Through its automatic features, there is almost no guesswork in its use. First is its triggerless system which removes buttons and switches to dispense the solution out of the unit. By simply pushing it forward, SmartWash Pet will automatically release a fixed amount of solution on the surface. On the other hand, its drying function which features the brand’s HeatForce can be activated by pulling it backward. It also allows Dry Only mode which can be activated by pushing the button in the unit. 

And while the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro sports the built-in CleanShot Pretreater, Hoover SmartWash Pet offers the new Spot Chaser Pretreat Wand. This special feature is directly built in the handle of the unit itself. By detaching the handle, it will serve as an independent sprayer you can use for the precise application of the solution to a specific spot.

There is also no need to premix the water and the solution as there is a separate tank for each one. With this, the machine itself will mix the solution for you. The caveat about it, however, is that it limits your control in the potency of the mixture you want to use. In our test, nonetheless, Hoover SmartWash Pet exhibited pleasing results using its dual-brush system. It is just one step behind the ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro and Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 in terms of stain removal. It still managed to leave the carpet spotless with 4 to 5 passes. Its Spot Chaser Pretreat Wand and FlexForce Pet Powerbrush were also a godsend in tackling darker spots and concentrated stains in our test.

Power Scrub Deluxe is another budget-friendly carpet cleaner from Hoover but unlike the PowerWash Pet, it comes with a great number of features that makes it versatile and effective in any cleaning setup.

First is its 1-gallon Automix solution tank which functions just like in SmartWash Pet. However, unlike the said model, Power Scrub Deluxe features a Rinse/Wash knob that can deactivate the mixing of the solution to clean water.

Another thing that makes it more desirable than its other siblings is its brush system. Instead of the conventional dual brush rolls, Power Scrub Deluxe comes with five 360° SpinScrub brushes that are placed close to each other as they rotate. The beauty of this unique style is that it makes it easier to maneuver on low- to high-pile carpets. The 5 brushes do not contradict the fiber in the carpets and it makes your movement flawless, as if you are pushing a self-propelled vacuum.

On the other hand, its suction power and HeatForce capabilities are just as effective as those in other Hoover models. With the same number of passes, it removed the sauce and stains we set up on carpets. However, its drying time is another thing. Just like PowerDash Pet and SmartWash Pet, it doesn’t offer the option for a Quick Wash so it might take 10 hours for the carpet to dry depending on the amount of solution you used. If you want this feature, it is available in the more expensive Power Scrub Elite which is almost identical to this model.

And although Power Scrub Deluxe comes with an affordable price tag, it offers attachments and an 8-foot hose that will allow you to also use it for stairs and upholsteries. Most of all, its nozzle and other components are detachable which makes the cleanup easier.

Hoover PowerDash Pet is not as sophisticated as the other carpet cleaners that we reviewed. Nonetheless, if you know its limitations and what it’s really for, it can be an excellent tool for you. 

The first thing to know is that Hoover PowerDash Pet is a compact upright model. This might make it look a bit of an underdog due to its size and limited tank capacity (0.50 gal.), but it gives it an advantage in terms of storage. It is also very lightweight with only 13 pounds that lifting it for anyone is almost effortless.

Its cleanup performance is utterly unexpected for its size. It can deliver almost the same level of cleaning as the SmartWash Pet with just the same 5 passes and without pretreatment. Truly incredible. And while we can’t say that its suction and HeatForce are not as pleasing as those in bigger models, it can still visually leave the carpets almost dry.

On the other hand, it doesn’t come with any attachment you usually get in the package in other models. Together with the fact that it only has a small water/solution container and a 20-foot short cord, it is undeniable that it is only meant for a small area cleanup and this makes it a good alternative for a spot cleaner unit.