If you have children it can be a huge hassle to keep your furniture clean. Cleaning your couches and chairs by hand is not likely to be good enough if you have young children. Buying an upholstery cleaner will help you stay on top of the cleaning. A good upholstery cleaner can get rid of difficult to remove spots.
Hiring a professional upholstery cleaner is not usually necessary. It is expensive and will have to be done more than once as your furniture will get dirty again. With a high-quality upholstery cleaner, you can keep your upholstery looking new for a long time. Some upholstery cleaners are overpriced or, at worst, poorly made. If you look around on Amazon, you will find an enormous number of products. It can be challenging to make the right choice with so many options. You should know a bit about the subject if you want to find the right product and avoid shoddy products.
Best carpet and upholstery cleaning machine
Bissel 3624
The Bissel 3624 is not likely to disappoint anyone who is looking for a powerful cleaner that can deal with tough stains. If the stains are too difficult for the Bissel to deal with, you will quite likely need professional cleaning. It both has a long cord (22 feet) and a long hose (5 feet), so you can use the Bissel to clean hard to reach parts of your home. The hose is also very flexible. While this is a corded and not a cordless device, you will probably still be able to clean anything in your home with the Bissel, though some houses are different.
The Bissel also comes with an excellent variety of accessories. The Bissel comes with different extensions for different jobs. There is a six-inch stair tool and a three-inch deep cleaning tool included. The Bissel also ships with 8 ounces of professional high quality cleaning liquid. The tank is also of reasonably large capacity, three-quarters of a gallon. If the container is too small, it can take longer to clean your home as you will have to refill the tank too often.
The Bissel is a very versatile cleaner that can clean your rug, the inside of your car, or your stairs just as well as it will clean your upholstery. The powerful combination of scrubbing and sucking will remove difficult stains from a variety of different surfaces. The Bissel is also reasonably light (16.62 pounds) and, therefore, the right choice if you have more than one floor worth of upholstery that needs to be cleaned.
While the Bissel is one of the better and not one of the worse choices, it may not be the most durable upholstery cleaner you can purchase. The hose can wear out and need to be replaced if you are not careful with it. The end of the hose that connects to the brush is vulnerable to breaking. You will end up with holes in the tube if you bend it too far and too often. While the Bissel is backed up with a good warranty and is an excellent machine in general, you must be reasonably careful with it as the hose could be of higher quality. Depending on the layout of your home, you might need a cordless cleaner to reach hard to find places. While it has a long cord and a long hose, the reach is not sure to be enough.
Important features:
- Very long and flexible hose
- High effectiveness
- Strong warranty
Pros:
- Very high power for cleaning tough stains
- Ships with multiple brushes
- Includes high-quality professional cleaning liquid
- Reasonably small and lightweight
- Long cord and hose
Cons:
- Not particularly cheap
- The hose is not particularly durable
- Corded rather than cordless
Hoover Spotless
One distinctive feature that helps the hoover spotless stand out from its competition is its self-cleaning technology. The hose and the internal mechanism will clean itself, ensuring that the machine continues to work well even after you use the cleaner on stains that could clog some other devices. The self-cleaning feature works as well as the company claims, so if you need a cleaner that can deal with hazardous stains, the hoover might be the right way to go.
The hoover also has two different tanks, one for clean water and one for dirty water. The dual tank technology makes the machine much easier to work with. You can quickly fill the clean water tank in the middle of a job or empty the dirty water tank at the end of it.
The hose is also lengthy, and the weight is only nine pounds, which is light and not merely reasonable. If you are looking for a lightweight machine, the hoover is better than a large majority of the other options. The device is small as well as light, which makes it easy to get into awkward and cramped locations.
While someone who hardly ever needs their upholstery cleaned might rent an upholstery cleaner very occasionally, this is a waste of time and money for many other people. The cost of renting over time becomes so much more than the cost of owning an upholstery cleaner that you are much better off buying your own machine.
The small size of the hoover also makes it easy to find a good place to store the cleaner. It will easily fit into a small cupboard beneath a kitchen sink in some other convenient location that a larger machine would not fit. Mattresses are hard to clean, and the hoover can save you from a stained mattress even if you don’t know about and clean the mess right away.
Hoover is a respected company that will replace a product that arrives with manufacturing defects. However, the Hoover Spotless may be more likely to arrive with problems than the Bissel 3624. Sometimes, the hoover may smell like mildew when you open the box as if the machine was tested and then put away while wet. The hoover sometimes also breaks on the first use or the first few uses, due to obvious manufacturing problems.
These manufacturing problems are not common, and the hoover is likely to arrive in a functional state and continue to work for a long time after purchase. If there are any manufacturing defects, the company can be counted on to replace the product.
Important features:
- Self-cleaning system
- Clean water and dirty water in separate tanks
Pros:
- Very lightweight
- Innovative technology
- Fairly cheap, much more so than even occasionally renting upholstery cleaners
- Strong warranty
Cons:
- May have manufacturing defects
Rug Doctor
While relatively heavy (almost 20 pounds) and large, the rug doctor is nonetheless powerful. The rug doctor claims to have twice the suction power of comparable leading machines and does have a reputation for being powerful enough to get the job done quickly. One of the worst things about cleaning auto interiors, rugs, or upholstery by hand is that one has to do a lot of scrubbing, sometimes to little effect. The Rug Doctor’s powerful motorized brush scrubs much better than anyone can do by hand. It can quickly remove a stain that won’t go away even if you manually scrub it for a longer time.
The rug doctor is very good at cleaning deep below the surface of rugs and carpets. Vacuums and weaker upholstery cleaners only do a surface level clean. The rug doctor both has a brush that moves back and forth 1200 times per minute and unusually strong sucking power. Customers tend to be impressed by how well the machine works for all sorts of messes. In spite of its large size, the tank is a little small, only 0.5 gallons.
The rug doctor also does not have an automatic cleaning feature, so it has to be cleaned by hand. One should rise it out with clean water on occasion. The brush should also be opened up and cleaned. Hairs and other debris might otherwise build up in the cleaner and reduce its effectiveness. If you are looking for a machine that can clean a large area, the rug doctor might not be the best idea. A machine with a larger tank would be a better idea. However, this is an excellent machine for cleaning small areas because of its pure power.
Important features:
- Powerful scrubbing brush that moves back and forth 1200 times per minute
- Easy to take apart and clean by hand
Pros:
- Well above average sucking power
- Capable of cleaning well below the surface of rugs and carpets
Cons:
- The cord is not very long
- Can be difficult to remove the tanks without spilling dirty water
- Not very light and not very large tanks
Bissel Multi-Purpose
The bissel multi-purpose is an excellent machine with few flaws. It is light (a little under 10 pounds) and yet still has plenty of sucking power. The Bissel is also compact and works for hard to reach areas. One of the few flaws is that the cord is only 15 feet long, which may be too little for some people. Another disadvantage is that the hose is not as long it is for some other models. Nonetheless, it is an excellent machine in spite of these two flaws.
The Bissel multi-purpose can get carpets, rugs, stairs, mattresses, and couches looking newer than they have looked in years. Bissel makes many excellent machines, and this is one of their better options. Another advantage of this machine is that Bissel manufactures it largely using recycled materials. Bissel also offers a good one year warranty, and the clean and dirty water are in separate tanks. The tank capacity is a little bit low, but that is what one can expect for a lighter machine that weighs only 13 pounds.
The most important thing people are looking for when they buy an upholstery cleaner is effectiveness at cleaning stains. Certainly, the Bissel multi-purpose has plenty of power and effectiveness. People also consider durability and weight to be important, and the Bissel is both light and durable. One will not have to worry about the machine breaking shortly after they buy it.
Like most, although not all upholstery cleaning machines on the market today, you have to clean the Bissel manually. Make sure to clean it, or else it will lose its effectiveness over time. Using a mix of dish soap and water to clean the machine is the best way to go.
Important features:
- Helps to dry as well as clean messes
- Light and portable
- Made out of recycled material
Pros:
- Highly effective at cleaning messes
- Durable and reliable
Cons:
- The hose is not as long as some other options
- The cord is not very long
SpotBot Pet
If you are looking to save as much time as possible, you might want to go with an automatic carpet cleaning machine. The SpotBot Pet might be the right way to go. Simply place the machine on your rug and turn it on, and it will move around your room on its own and clean the whole carpet itself.
The SpotBot Pet is very easy to use and cleans your upholstery with an automatic three-step process. The SpotBot Pet first sprays then brushes and then sucks up your messes. You do not have to switch between the spraying, brushing, and sucking stages manually. If you want to save as much time as possible, you might want to make the most of modern technology and purchase an automatic house cleaning machine of this kind.
While the SpotBot is best for cleaning large carpeted areas automatically, the SpotBot can also be used for manual cleaning. You can attach a typical hose to the end of it and use it to manually clean a chair or the inside of a car or anything else. While the SpotBot is somewhat more expensive than most of the other options, it may be worth the money if it saves you time. If it would save you time to own an automatic carpet cleaning bot, you should consider the SpotBot.
A portion of each sale of the SpotBot is donated to charities for homeless pets. The SpotBot needs to be cleaned manually. Cleaning these machines is essential, as mold or mildew will grow in the dirty water tank if you do not bother to clean it.
While most customers consider the SpotBot a good product, it may have durability issues. The hose is something one may have to be gentle with, as small holes will appear otherwise. The water tanks may also become leaky over time. While many users report that the SpotBot works for years without any problems, other customers report that the machine does not last for very long.
It may be a good idea to get the SpotBot if you want an automatic machine. If an automatic feature would be of little use to you, get a standard cleaner. Typical upholstery cleaners are at least cheaper than the SpotBot, and the best of them may be more durable as well.
Important features:
- Works for automatic as well as manual cleaning
Pros:
- Can clean stains deep into rugs and carpets
- Saves time
- Two automatic cleaning modes, one faster and the other more thorough
Cons:
- Relatively expensive
- Might not be at the top durability wise
BISSEL Pet Stain Eraser
The Bissel Pet Stain Eraser is a tiny, lightweight, one-handed machine with an elegant design. The unusual and sleek appearance of the machine suggests that it is an excellent product that will allow you to clean your whole house quickly and easily with one hand. Unfortunately, the Bissel Pet Stain Eraser has more flaws than other Bissel products. While Bissel is a very respected company, not all of their products are excellent.
The appeal of a 7.2-pound cordless machine is considerable, and many people like it and see no problems with it. However, the Bissel Pet Stain Eraser is not a durable product. Many of these machines start to leak very early on. The Pet Stain Eraser may also leak dirty water onto whatever surfaces it is supposed to be cleaning, doing more harm than good. The Bissel Pet Stain Eraser seems to be poorly made. While most people do not mind the Pet Stain Eraser, noticeably more people have problems with it than with the typical upholstery cleaner. This product is not a good option, not even if you are looking for a light and cordless cleaner.
Important features:
Cordless
- Includes window cleaning tool for cleaning hard surfaces
Pros:
- Very light and portable
- Most customers do not report any durability issues
Cons:
- More likely to leak and break than other products
BISSEL SpotClean ProHeat
If you want a cordless cleaner, this a much better choice than the Pet Stain Eraser. The Bissel SpotClean ProHeat has the durability and reliability that the Pet Stain Eraser lacks. While it is heavier than the Pet Stain Eraser, it is still light (9 pounds) and has a much better reputation for quality.
When cleaning stairs, the inside of a car, and hard to reach places, a cordless portable upholstery cleaner is much better than a corded cleaner is. The SpotClean ProHeat might be the right tool to buy if you are looking for a cordless cleaner. There are not many cordless models, and some of the other cordless models have bad reputations.
The SpotClean ProHeat cannot heat the water that you fill it up with. What it can do is keep the temperature of the water you pour into it high. This is quite an advantage as with other upholstery cleaners, the water will cool very quickly, and you may not be able to use hot water.
The SpotClean ProHeat can be effective at getting rid of old and not merely new stains in some cases. A stain that has been there for six months or longer might quickly go away. However, the brushes on the SpotClean ProHeat are not motorized. Without motorized brushes, it is going to take some manual scrubbing to remove some of the tougher stains. The SpotClean ProHeat will only release cleaning liquid and vacuum the liquid up. Sometimes, this can work quite well on its own – there doesn’t necessarily have to be any scrubbing involved. However, if you want to avoid manual scrubbing as much as possible, you might have to go with a less portable corded model.
Important features:
- Cordless
- Keeps the temperature of the water hot
Pros:
- Light and portable
- Reasonably powerful
- Durable and reliable
Cons:
- No motorized scrubbing brushes
- Short hose
Hoover ONEPWR Spotless GO
The Hoover ONEPWR Spotless Go is another reasonably good choice if you are looking for a cordless upholstery cleaner. The Hoover ONEPWR Spotless Go is very light (7 pounds) and does not have a bad reputation for durability. The cleaning solution that the Hoover ONEPWR ships with is also quite adequate, and it is pre-mixed, so you will not have to mix it yourself. While the brush is not motorized, it is effective and can clean a mess in a small number of strokes.
One disadvantage of the Hoover ONEPWR is that its battery does not last very long. If you use the machine continuously, it can take as little as ten minutes to drain the battery, and then longer than that to charge it. If you need to do large cleaning jobs, the Hoover ONEPWR is not adequate. For smaller jobs, on the other hand, it is excellent. If you need an upholstery cleaner that takes up little storage space and can be quickly picked up and used whenever a mess appears, this is a great product.
Important features:
- Very portable
- Ships with high-quality cleaning liquid that does not need to be mixed
Pros:
- Effective in spite of the brush not being motorized
- Takes up little storage space
- Good warranty
- Works well on many different surfaces
Cons:
- The battery does not last for very long
- Short hose
How to choose the right upholstery cleaning machine
Many different things should be considered. After the most important (cleaning power, durability, price, warranty) some other things worth considering are:
- The length of the hose. A longer hose can make it a lot easier to clean a lot of different surfaces. Make sure that the hose is durable and flexible as well. One bad feature that many machines have is a hose that develops holes easily.
- Whether or not there is a belt that needs to be changed. Some upholstery cleaning machines are belt driven, and you will have to open the cleaner up and replace the belt at some point. If that sounds like a hassle to you, look for a belt free upholstery cleaner.
- The brush should move. An upholstery cleaner without a moving brush is more work to use.
- Multiple attachments. Some cleaners ship with more than one head to put on the end of the hose, with different heads being useful for different purchases. Multiple attachments add a significant amount of value to your purchase.
- The length of the cord. If you are not using a cordless model, the length matters.
What will you be cleaning
If you are planning to use your cleaner mostly to remove stains from couches, mattresses, or chairs, you do not need a machine with a large tank. If you are going to be cleaning large carpeted rooms and staircases, on the other hand, then a larger tank is a good idea.
For some houses, a hands-free option is the best idea. The SpotBot will wheel itself around each room on its own and clean the carpets. Some upholstery cleaners are more capable of deep cleaning than others. If you are going to be cleaning carpets and rugs rather than couches, deep cleaning is more important.
Tank capacity
A larger tank can make the job much easier, as no one wants to have to refill the tank halfway through. It can take a lot of water and cleaning fluid to clean your house, so if you do go with a smaller container, you will have to refill it in the middle of a job. On another level, larger machines with larger tanks are heavier. Therefore, you might be better off with a lighter machine even though you will have to refill it halfway through. For cleaning the inside of your car, a smaller machine with a smaller tank and a longer cord is the right way to go.
Price
Thankfully, these machines do not cost hundreds of dollars. One can easily find a powerful upholstery cleaner for 100 dollars or less. Much more expensive machines do exist. However, you do not need to buy a costly cleaner to buy a cleaner that is of high quality. As long as you know what products to avoid, cheaper machines tend to be a better idea. Upholstery cleaners are not nearly as expensive as vacuum cleaners.
Corded or cordless
Most upholstery cleaning machines are cordless rather than corded devices. While there might be an electrical outlet within 15 or 20 feet of any point in your home that you want to clean, this is not always the case. Sometimes, you are much better off with a cordless machine. Put some thought into whether or not a corded model is good enough. Roughly estimate whether or not a 15 or 20-foot cord will reach everywhere in your hose. Be on the safe side, and don’t overestimate how far the cord will reach. The cord may have to go over or around things, which will cut down its length.
Some upholstery cleaners offer longer cords than others. A model with a long cord might be enough. You do not always have to go cordless. One reason why corded models are more popular than cordless models is that an extension cord will work just fine for these machines. With an extension cord, a corded model can reach anywhere in your house, unless there is somewhere genuinely far away from power outlets that you might want to clean.
Cordless models can feel more convenient to use than corded models. Having to find power outlets can make the job a bit less straightforward than it is with a cordless model. Having to find an extension cord and having to plug the machine into different outlets repeatedly can take up time. Therefore, cordless models do have their advantages. However, you should not go with an inferior cordless model over a superior corded one unless you plan to be cleaning a long way away from the nearest electrical outlet. Purchase the superior corded machine and use an extension cord. The advantage of a cordless machine is not enough to outweigh any significant disadvantages that a cordless machine might have.
Weight
It is essential to understand that these machines weigh a lot more when their tanks are full of water than when they are empty. These products are advertised as weighing only as much as they do with no water in them. A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds. Take the water weight into consideration when making a purchase. Some people will find it tiring to move one of these machines up and down staircases to clean the whole house if they buy a heavier machine with a larger tank.
As well as the weight, the size of the machine is an issue. If an upholstery cleaner is too large, it is difficult to fit into cramped spaces that you need to clean. Think ahead and do not buy one of the larger models unless you know you will be able to fit it everywhere relevant. Usually, a larger model is fine and will be able to clean anywhere in your house, but this is not always true. Think ahead and purchase a machine well suited to your home.
FAQ
What is the best upholstery cleaner machine?
For most people, the Bissel multi-purpose is the right choice. The Bissel multi-purpose is a light and powerful machine with few flaws. It is a corded rather than a cordless device, but you can use an extension cord if you need to take it a long way away from an outlet.
What is the best way to clean a fabric sofa?
Always read the instructions before you clean a fabric sofa. You can damage a fabric sofa if you clean it the wrong way. Sometimes you can clean a fabric sofa with a water-based cleaner. In other cases, you will need to use a waterless solvent. You might have to use only a brush and a vacuum and no cleaning liquids for some sofas.
How do you deep clean upholstery?
It is significantly easier to clean upholstery if you have an upholstery cleaner. You can do your best with a spray bottle full of cleaning liquid and a vacuum, but it will not work as well. Several minutes worth of vacuuming followed by several minutes worth of dry scrubbing and then several minutes worth of suds can work reasonably well sometimes. However, an upholstery cleaner will get the job done better and faster.
How do professionals clean upholstery?
Professionals use methods that are similar to what ordinary people use. They usually use high-end upholstery cleaners. They may have a lot of knowledge about what products to use on each type of stain on each type of material, but their methods are the same as what people do themselves. It is not usually worth it to pay for expensive professional cleaners. You can do it yourself if you have the right tools.
As with any product, you should do your research first. Upholstery cleaning machines vary greatly in their quality and price. If you simply pick something off of the shelf without knowing anything about it, you may end up with a machine that works poorly right from the start and does not have a good warranty. A bit of research can save you time and money.