Carpets allow our houses to be more comfortable and can add a lot to a room in terms of décor, but they're also minefields for trapping dirt, dust and bacteria - especially if you have a pet. Cleaning your carpets can feel like a big job, but with your carpet cleaner, you've already got a head start. To help you find your perfect carpet cleaning companion for a pet-friendly house, we've researched the very best available for all budgets.
Finding the best carpet cleaner for pets can be difficult with so many options on the market. But fear not, we have found the best cleaning devices that will have your home pet hair-free.
You might have the best vacuum cleaner in the world, but wait until you see the difference a carpet cleaner makes. Ready to get to work? Here are the best carpet cleaner for pets:
The best carpet cleaner for pets
1. BISSELL ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro

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The BISSELL Pro Heat 2x Revolution Pet Pro is one of the top-rated carpet cleaners out there, specifically designed for homes with pets. An update to the Pro Heat 2X revolution carpet cleaner, it comes with two rotating brush rolls with 12 rows of dirt lifting power brushes which confidently lift away dirt and grime.
The CleanShot Pre-treater lets you tackle tough spots as you go and the three-metre cleaning hose gives you plenty of freedom and flexibility. In Express Clean Mode, the machine dispenses just the right amount of solution so you can have dry carpets in as little as half an hour - perfect if you're expecting a last-minute visit from guests.
Weight: 8.62 Kg
Clean tank capacity: 3.7L
Dimensions: 38 x 32 x 110 cm
Power: 800 watts
Tools included: Tough Stain Tool2-in-1 Pet Upholstery Tool3-in-1 Stair ToolUpholstery hose, Nozzle cleaning tool
Review: "Used numerous times now and absolutely love it! I even go over my cream carpets in rooms that hardly get used and absolutely amazed at how much dirt comes out of them."
2. Vax ECR2V1P Dual Power Pet Advance Carpet Cleaner

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The Vax ECR2V1P has dual rotating brush bars to lift tough, deep down dirt from your carpets and the Twin Tank technology separates clean water from dirty water to make emptying it a breeze. The pre-treatment wand and solution help to tackle stubborn stains in high traffic areas.
Weight: 6.4kg
Dimensions: 48.9 x 40.4 x 38 cm
Clean tank capacity: 2.7L
Dirty tank capacity: 1.5L
Power: 800 watts
Tools included: 1 x Vax Dual Power Pet AdvanceWash Tool, Pre-treatment wand, Accessory Bag, 1 x 250ml Ultra+ Pet solution, 1 x 250ml Pre-treatment solution
Review: "I don't often leave reviews. But I felt this needed a 5* review. Really simple to put together. Really simple to work. Pulls out so much dirt. I knew our carpet needed a clean due to our puppy having a couple of accidents. I was shocked how much dirt it actually got out!"
3. VAX Compact Power CWCPV011 Upright Carpet Cleaner

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The super-light Compact Power Carpet Cleaner from Vax weighs just 5.7kg, so it's ideal for those who don't want to lug a heavy machine up and down the stairs. The Aquaspin brush bar tackles everyday mess and grime and the narrow head helps you get into every nook and cranny. Twin Tank technology makes it easy to empty and due to its compact size, it's ideal for smaller homes. It's a basic carpet cleaner - it doesn't come with any attachments - but it gets the job done and comes with a carpet cleaning solution.
Weight: 5.7 kg
Dimensions: 106 x 25 x 33 cm
Clean tank capacity: 1.8L
Dirty tank capacity: 1.5L
Power: 840W
Review: "I've bought a few carpet cleaners in the past and found them very heavy. As I now suffer from arthritis heavy equipment is a no-go. I'm so pleased with the lightness and performance of this little machine. Some might find it a nuisance that the tank needs replenishing quite quickly but I find that is a very small price to pay. I'm over the moon!!!!"
4. BISSELL CrossWave Cordless 3-in-1 multi-surface cleaner

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Ideal for regular, routine cleaning as well as those messy accidents that happen in an active family home this cordless cleaner vacuums, washes and dries hard floors and area rugs at the same. The easy-empty tank strainer separates and trapped hair and dry debris from the dirty water. And the two-tank system keeps clean and dirty water separate, ensuring you're always using fresh water and solutions on your floors.
Weight: 4.9kg
Dimensions: D35 x H118 x W33 cm
Clean tank capacity: 828ML
Dirty tank capacity: 620ML
Power: 1560W
Tools included: Storage Tray Charging Station, Dual Action Multi-Surface Brush roll, Multi-Surface Formula
Tried and tested by Deputy Commercial Content Editor, Natalie Corner: "The great thing about the 3-in-1 Crosswave is that you can choose between hard floor or carpet/rug at the click of a button on the handle. It's easier to use on hard floors as you can keep track of where you've cleaned and where you haven't. On carpets it's still good and collects large amounts of pet hair that was missed by a regular vacuum while using the cleaning feature. I'd probably use this way more for my kitchen and bathroom areas, and less so on my carpet but it's great to know it can do both."
5. Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner CDCW-CSXS

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The Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner CDCW-CSXS is an amazing affordable option if you're looking for a compact carpet cleaner to lift stubborn stains. Use on the stairs, the sofa, sealed hard floors and more. With various attachments to optimise its performance, this spot cleaner has edge-to-edge cleaning, sucks up spills and has a self-cleaning mechanism that flushes the hose out when finished. Ideal for smaller spaces, cleaning rugs and upholstery, this multi-purpose machine also has a 2 year warranty.
Weight: 3.89kg
Dimensions: 38.2 x 35.8 x 24.1cm
Clean tank capacity: 1.5L
Dirty tank capacity: 1L
Power: 1200W
Tools included: 1.52m hose, 1 x Multi-purpose Attachment 1 x Hard Floor Scrub Attachment, plus 1x 250ml Spot Washer Cleaning Solution.
Review: "Just bought it today and couldn’t wait to use it. I have two dogs and I thought I’d cleaned up effectively after one had an accident last month - how wrong was I. I couldn’t believe the mess that came out. Carpet is like new and I feel better it’s really clean. Will use this in future. I especially like the self-clean function. So useful. Next stop the sofa - can’t wait!! Excellent product, well worth the money."
6. Vax ECB1SPV1 Platinum Power Max Carpet Cleaner

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The ECB1SPV1 Platinum Power Max Carpet Cleaner from Vax claims to be able to remove up to 93% of bacteria, fungi and allergens, leaving your carpets fresh and dry within an hour. The hand wash tool and stretch hose let you easily clean any stubborn spots in your home, including stairs and upholstery. It has a large tank so there's no need to constantly stop and empty it out, and it has seven SpinScrub and rotating brush bars to rid your carpets of embedded dirt.
Weight: 9.6kg
Dimensions: 110 x 34 x 41 cm
Clean tank capacity: 3.5L
Dirty tank capacity: 2.9L
Power: 1200W
Dimensions: 110 x 34 x 41 cm
Tools included: 2 x 250ml Platinum solution1 x 250ml Pre-treatment solution, Pre-treatment hose, Upholstery toolSpin scrub brush, Hard floor tool
Review: "I bought this around 1 month ago to see if could restore the house carpets. Amazing results... stains, grim etc all came out. Equally as effective on the stairs with the wash tool and the hose is more than long enough. Also used it on fabric car seats to remove old coffee and liquid stains... seats are not like new. Also brilliant results on car mats. The platinum cleaning solution works wonders. Quality and versatile. With a 6 year guarantee, will be a household staple now. Great thing to have. Great job Vax."
7. Rug Doctor Spot Portable Cylinder Carpet Cleaner

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The Rug Doctor Portable Spot Carpet Cleaner is ideal for cleaning accidental spills and stains that happen at home, although it isn't designed to clean your whole house unless you're VERY patient. If you have a rug, carpeted stairs or small sections of carpet to clean, it would work well. It can also be used on mattresses, sofas, car seats and in caravans.
Weight: 7.4kg
Dimensions: 40 x W 41 x 28 cm
Clean tank capacity: 1.9L
Dirty tank capacity: 1.12L
Power: 1100 air watts
Review: "Really impressed with the cleaning power on this machine. Easy to use, brilliant suction, carpets dried really quickly and you can visibly see the difference. Great for spot cleaning carpets, sofa etc and will easily clean a whole carpet with a bit of patience too."
8. BISSELL HydroWave

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Another lightweight offering, the BISSELL HydroWave cleans deep into carpet fibres, removing what vacuums leave behind. It has a motorised XL brush roll with 10 rows of DirtLifter power brushes and Clean Shot technology to tackle stubborn stains. Using Express Mode, your carpets will be clean and dry in one hour. The dirty tank will need emptying more often due to its small size, so it would be better suited to smaller houses or just a couple of carpeted rooms.
Weight: 6kg
Dimensions: 38 x 25 x 112 cm
Clean tank capacity: 1.7L
Dirty tank capacity: 0.6L
Power: 385W
Tools included: Hard Surface Tools
Review: "I've mostly used the HydroWave on the express clean setting for my kitchen and lounge rugs. I used the deep clean setting on the landing once and thought the carpet would come up to suffice to say it's quite powerful! The HydroWave does exactly as described. It's surprisingly lightweight when I compare it to other carpet cleaners I've used in the past. The "CleanShot" which effectively shoots bursts of cleaner into the carpet fibre like some sort of cleaner's water pistol is a decent touch and adds to the range of use for this. It's great in the kitchen as mentioned for targeting problematic areas. It's not too bulky to store away and is surprisingly efficient with power."
9. Henry Wash HVW 370-2 Cylinder Carpet Cleaner

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Henry is a brand that's trusted in the cleaning world, and this carpet cleaner doesn't disappoint, tackling small and big jobs well. It quickly cleans carpets and hard-floors, freshens up furniture and the car. It can also handle emergency spillages, and can even help you with unblocking the sink. It has a huge clean tank and an even larger dirty tank, so it's ideal for big jobs, although it is heavy to transport.
Weight: 15.3kg
Dimensions: 37 x 36 x 51 cm
Clean tank capacity: 5L
Dirty tank capacity: 9L
Power: 1060W
Tools included: Dual Scrub Floor Tool, Fishtail Tool, Upholstery Tool, NuChem 4 Carpet Washing Solution
Review: "Very happy!! Drys (sic) the carpets in no time I am very happy indeed!! I thought Henry would let me down but nope he didn't so happy with the results. I done my carpet twice due to young baby crawling and I'm amazed brilliant product and easy to put together very pleased!!"
How often should you clean your carpets?
Generally speaking, you should absolutely deep clean your carpets at least once a year. If, however, you have a large family, multiple pets, are smokers or generally have high traffic coming through, every 3 to 6 months would be more suitable.
Cleaning your carpets regularly ensures any allergens, dust, bacteria and pet hair are removed, making it more habitable for those with allergies and asthma. It also helps to keep foul smells at bay, extend the life of your carpets and generally keep them in tip-top condition.
How do you keep a carpet clean with pets?
Clean any stains immediately with a toxic-free pet-friendly cleaning product
Vacuum or use a carpet cleaner regularly
Try to limit where your pets can roam in the home.
Use baking soda on any stains