If you want to know which is the best carpet shampooer to buy, then first you need to understand that is the purpose of such machines. Whilst a vacuum cleaner is great for getting your house clean, if you have carpets or rugs you may need something more to help lift stubborn stains and to get them looking fresh and new again. . And, as pet owners know, they can also contain unpleasant odours, bugs and allergens which can be harmful to both human and animal health. This is where carpet shampooers come into their own – machines designed specially to clean the fibres of all the dirt, residual mess, and harmful substances that lurk in any carpeted area in your house.

However, not all carpet cleaning machine & carpet shampooers are the same, so, before buying the one that you have your eye on, it is important to understand its capabilities, its key features, and also some of its drawbacks. Here is a Carpet Shampooer Review to guide you further.

Best Shampooer for Cleaning Your Carpet

In the following Carpet Shampooer Review we highlight some of the best machines currently on the market.

Bissell Big Green

This is a heavy duty carpet cleaner that sprays the carpet with a mixture of water and liquid cleaning solution, and then, with the help of strong motors, and the application of powerful suction, uses a proprietary Power Brush to scrub and raise dirt from carpet fibres. It contains two tanks which separate clean and dirty water, making it easy to clean and maintain after use.

The Bissell Big Green is equipped with a 25 feet long power cord, and is supplied with a very useful 6 inch Tough Stain Tool that allows you to spray and get to stains on stairs, upholstery and other soft surfaces.

Pros:

• The Big Green has a reputation as being one of the most effective carpet shampooers on the market, and comes with large capacity tanks.
• It is very strong and durable, and, considering its weight, is relatively compact.

Cons:

• Due to its size and weight it is difficult to manoeuvre.
• For some, the fact that it comes with a power cord may be considered a disadvantage.

Rug Doctor Mighty Pro

The Mighty Pro is a heavy duty, and robust cleaner, which is particularly effective for cleaning very dirty carpets and large rooms. It comes with a very large capacity 3.9 gallon tank, which means that the water only has to be changed infrequently, and is equipped with a powerful vibrating brush that can reach down and remove dirt and grime, even from the deepest layer of a carpet or rug.

It also comes equipped with a range of upholstery tools and cleaning detergent, meaning that you can start cleaning straight away with it, without delay.

Pros:

• This is one of the most durable products on the market. The Rug Doctor is built to last.
• It also has some of best customer reviews when it comes to how effectively it cleans.
• The large tank means that the water does not need to be changed very often.
• One of the quietest carpet shampooers available.

Cons:

• It is heavy and difficult to manoeuvre, making it better suited to large rooms than confined spaces.
• There is only one tank, so clean and dirty water can become mixed up together.
• Like the Big Green, it comes with a power cord.
• It is one of the more expensive carpet shampooers on the market.

Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe

The Power Scrub Deluxe is the most popular carpet shampooer of Hoover, it’s designed to clean a variety of carpeted and upholstered areas in a house. It contains two tanks that are easy to fill, empty and clean, and are manufactured in such a way to prevent spills. Features include a multiple brush system, automatic detergent mixing, and a rinse control, whilst it also makes use of forced heated air to speed up drying times.

It is also equipped with a Dual V Nozzle which enables users to clean all surfaces evenly.

Pros:

• It cleans effectively according to consumer tests, and efficiently extracts water from carpets. Its heated air facility makes carpets and rugs dry faster.
• It is lightweight and relatively easy to manoeuvre, with a built-in handle which is useful for moving up and down stairs.
• It is one of the more affordable Carpet Shampooers on the market.

Cons:

• Like the other two models it comes with a hose, which, at only 20 feet, is shorter than most other models.
• It is noisy when in use.
• It does not come supplied with any specific brushes for cleaning the edges of carpets.

Why a Carpet Shampooer may be important for You?

There are several reasons why you should consider buying a carpet shampooer.

Protect your investment

Carpets are expensive, so cleaning them helps to keep them in good condition and prolongs their life.  The cost of even the best carpet shampooer is much less than having to buy new carpets or rugs every few years.

Maintains the appearance of your home

Whilst vacuuming helps get rid of the dust and debris that accumulate every day, only a deep clean of a carpet can really get rid of the tougher stains. They also help bring out the colours of a carpet which may have faded over time. And, as a side benefit, if you are considering selling your house, they can help make it a more attractive proposition to prospective buyers.

Improves the smell

Anybody who lives in a home with pets or small children will be familiar with the type of spillages that may occur on a carpet, and the smells associated with them. Cleaning it with a carpet shampooer helps restore their freshness and aroma.

Prevents the Spread of Disease

Carpets are a breeding ground for bacteria, allergen, and dust mites, which can be dangerous for health, especially those with allergies.  Regular cleaning is a way to combat this.

Carpet Cleaning Tips and Advice Using a Carpet Shampooer

There are certain ways you should use your carpet shampooer in order to get the best results.

The first step is to prepare the carpet and the areas which you intend to shampoo. This means removing any furniture first, and then vacuuming the carpet first to remove any loose dirt, pet hairs. It is advisable to be methodical and work through a house on a room-by-room basis in this manner.

Any areas with tough, engrained stains should be sprayed with stain remover. It is important that the manufacturer’s instructions are closely followed, because some products are best left on the surface of the carpet or rug until you vacuum over them, whilst others should be dabbed with a clean, dry cloth.

Then you should prepare the carpet shampooing machine, again making sure to follow the maker’s instructions when it comes to how much shampoo should be used – too much, and residue will build up on the carpet, making them look dirty again.

Be prepared to take your time. Whilst there will always be an urge to clean quickly, this should be resisted. Allow the machine time to suck up all the dirt and mess that accumulates on a carpet, and also go over the same areas twice, with back and forth strokes to clean as deep as you can.

When you have finished shampooing the carpet, press your hand to test if there is any residual moisture left in it. If it is still wet, then vacuum the area again to remove any excess soap or water. You should also wipe down wooden surfaces and furniture immediately to ensure that no cleaning solution that may have leaked out in the cleaning process remains, otherwise it can cause damage.

Allow time for the carpets to dry before putting furniture back. And, when it has dried out, vacuum once again to pick up any loose dust particles which may have settled before somebody walks on them again.

Whilst money can often be a consideration when buying a machine, it is not worth your while buying a very cheap carpet shampooer. This is because the cheaper they are, the more poorly made they are likely to be. This can mean that it does not lift all the detergent off your carpet, attracting new dirt and stains.  Too much soiling of a carpet exacerbates the wear and tear, which means that, at some point, it will have to be replaced, probably much faster than it would have done if you had used a quality machine in the first place. In other words, investing in a cheap carpet shampooer is a false economy.

Consider also your choice of carpet cleaner liquid. Cheap liquids are often diluted with water which means that they are nowhere near as effective as premium products. That means that you end up having to use twice as much as you would do otherwise which means, at the end of the day, it costs you more money.  Some carpet cleaner liquids also contain dangerous chemicals which are not only harmful to your carpet or rug, but can also pose a health hazard to both human and animal inhabitants of a house, responsible for dizziness, nausea and fatigue, and even in extreme circumstances, more extreme conditions like liver and kidney damage.  It is always recommended that you test your cleaning solution on a concealed area of carpet first to see how well it cleans and deals with stains and other dirt.

Things to Keep in Mind before Buying a Carpet Shampooer

The main purpose of a carpet shampooer is to provide you with a professional cleaning service in your own home. That means that it needs to deliver an effective clean to your carpets and rugs, without, at the same time, requiring a great deal time and effort on your part.  Some key factors that need to be considered are:

• How effective and efficient is the carpet shampooer – how clean does it get your carpets and rugs? This, after all, is the main reason that you are buying one in the first place, and the best carpet shampooers should always meet this criteria..
• How big it is and how much does it weigh? You want a machine that is easy to handle and manoeuvre, and does not require too much exertion to use. Consider also if you have staircase carpets or hard-to-reach corners that need to be cleaned. You need to choose a cleaner that has been designed to clean angles and nooks and crannies.
• How easy is it to use, and switch between different functions, without having to stop all the time to change the water or replenish the carpet cleaner liquid during the cleaning process.
• How simple is it to clean and maintain after use? Can the compartments be easily removed, and do they allow easy access to remove any residual dirt or water?
• The size of areas that you have to clean. If you have large expanses of carpets or rugs to be cleaned, you will want to buy a machine with a large enough tank that it does not need to be refilled too often?
• If you have pets at home. Pets are notorious for leave their hair and stains on carpets and floors, so you need to choose a machine that can get rid of the stains, excess hairs, and any unpleasant odours easily?
• Last, but by no means least, you have a choice between carpet shampooers that come with a cord, and those that are cordless. If it comes with a cord it needs to be long enough to allow you to reach most parts of a room whilst, if it is cordless, it needs to have sufficient battery life so that you are not have to recharge it too frequently.

If you want to properly clean your carpets, then it is necessary to do more than just vacuum one. You could consider asking a professional firm to carry this service out for you, but they are expensive, and why pay money for something you can do yourself at home with the right equipment? Instead, bearing in mind the key criteria such as cleaning ability, manoeuvrability, ease of use, after care maintenance, and whether it is cordless or not, we have provide a brief overview of some of the products that can be considered to be in contention to be named as the Best Carpet Shampooer.