Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide

What’s in a name?

Carpet cleaners are often marketed as steam cleaners or steam vacs, but these machines use a mixture of hot water and special detergent—not steam—to clean carpets. Carpet cleaners disperse the water solution onto the carpet, use brushes to agitate carpet fibers and loosen dirt, then vacuum the dirt and the cleaning solution from the carpet. before extracting it, along with the cleaning solution, from the carpet.

True carpet steamers, by contrast, use superheated water and high-pressure to clean carpets with or without detergents and chemicals. Both systems have their advantages, but carpet steamers are expensive to own and difficult to operate, which makes them useful only to professionals. For home use, choose a carpet cleaner to clean soiled areas in between professional deep cleanings. Try to get to spills and dirt quickly, as carpet cleaners are less effective on tough, set-in stains.

Improper cleaning can discolor, shrink or damage carpet fibers. Before you buy a carpet cleaner, make sure the fibers in your carpet can handle wet extraction. Refer to your carpet’s warranty before cleaning; some warranties on stain resistance are voided if the wrong cleaning method is used.

Upright carpet cleaners

Upright carpet cleaners are similar to upright vacuum cleaners, where the cleaning unit stands upright and brushes in the cleaning unit’s base do the dirty work. Upright carpet cleaners are the most effective carpet cleaners and, with the exception of stairs, perform well on a variety of carpets and surfaces. Upright carpet cleaners typically feature 8.5- or 12-inch cleaning paths. You’ll pay more money for a wider cleaning path, but the time it saves you may make it a worthwhile investment.

When shopping for an upright carpet cleaner, you’ll have the option of models with three tanks for clean water, dirty water and detergent; two tanks for water-detergent mixture and dirty water or a single tank that does everything. Triple-tank carpet cleaners save you the bother of mixing detergent with water.

Both triple-tank and double-tank carpet cleaners can save time, especially if they have large-capacity tanks. While this may make your cleaning go a bit faster, it will also make your carpet cleaner heavier and more cumbersome in small spaces. No matter which carpet cleaner style you choose, it’s a good idea to read online reviews of the models you’re interested in to make sure they have well-constructed tanks that aren’t prone to leaks.

Look for carpet cleaners with self-propelled motion to reduce stress on your body. If weight is a concern, compare the shipping weights of carpet cleaners, then add eight pounds for each gallon of liquid a carpet cleaner can hold to determine its working weight.

Portable canister and spot cleaners

Canister carpet cleaners and spot carpet cleaners are less effective than upright carpet cleaners at cleaning floors, but they’re the best choice for carpeted stairs, tight corners or other small spaces and for cleaning upholstery on furniture or in your car. 

Canister carpet cleaners have base units that stay low to the ground, and hoses that extend from the base unit to do the cleaning. Canister carpet cleaners can be used on area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting, but the hose offers the added flexibility of being able to take on stairs and small spaces—provided the hose is long enough to get the job done without having to lug the unit with you.

Portable carpet cleaners may be corded or cordless. If you choose a cordless model, pay attention to the time it takes to recharge the battery and the maximum run time at full charge. Look for portable carpet cleaners with powered brushes that agitate carpet fibers—they clean better and require less elbow grease than carpet cleaners without them.

Important features

Carpet cleaners vary in the features they offer, but there are some features you should look for no matter which type of carpet cleaner you’re buying.

Better carpet cleaners offer a way to keep water hot during use. Some carpet cleaners heat water using the heat generated by the motor while others have built-in heaters to help heat water and maintain the optimal temperature for cleaning.

You’ll also want your carpet cleaner to have rotating or mechanized brushes. The powered action of these brushes reaches deeper into carpet fibers and removes more dirt. Be aware that mechanized brushes can be tough on some types of carpet with frequent use. Fixed brushes are easier on your carpet’s fibers, but they clean closer to the surface than rotation brushes. Make sure that the brushes turn off when the carpet cleaner is in its locked upright position, otherwise you’ll need to turn it off each time you need to refill water to avoid damaging your carpet.

Look for a carpet cleaner that lets you adjust the flow of water during cleaning. Too much water can damage a carpet’s backing and warp the floorboards underneath. Make sure that power switches are easy to reach while you’re using the carpet cleaner, and look for tanks that snap firmly into position.

A few carpet cleaners offer the ability to clean bare floors as well as carpet, which is a nice plus if you hate to mop. These carpet cleaners have built-in squeegees that help to dry the floor, but their floor-safe brushes won’t dig quite as deep into carpets. If you want a carpet cleaner that can handle bare floors, look for removable brushes or a separate bare-floor attachment.

Need to know more?

• What You Need to Know About Carpet Cleaning
  http://ww2.abc7chicago.com/Global/story.asp?S=721386
• 12 Carpet Cleaning Tips
  http://www.tipsonflooring.com/12-Things-To-Know-About-Carpet-Cleaning.php
• How to Find Non-toxic Carpet Cleaners
  http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/carpetclean