Best portable carpet cleaner There are probably few homes that would not benefit from a portable or spot carpet cleaner. Small carpet shampooers can be a lifesaver for wine or other spills of colored liquids, pet accidents or for tracked-in mud. However, they can't handle big jobs or whole house cleaning; for that you need a full sized carpet cleaner or a commercial grade rental carpet cleaner, both of which are discussed elsewhere in this report. "Small but mighty" is how we've seen dozens of reviewers describe the Bissell SpotClean Pro 3624 (Est. $130). Owners love its portability and versatility for cleaning RV carpeting, car interiors, area rugs, stairs and upholstery. This Bissell cleans with attachments that fit onto a hose, otherwise it works just like a full-sized model. It includes a 3-inch stain tool and a 6-inch stair tool. It also comes with a bottle of a well-reviewed cleaning solution, Bissell 2X Professional Deep Cleaning Formula (Est. $20 for 48 oz.). Other attachments are available for optional purchase, including an assortment of brushes, some powered and some specifically for pet messes.

Like all of the Bissell carpet cleaners in this report, the SpotClean Pro is reported as extremely durable, and Bissell gets very good reviews for customer service. best way to eliminate cat urine odorOne particular feature that many owners mention positively is how easy it is to thoroughly clean out the tanks when you're done using this machine, a task that can be difficult and unpleasant on full-sized cleaners. cleaning whirlpool tubThe Bissell SpotClean's cord is 22-feet long and the hose is 5-feet, giving it a good reach. las vegas pool server jobsAt just 13.2 pounds, it's considered highly portable by most reviewers, although a few still complain that it's heavy, especially when filled with water.cheapest way to clean a carpet

In fact, the only complaint we saw about the Bissell SpotClean Pro is that some reviewers wish it had wheels to make it easier to move around. steam cleaner rental for furnitureTo them we say, never fear, Rug Doctor is here! carpet cleaning business slogansThe Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner (Est. $130) is nearly as well-reviewed for cleaning performance as the Bissell SpotClean, but it also has wheels and a retractable handle to make it easier to transport. Rug Doctor also includes a power brush for tough stains. The downsides to the Rug Doctor are its shorter cord, only 15 feet, and higher weight of 15 pounds. However, it does have a slightly longer hose at 5.5 feet. The only real complaint we saw about the Rug Doctor is its awkwardly shaped tank. It's rounded on the bottom, so you have to continually hold it when you're filling it at the tap, something that several reviewers say is difficult to do if you have issues with hand or arm strength.

The Bissell's tank is square with a flat bottom. Of course we know that not every pet is named Spot, but regardless of what kind of critter you have you'll be able to make use of the Bissell SpotBot Pet Carpet Cleaner 33N8A (Est. $120). It's quick and easy to set up and use. It also has something you won't find on any upright model: Its automated cleaning mode is universally adored by users, and is particularly helpful for those with mobility issues. Just set the SpotBot down, add water and detergent, press the button and walk away. The machine will automatically inject the water and detergent into the carpet, scrub, vacuum the dirty water back out, then turn off when it's done. The entire process takes about 3 minutes. If the stain is still visible, you can run the cycle again, and it's easy to move around if the stain is larger than the 7-inch diameter cleaning area. The Bissell SpotBot has a couple of settings for different types of stains, one for fresh stains, the other for set-in stains, just in case they've had a chance to dry before you can get to them.

The SpotBot is a very popular choice with reviewers for upholstery and area rugs, as well as traditional carpeting. It also converts to a portable carpet cleaner, with a hose and snap-on attachments, making it a highly versatile machine. Although owners say the Bissell SpotBot does the best job of scrubbing out stains no matter what their source, the Bissell Little Green (Est. $100) is even easier to haul around. The Little Green is almost 4.5 pounds lighter than the SpotBot -- 9.65 pounds when empty, 12 pounds when full -- and its 15-foot electrical cord is just 1 foot shorter than the SpotBot's. You'll have to pay for that light weight with some elbow grease, though, because the Little Green has no automated cleaning cycle. You must scrub stains manually with the included wand and 3-inch nozzle. However, the Little Green has heated water technology, which is a definitely selling point for some. Owners say the machine works well on small stains, and is easy to assemble and use.

Some owners say the suction on this machine is weak, leaving the carpet too wet. A few also find it difficult to clean, and say it's prone to leaking from the hose or the bottom of the machine. Still, when compared to other handheld carpet cleaners, the Bissell Little Green gets excellent feedback. It's also made of at least 50 percent recycled plastic, a notable feature for some owners. One caveat about any spot cleaner is this: It leaves clean spots in your carpet. This is a problem for some reviewers, who say they have to rent a full-sized upright so the rest of the carpet will match the spot-cleaned areas. If you have that issue, see our discussion of rental carpet cleaners elsewhere in this report, or, if you prefer to own your own, check out our recommendations for full-sized carpet cleaners.After years of RV travel, constantly building up dirt and trying every machine powered device to suck it up, I have come to a conclusion: No single vacuum is perfect for an RV, but some come close.

Some are good (enough), some require the dreaded (dare I say old fashioned) bag and others loose (or never had) enough suction power. Here is a breakdown of my RV vacuum trial and tribulations…the good, the bag and the under-powered. Shark – This little guy is hard to beat for under $100. The attachments were functional, it kept the pet hair at bay and, after a year of use it still had good suction power (not amazing, but good enough).   Dyson – They makes some great vacuums…if only they weren’t so darn expensive! We first tried to get away with our standard upright (cleaned great) but was way too bulky for the tiny and oddly shaped areas in the RV.  If you’re looking for a good vacuum for your house, this one is excellent!   Animal – We finally broke down and got one of these guys. It has a cord but it works like a champ on all the cat hair and obscene amount of dust we seem to collect Wild Camping all the time! The attachments are great and it gets in all the tiny awkward spaces in our RV and Smart Car.

Not to mention it has not lost any of it’s awesome sucking power. Digital Slim – We also looked into the cordless option, but I like the flexibility of the canister vacs. For us in the RV we really need the multi-function action of a canister and it’s flexible hose that can go in more places. (and you’d be surprised how quick 20-30min of cleaning time goes by).  However, we know of fellow RV’ing friends who love this vacuum. Roy came equipped with a Dirt Devil Central Vacuum to which I have mixed feelings about: It’s a very love-hate relationship. The “35ft” hose can be clunky and just barely makes it to the front of our coach (so any RV over 32ft long and you’ll need an extension that doesn’t exist). It has decent suction power and 3 out of the 5 attachments are handy: The dusting, selectable rug/floor (really only works well for floors), and crevice tools are great. The rugrat (so called) powerbrush is useless. It is terrible on carpet and does more damage to the fibers than picking up any dirt. 

I have yet to find a good use for the upholstery tool. For what little upholstery we have, the dusting tool does a better job at picking up pet hair. Then there is the bag that needs replacing (for us about every 2-3 months). This isn’t that big of a deal but seriously, is this 1980? No, we now live in the age of cleanable filters and bagless vacuums. All in all, it gets the job done and came with Roy. If it hadn’t, I wouldn’t purchase and install one.We did make this quick demonstration video for Fleetwood. So, keep in mind this video isn’t intended to be my personal opinions, it’s strictly informational if you’re curious to see it in action.   Bissel – Out of the gate this little guy impressed us (especially for $35). The battery would last 2 weeks worth of daily sweep/vacuuming and picked up a ton of dirt and pet hair. Sadly after about six months of use it started really loosing battery power and suction to the point of unusable. If you’re the occasional RV’er, this inexpensive vacuum could work great but not ideal for full time use.

Black and Decker – This cordless worked fine for the first six months then quickly started losing suction. Before we reached a year of use the battery was so weak, you were lucky to get 2 solid minutes out of it. Also, with no real floor cleaning option, it was best for small areas/furniture and not ideal for full coach cleaning. Of course, this isn’t every vacuum option out there, just the ones I have personally used and tested. It’s an ongoing search for the perfect cleaning companion. So, if you have a vacuum that has stood the test of time and nomadic abuse, for the love of all things fresh and clean, share in the comment box below! Wild Camping, Boondocking, Dry Camping, Dispersed Camping, Off The Cord…No matter what you want to call it we think being out in… Staying connected on the road is one of the biggest campfire discussions (right after the always fun black tank conversations) and… I love to cook, bake, grill, blend and just about anything that has to do with food and drinks!