Best spot cleaners for households with pets to take the elbow grease out of cleaning up

The VAX SpotWash Max Pet Design Spot Cleaner is the most powerful in VAX’s range, and it is designed to easily tackle tough stains, dirt, and pet hair. Equipped with specialised tools and cleaning solutions, it’s a perfect choice for households with pets, offering a powerful cleaning solution for carpets and hard floors. The cleaner has a 6.5-metre power cable and a 1.7-metre hose with an impressive 8.55-metre cleaning reach, making it flexible and easy to use. The tools feature antimicrobial protection, ensuring they stay hygienic even with frequent use.

This spot cleaner offers 30% more suction power and a rotating SpinScrub brush for superior cleaning results. It also comes with versatile tools such as a Crevice Tool and a Wide Path Tool, allowing you to clean carpets, hard floors, and hard-to-reach places throughout your home and car. The self-cleaning function is another standout feature, automatically rinsing out the hose to remove any dirt or debris. The compact design with a foldable handle and onboard tool storage makes it easy to store without taking up much space.

Our tester found the instructions simple to follow, thanks to clear diagrams and explanations. The chunky plastic tools were easy to wash under a tap and air dry. They clicked on and off to provide a secure, satisfying fit. Our tester recommends using a combination of tools for different areas of the home, noting: "If you have a pet household, keep a couple of tools, such as the Messy Clean-Up Tool, specifically for pet messes only – that way, it is hygienic."

The VAX Pre Treatment and Antibacterial Spot Washer Cleaning Solution (with a refreshing citrus scent) effectively lifts stains, dirt and pet hair, leaving the home smelling fresher. Our tester found the spot cleaner extracts a surprising amount of dirt and hair from carpets. Our tester shared: "I can't get over how much hair and dirt it picked up—my carpet has come up like new!"

The SpinScrub tool works well for lifting pet hair, although our tester pointed out that larger carpeted areas require a bit more effort. They also noted the importance of wearing gloves as the cleaning solution could irritate the skin.

For hose maintenance, the self-cleaning function was fast and easy, though our tester had some difficulty with the hose staying in place during the process. They said: "I'm not sure if the hose is meant to click into the self-cleaning slot. I had to hold it in place while the water cleaned the hose." Despite this, the cleaning process was clear and efficient, and it was easy to tell when the hose was fully cleaned.

As seen in the photos, this spot cleaner has been well-used by our tester. They own the large tank model with pet tools, but there are also medium tank and machine-only options available for those who prefer something smaller.

In summary, the VAX SpotWash Max Pet Design Spot Cleaner is a highly effective, easy-to-use and versatile tool for deep cleaning, especially in homes with pets. With its powerful suction, range of tools and convenient self-cleaning features, it’s a great addition to any cleaning routine.

Our tester found the Shark StainStriker Pet Stain & Spot Cleaner to be a powerful, lightweight and portable option for tackling heavy-duty stains. When paired with Shark's cleaning solutions, it delivers 20x more stain-cleaning power, offering great value for its price.

It's one of the best options for deep cleaning carpets and upholstery, effectively targeting stains, grime and odours. The Pet Stain Trapping Tool proved to be especially useful for tough pet stains. The dual-activated cleaning solution quickly removes dirt and odours, making it a high-quality cleaning bundle. It retails at a higher price point than other spot cleaners but is comparable to VAX's top model.

The StainStriker comes with various tools, including a crevice and hose-cleaning tool, a tough stain hand tool, a wide, tough stain hand tool, and a pet stain-trapping tool. Our tester appreciated the wider tool, saying: "It made it much easier to target larger stains more efficiently."

While the cleaner was highly effective at sucking up dirt and liquids, our tester did find that it required a bit more effort on older or stubborn stains, especially compared to motorised brush models like the Rug Doctor (below). The reversible brushes were a nice touch, with rubber bristles for delicate upholstery and tougher bristles for stubborn stains. "In the end, I found the tough bristles to be the most effective, and they worked well on upholstery as well," our tester comments.

The Shark StainStriker is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, making it comfortable to carry around the house. Our tester also liked the long power cord and cord tidy, which made storage easier. The instructions were straightforward to follow, with a video tutorial available via a QR code for extra help if needed.

Overall, our tester found the Shark StainStriker easy to empty and clean. She was impressed by its ability to remove stains over a year old. The formula worked well without the need for pre-treatment on tough stains, leaving surfaces with a fresh scent after cleaning. However, it's important to note that Shark recommends using only its formulas, which are available on its website.

The Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner stands out with twice the suction power of comparable models, making it highly effective at tackling pet stains, odours and hair. Its dual-action brush lifts dirt from carpets and upholstery, while the lightweight wheels and retractable handle make it much easier to move than other spot cleaners that require lifting.

Although it is slightly heavier than some models, the integrated wheels and handle provide smooth manoeuvrability, especially on carpets. The pet tool, featuring rubber nubs, prevents hair from tangling and loosens tough stains without damaging surfaces.

With a large tank capacity, you can clean multiple areas without frequent emptying, making it ideal for deep cleaning sessions.

Customer reviews highly praise its cleaning power, with one user stating, "This is by far the best spot wash we have had." If you're looking to refresh carpets and upholstery, the Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner is a top choice.

The BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro is a powerful, portable cleaner designed for pet owners. It removes tough stains and pet messes from carpets, upholstery, stairs, car interiors, and pet bedding using strong suction, specialised brushes, and effective cleaning solutions. It stands out for its large tank capacity, with a 2.8L clean water tank and a 3.5L dirty water tank, making it the best pet spot cleaner in this category. A larger tank means less frequent refilling and emptying, allowing you to clean more in one go without interruptions. It also ensures more efficient deep cleaning and holds enough water to tackle multiple stains effectively. Plus, the oversized dirty water tank contains more extracted grime and pet messes, reducing the need for constant disposal and making cleaning faster, easier and more convenient.

The BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro includes handy attachments like the Tough Stain Brush for everyday messes, a stair-cleaning tool for deep-set stains, and the Stain Trapper Tool for containing messy liquids separately. Its compact design, long hose, and large-capacity tanks make spot-cleaning quick and hassle-free. With a lightweight, compact design for easy storage and a 3-year warranty, it’s a reliable solution for tackling everyday messes.

BISSELL Floorcare Specialist, Elizabeth White says: "Pet-specific models will come with tools and attachments designed for pet owners. For example, the BISSELL® SpotClean Pet Pro includes a 7cm Tough Stain Brush, which tackles dirt and mess, while the stair cleaning tool helps to get at tough, set-in stains out of stairs, upholstery and even car interiors. The Stain Trapper Tool sprays, scrubs and suctions those extra special pet messes. Messes are collected and stored in a separate, removable container that twists off for easy emptying and disposal. This unique tool keeps pet and other liquid messes inside the tool and out of your machine."

The Ryobi 18V ONE+™ Cordless Brushless Swift Clean Stain Remover is a compact and portable alternative to larger models like the VAX, Rug Doctor or Shark units. Its small size makes it perfect for quick, on-the-go clean-ups in areas where a full-sized cleaner might be impractical. Whether you’re tackling a spill on the sofa, cleaning mud off your car seats or extracting a stain from your pet's bedding, this cordless spot cleaner provides a convenient solution that doesn’t have a power cord to restrict its use.

While the included 2Ah battery offers up to eight minutes of runtime, it’s worth noting that for frequent use, investing in a larger battery may be a good idea. Along with customers commenting in reviews, our tester also found the battery life restrictive, so if you plan to use it for more extended cleaning sessions, you might want to consider a spare or a larger 5Ah battery for longer cleaning times. The battery itself takes about an hour to charge, so it’s helpful to have one fully charged and ready for those unexpected messes.

Equipped with a powered brush bar that agitates dirt and debris, this spot cleaner is especially effective on stubborn stains like wine or mud. The brush delivers a deep clean, and the detachable parts can be cleaned in your dishwasher, ensuring they stay sanitised and free from bacteria and allergens. Compared to Ryobi’s previous model, this newer version boasts a brushless motor, offering improved suction and faster drying times. Additionally, it has nearly double the airflow rate and tank capacity, making it more efficient overall.

In our test, we found the cleaner to be lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, but at 4.6kg, it may feel heavy if used for longer periods. Despite its size, it works well for small jobs, like freshening up a car or tackling a coffee stain, but it lacks the power and battery life needed for large areas. The compact design makes it easy to store. All accessories, including the battery and charger, are made of durable plastic. Plus, the packaging is fully recyclable, which is a nice touch.

One downside is that it doesn’t have a self-clean function, so cleaning the hose and interior thoroughly can be a bit tricky. Additionally, the battery can get quite hot after use, so it's important to handle it carefully.

Overall, the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ Cordless Swift Clean Stain Remover is an excellent light-duty cleaner for small spills and stains. Its portability and compact design make it ideal for spot cleaning in areas where a corded model might be too bulky or restrictive. This is a solid choice if you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-use spot cleaner for quick clean-ups.

Thanks to its tools and attachments, the VAX SpotWash Duo Spot Cleaner can help with everyday cleaning and messy clean-ups. This budget VAX spot cleaner is great because it comes with a few tools designed to clean up pet messes. The tools have antimicrobial protection, so no harmful bacteria can grow on them. You can keep them separate from your general cleaning tools so they are dedicated to cleaning up after your resident furry VIPs.

The SpotWash Duo offers versatile cleaning on various surfaces. Its multi-purpose attachment is for cleaning carpets, rugs and upholstery. This attachment is interchangeable with a hard floor scrub attachment for cleaning tiles and laminate flooring.

The VAX SpotWash Max Pet Design Spot Cleaner is fast and simple to use. Its strong suction and deep cleaning capabilities effectively remove spills and stains. It comes with extra tools, including the Messy Clean Up Tool for tough messes and the Everyday Tool for everyday cleaning on carpets and hard floors. Its portable and compact design makes it easy to use on stairs and allows for discreet storage when not in use. Additionally, the self-cleaning function makes it convenient to rinse the hose clean after each use.

Customer reviews consistently praise the VAX SpotWash Duo for being a super piece of kit. As a wet vac, the combination of water, cleaning solution and suction loosens and lifts stains. Comments frequently mention how amazed they were to see how much dirt this spot cleaner lifts. But, as is the case with all spot cleaners, it is noisy – louder than a standard vacuum cleaner.

The BISSELL® SpotClean® Cordless is a portable cleaner that combines cordless convenience with powerful performance. It's perfect for quickly removing tough stains from upholstery, carpets, car interiors, and outdoor furniture, offering up to 35 minutes of runtime in Eco mode. Its triple-action system sprays, scrubs and vacuums mess with a 1.7-metre hose and special tools like the Tough Stain Tool and XL Crevice Tool. Dual removable tanks keep clean and dirty water separate, and the HydroRinse™ Self-Cleaning Tool makes cleanup easy. With cordless mobility, strong suction and a compact design, it’s a reliable, efficient cleaner with a 2-year warranty.

BISSELL Floorcare Specialist, Elizabeth White, says: "All pet stains and messes are best dealt with straight away, so a ‘grab and go’ model can offer the ultimate convenience. The BISSELL® SpotClean® Cordless is a portable carpet cleaner which is always ready to remove pet stains on the go thanks to its extended run time and the ability to store the OXY formula in the tank when not in use.”

If you're looking for a handy, lightweight cordless spot cleaner, the Beldray Pet Cordless Spot Buster can target stains on pet bedding, stairs and upholstery. It quickly tackles spills, pet hair and odours with the touch of a button. Its built-in spray function and scrubbing brush provide a deep clean on carpets, rugs and upholstery. With a compact design and 15-minute run time, it's easy to move from room to room, keeping your home fresh and mess-free.

It's more geared up for light-duty messes and could be very handy for quick touch-ups to car upholstery. However, as reviews indicate, because of its small water tank, it's not ideal for heavy-duty stains. All in all, it's a handy piece of kit for a cat owner, but maybe not so much for a household of Beethovens!

Pressure washer fans will be familiar with Kärcher, the brand synonymous with powerful outdoor cleaning. Bundle that expertise into a compact and portable wet vacuum, and you have the Kärcher SE 3 Compact Spot Cleaner.

The Kärcher SE 3 Compact Spot Cleaner deeply cleans sofas, carpets and other fabrics by spraying water and vacuuming at the same time. Its flexible hose moves easily without tangling. After use, the self-cleaning function allows you to wash the vacuum in one step, rinsing both the hose and device for hygiene, and the drying function allows quick storage. It comes with special nozzles for furniture, car seats and cushions, plus a small bottle of carpet cleaner. It weighs around 4kg and up to 6kg when full, so do bear this in mind if you are lifting it, as it is not transportable on wheels. Also, in comparison to the VAX spot cleaners, its power cable is relatively short at 3.5m. While this is ample for cleaning a set of stairs, reaching a car interior might be a bit short without an extension cable. The hose is 1.5m, which is standard for most spot cleaners.

Customer reviews highly praise the Kärcher spot cleaner's cleaning power. While users seemed to get to grips with it, several reviews commented that the instruction guide would benefit from simplifying. However, if in doubt, there are several YouTube tutorials to watch.

The Swan Lynsey Spot Cleaner is powerful, easy to use and convenient to store. Its long 1.75m hose makes cleaning hard-to-reach areas like stairs and upholstery effortless. Strong suction removes spills and stains quickly, while the large water tanks mean fewer refills. The auto-stop function prevents overflow, and interchangeable heads handle both carpets and spills. This dual-tank spot cleaner is a perfect tool for keeping your home spotless, and it's pretty in pink, too.

Customer reviews are all very positive, especially praising it for being lightweight and effective at cleaning. Cleaning guru Lynsey Crombie endorses the features of this spot cleaner, highlighting its powerful motor, long hose and ease of storage in the promotional video.

Lynsey's Spot Cleaner is part of Lynsey's nine-piece cleaning range.