Portable carpet cleaners (also known as spot cleaners) are similar to vacuum cleaners but are specifically designed for spot-cleaning a range of fabric surfaces, including car carpets and fabric seats.
They’re capable of removing tough marks and stains that even the best vacuum cleaners would struggle with, such as ink or lipstick, using a combination of concentrated suction and injecting carpet shampoo into the fabrics.
For those of you who transport kids, pets, groceries, and other messy things in your car, a carpet cleaner will be just the tool for treating those inevitable stains. They tackle stains that any normal corded car vacuum simply couldn’t clean.
The best spot cleaners for cars 2024 at a glance
There’s use for a portable carpet cleaner beyond the car too, they’ll make cleaning your home easier and more effective too. Take a look around the average home, and you’re sure to find plenty of upholstered surfaces that are a magnet for spills and stains. All of which a spot cleaner will tackle just as well as a handheld vacuum cleaner.
How we tested the spot cleaners
Each spot cleaner that we’ve had our hands on for testing has been thoroughly put to their respective limits. We tried some of them both in our homes and in some car interiors as well, but mostly for car seat and carpet cleaning. We’ve tested them in a variety of cars from classics to modern vehicles and had a go with all the attachments.
All tests were performed on cars outside in the car park at Parkers HQ, and as some were corded units, we hooked them up to available sockets. In terms of battery life testing, each machine was generally used for one car at a time, so we could get a realistic idea of how long they last on an average cleaning job.
What we look for in spot cleaners
Primarily, we’re looking for cleaning ability of the machines each time we test them. If they can’t lift dirt and leave a carpet looking immaculate, then they’re simply not going to be recommendable. These are machines that are a step above vacuum cleaners, and like a good vacuum, should be at least fairly easy to use. This applies to handling the spot cleaner, setting it up, and ultimately operating it.
Build quality is another crucial aspect we seek as spot cleaners can be fairly pricy, depending where you look, which neatly leads onto value for money. Is the deep cleaning machine you’re looking at worth your while, or are others representing better value for money? We outline it all in our tests.
The best spot cleaners for cars tested 2024
The best spot cleaner
That's because, assuming you insert the correct ratio of carpet cleaner and water, it makes deep cleaning a breeze. The handle and trigger are very comfortable to hold, and I could pretty much get a set of carpets clean in one or two runs. It weighs only 1kg, so moving it around isn't a hassle either.
It has a runtime of around 35-minutes if you run it in Eco mode, which will drop if you switch to the faster Turbo mode. The SpotClean was tested in two cars; one having the front carpets cleaned, and the other a going-over in the front and rear carpets. I'm happy to report there was still charge left to spare. You might struggle however, on a properly deep clean where the cabin is caked in mud after a day of hiking.
Second opinion: Naveed Hussain
"The Bissell cordless spot cleaner is ideal for use in the car, from cleaning spillages to general cleaning – this lightweight appliance is designed with ease-of-use in mind and is great at getting into some of the harder-to-reach areas like underneath the seats. It’s intuitive as well, with a simple trigger on the handle to spray cleaning fluid which is then vacuumed without any excess left behind.
The 35-minute run-time might be a bit short for deeper cleaning tasks but should be enough to give your car a quick touch-up, and the compact shape makes it easy to store. For more conscientious car enthusiasts the Bissell SpotClean is suited for the task at hand."
Pros
- Easy enough to carry around at 1kg
- Performs impressive results with not that much effort
- Sleek, modern design and feels like a quality item
Cons
- 35-minute running time may be an issue for longer cleaning tasks
- Diluting the spot and stain cleaner requires precision
| Dimensions | 34.4 x 34.2 x 23.1 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 900ml |
| Motor | N/A |
| Hose length | 1.7m |
| Cord length | N/A |
| Weight | 1kg |
Editor's pick
It was hampered by its size, but the build quality more than made up for these shortcomings. It’s an excellent way of breathing new life into a car and get’s our top pick for a car carpet cleaner.
Read our full BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro review here.
Pros
- Ergonomic and clever design
- 2.8-litres of water storage is useful
- Excellent stain-removing abilities
Cons
- Rather large, which can make carrying it quite bulky
| Dimensions | 25 x 36 x 35.6 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 2.8 Litres |
| Motor | 750W |
| Hose length | 1.5 metres |
| Cord length | 6.5 metres |
| Weight | 5.8kg |
The best car carpet cleaner on a budget
The stand-out feature of the SpotWash is that it can plug into itself to flush out debris and keep everything clean. For budget carpet cleaning, it’s a solid choice. it is a fantastic little machine for around the house as well as the car.
Read our full Vax SpotWash review here.
Pros
- Affordable, yet mostly effective at the task of deep cleaning
- Self-cleaning feature, which is useful
- Easy to carry around, thanks to large top handle
Cons
- Not the most powerful spot cleaner out there
| Dimensions | 38.2 x 35.8 x 24.1 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 1.6 litres |
| Motor | N/A |
| Hose length | 1.5 metres |
| Cord length | N/A |
| Weight | 3.9kg |
The best mid-range spot cleaner
A very capable machine despite it's size and reliance on batteries, it's even comes with swappable head attachments for crevices and wider cleaning. If you're wanting a properly cleaned car interior (or home), and don't want to be reliant upon power sockets, this takes some beating.
Read our full Vax SpotWash Home Cordless review here.
Pros
- Fully cordless, which makes portability limitless
- Very solid performance for the price point and type
- Takes a 4.0Ah battery, which is always good for capacity
Cons
- Limited battery life (25-minutes of run time)
| Dimensions | 28.9 x 23.4 x 21.6 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 0.28 litres |
| Motor | N/A |
| Hose length | N/A metres |
| Cord length | N/A metres |
| Weight | 3.2kg |
The best car carpet cleaner for versatility
The suction offered as a regular vacuum is exceptional, and the number of attachments included means that this vacuum can be used for upholstery and even on delicate surfaces. As a spot cleaner it’s equally powerful and is capable of dragging years’ worth of dirt out of fabric. This all comes with Numatic’s famed dependability and it features that iconic smiley face too, lovely stuff. It’s a bit of a faff to swap parts over but it’s the ultimate fabric-cleaning device currently on sale.
Read our full George Wet and Dry Vacuum review here.
Pros
- Bank-vault construction, as per Henry vacuums and the like
- Perfect for car cleaning on your driveway/garage
- Quite powerful suction and cleaning abilities
Cons
- Heavy to carry around and more compromised than cordless units
- Doesn't represent as good value as the others
| Dimensions | 35 x 51 x 35.5 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 9L wet, 6L extraction |
| Motor | 1,060W |
| Hose length | N/A metres |
| Cord length | 10 metres |
| Weight | 14.68kg |
Best heated spot cleaner
This is all very handy when reaching the back seats and boot of your car. It is hindered, however, by a tiny dirty water capacity of just 1.4 litres - which is a massive downgrade from the Pet Pro's 2.8 litres.
Pros
- Heater to maintain water temperature
- Good value for money at just under £140
- Stretches out pretty far, which is useful for car interior cleaning
Cons
- 1.4-litre water capacity, which isn't as impressive as others
| Dimensions | 18 x 32 x 36 cm |
| Water tank capacity | 1.4L |
| Motor | 330W |
| Hose length | 1.3 metres |
| Cord length | 5 metres |
| Weight | 4kg |
The best quality spot cleaner
The only major drawback is that you have to read carefully at the description. It's sold either with or without a battery, and unless you don't have a suitable 18V Karcher machine battery hanging around already, you will find yourself with a heavy, yellow paperweight.
Pros
- Great quality construction, as per Karcher products
- Powerful machine, even as a cordless unit
- Simple to use and compact design for easy storage
Cons
- Battery not included in base purchase
| Dimensions | 46.8 x 22.5 x 26.1cm |
| Water tank capacity | 1.6L |
| Motor | 45W |
| Hose length | 1.9 metres |
| Cord length | N/A |
| Weight | 4.98kg |
The best newcomer for spot cleaners
With the pet model, you get two cleaning solutions from Shark: Carpet Xpert and Stain Striker bottles. The firm says when combined, they provide 20 times more cleaning power than the brand's Deep Clean Cro Formula solution.
Pros
- Immensely powerful at a claimed 20x more powerful than Shark's comparable item
- Lots of attachments included, which adds versatility to cleaning tasks
- Ideal for car cleaning and home jobs as well
Cons
- Only at its best with Shark's specific cleaning solutions
| Dimensions | 29.8 x 28 x 28.7cm |
| Water tank capacity | 720ml |
| Motor | 450W |
| Hose length | 1.3 metres |
| Cord length | 4.5 metres |
| Weight | 3.8kg |
FAQs and things to consider when buying spot cleaners
Are spot cleaners worth it?
A vacuum cleaner for car interior use can only get off so much dirt. In reality, it’s surface dirt that vacuum cleaners will take care of, whereas spot cleaners can go one level deeper and take care of embedded spills, dirt, and other grime.
In that sense, spot cleaners are absolutely worth it, if you’re keen on giving your vehicle a very deep clean and detail inside. If used well, they contribute towards a more hygienic cabin to an almost-showroom level.
What’s the difference between spot cleaners and carpet cleaners?
A carpet cleaner will more than likely be shaped like a traditional upright corded or cordless vacuum cleaner and will be designed for use on a floor. They’re only useful if you remove the floor mats and can clean them in an open space. A spot cleaner on the other hand is much smaller and designed to be far more portable. They should be your number one choice if you’re planning to use one in a car’s interior.
A spot cleaner is not the same as a steam cleaner either. Spot cleaners use water, cleaning solution and vacuum extraction, whereas steam cleaners only eject super-heated water. Household-grade steam cleaners are not generally so effective at cleaning fabric because they are not powerful enough to lift carpet and upholstery stains. They sanitise very well, but that’s about it. Thanks to the way spot cleaners work, they do indeed work very well for fabric and upholstery stains. And don’t get the terminology mixed up with wet and dry vacuum cleaners either – those are just more heavy-duty for normal vacuuming jobs.
What are the best brands for spot cleaners?
The two stand-out brands for spot cleaners are BISSELL and Vax. Both offer a selection of excellent spot cleaners that are portable, powerful and will make a difference to a car’s interior. BISSELL is generally more expensive but does have a small performance bonus and a slew of nice ergonomic touches while a Vax will be better value and still top-notch quality. Looking further afield, the Numatic George is a behemoth of carpet care but features a price tag to match. And newcomers from established brands have also joined the field, notably Shark and Karcher. We have strong impressions of the latter brand’s WD2 Plus Wet and Dry Vacuum. This can only mean there is quite some more competition than there used to be.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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