Best Car Carpet Cleaner Reviews and Buying Guide 2014
Are
you in search for the best car carpet
cleaner?
We understand how frustrating it can be to clean your car. The available space to work on is so cramped and professional detailing can be very expensive. Fortunately, the market is ripe for car carpet cleaning products right now, offering owners with an array of choices to meet their needs.
Of
course, with so many options today it’s understandable for you to feel a little
confused when buying. With that in mind, we have taken the liberty of
collecting and comparing the best car
carpet cleaner products in the market today.
Aside
from providing a list of product features and specifications, we’ll also be
providing honest and comprehensive reviews of each product. By the end of this
article, you should have a firm grasp on what you need and what product meets
those specifications!
Top 5 Car Carpet Cleaner in the Market
Prior
to discussing car carpet cleaning products in detail, we’ll first present you
with the top 5 items in the market today. So far, these are the ones that are
getting excellent reviews from selling sites like Amazon:
·
Hoover Max Extract Dual V WidePath Carpet
Cleaner, F7412900
·
McCulloch MC-1275 Heavy-Duty Steam
·
Bissell Spotbot Pet Handsfree Spot and
Stain Cleaner with Deep Reach Technology, 33N8A
·
Bissell SpotClean Professional Portable
Carpet Cleaner 3624
·
Bissell Little Green
ProHeat Compact Multi-Purpose Carpet Cleaner, 14259
Top 5 Best Car Carpet Cleaner Reviews
In
this review, we’ll be presenting the 5 most popular products in the carpet
cleaning community. Under each product, you’ll be presented with the different
features and specifications that make them more notable than others. Here goes!
#1: Hoover Max
Extract Dual V WidePath Carpet Cleaner, F7412900
Basic Features: The
cleaner comes with three wonderful features: SpinScrub Technology, SpinScrub
Powered Hand Tools, and Intuitive Controls. SpinScrub Technology offers a
completel 360-degree clean through the rotating brushes. Counter-circular
movements allow for a deeper and extensive cleaning capacity that goes all the
way to the carpet’s roots. To increase your cleaning capacity, the Hoover Max
Extract also features the Powered Hand Tools, a small attachment that lets you
target small spaces for cleaning, ensuring that you reach even the tiniest
crevices in your car’s carpeting. Lastly, there’s the impressive Intuitive
Controls which can be activated with a single-touch. Positioned within easy
reach, users can turn the cleaner on and off with just a slight adjustment of
their fingers.
Cleaning Action:
Perfect as a car cleaner, the Hoover Max comes with several attachments for
multiple cleaning options. The different brushes increases your cleaning
capacity by up to 20%. It also comes with an elongated hose that lets you reach
all the way in the trunk of the car without having to bend over. Although
advertised mostly for car carpets, this particular product also works well with
car upholstery.
Specifications:
Measuring at 20.2 by 15.8 by 29.2 inches, the product weighs roughly 27 pounds
and is covered by 1-year limited warranty. Powered by a 12 amp cleaner, the
model comes with 3 speed settings and a controlled suction power.
#2: McCulloch
MC-1275 Heavy-Duty Steam
Basic Features: The
biggest selling point of this product is the fact that it comes with 18
accessories to help with cleaning. This includes: squeegee, microfiber pads, jet
nozzle, extension wads, mop head, triangle brush, water funnel & measuring
cup, brass utility brush, scrub pad, and nylon utility brushes. Each one
provides a different level of cleaning, depending on the common car carpet
problems you encounter. Product use is also cheaper because it only requires 50
ounces of water to work – no chemicals! The extension line connected with the
steam cleaner helps clean even hard-to-reach crevices within the car.
Cleaning Action:
Cleaning action is impressive thanks to the steam cleaning power provided by a
1500 watts engine. It can also handle car upholstery as well as dirt and grime
found in the back of the car. Although perfect for car cleaning needs, the
vacuum also works for in-house cleaning such as furniture, stairs, patio and
more.
Specifications: One
of the more compact car cleaning products available today, the McCulloch
MC-1275 should fit nicely in the trunk of your car. It measures 20.1 by 13 by
12.6 inches and weighs at just 15.8 pounds.
#3: Bissell Spotbot
Pet Handsfree Spot and Stain Cleaner with Deep Reach Technology, 33N8A
Basic Features: The
product comes with several features namely: Handsfree Spot & Stain Cleaner
and Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection. The Handsfree option lets you
just turn on the product and watch it run through the carpet, cleaning every
inch along the way. If this isn’t to your liking however, there’s also a
handheld attachment that lets you manually run through the spaces and crevices
for a complete clean. For car owners with pets, the Antimicrobial feature is
designed to remove lingering odor by treating the carpet down to its very
roots.
Cleaning Action: The
brushes clean with a circular movement, ensuring that they get right past the
first layer and into the very roots of the thread. Combined with Bissell’s
special cleaning solution, the product can get rid of long-standing stains
while deodorizing the cramped space of the car, leaving it fresh-smelling as
ever. Also featuring the Automatic Smart System, it figures out the correct
amount of water and soap to be released into the carpet, removing the guess
work out of the user! There are multiple buttons to choose from – simply push
the button for the kind of stain you’re dealing with and let the cleaner do its
job!
Specifications:
Measuring at just 9 by 17 by 12.5 inches, the product would fit nicely in the
trunk with room to spare. Highly portable, it only weighs 18.2 pounds, allowing
you to easily lift it in and out of the car for immediate use. Product is
covered by a 1-year limited warranty.
#4: Bissell
SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner 3624
Basic Features:
This particular Bissell product is not a steam cleaner, but it is capable of
heavy-duty cleaning with excellent suction ability. It features a long hose,
letting your reach even the smallest spaces of the car without any trouble. It
can handle car carpets as well as car upholstery, providing a professional
deep-through clean. The product also boasts a large-capacity tank for water,
allowing you to clean large spaces without having to periodically throw and
refill the water and detergent tank.
Cleaning Action:
Upon product purchase, you’ll find yourself getting a free Deep Cleaning
Formula from Bissell. There’s also a 3 tough stain tool included as well as 6
stair tool.
Specifications:
This wonderful little device comes with a 2-year limited warranty which
effectively beats the other products in the list. It’s a good size, measuring
at just 10 by 14 by 14 inches with a weight of just 16.3 pounds. The cord is
wonderfully long, letting users shift and move from one spot to another without
any problems.
#5 Bissell Little Green ProHeat Compact Multi-Purpose
Carpet Cleaner, 14259
Product
Features: Another product from Bissell, this ProHeat compact is capable of
cleaning all kinds of surfaces other than your car carpet. As the name
suggests, it comes with a built-in heater that enhances the cleaning capacity
of the liquid. There’s also a crevice tool designed to go in and out of small
spaces in your car, reaching all the way down the chair. Product features a
stain tool, specially designed to remove tough and long-lasting stains.
Cleaning
Action: The heat feature of the product really increases its cleaning capacity.
It works by suctioning and then drying section of the carpet quickly, allowing
users to cover a large expanse of area in just a few minutes. The item comes
with a trial Little Green Formula that you can use during cleaning.
Specifications:
One of the smallest pieces from Bissell, this item only weighs 13.4 pounds and
measures 8.2 by 17.2 by 12.5 inches. The lightweight portable device would fit well
in the back of the car and features a long cord that allows for easy in-car
movement. It’s possible that the product is covered by a warranty although not
expressly stated by the seller.
Your
Buying Guide to Choose the Best Car Carpet Cleaner
1. Ease of
Cleaning Use
Cars are compact
spaces, which mean that you really can’t use a full-scale vacuum cleaner to
take care of the carpets. This is why you should look for a model that easily
fits in your hand and can be manipulated within the confined space of a car. At
the very least, it should have a long hose that can be used to run over the
carpet for a complete clean.
The product’s
weight should also be taken into consideration. Look for something you can
easily take in and out of the garage to clean the car. If this is not possible,
the cleaner should at least have wheels to help drag it from one point to
another!
2. Car Use
Each car carpet cleaner comes with 2 or more
features, but would these features actually be useful for your specific needs?
Take the frequency of your car use in mind. If you constantly transport kids
and have incredibly muddy carpets, then a heavy-duty cleaner might be best. If
your car stays relatively clean most of the time however, even a medium-heavy
type would work well.
What if you use
your car to transport pets or perhaps you love to eat food in the car? If you
have to deal with heavy stains resulting from pets and food spills, then opt
for a vacuum cleaner with excellent horse power. Trapped smell in the car is
also distracting and not easily removed with a freshener. If this is a frequent
problem for you, then getting a vacuum cleaner with deodorizer would be best.
3. Attachments
You never really
know when you might need a specific attachment to help with your cleaning
needs. As much as possible, opt for a automobile carpet cleaner with more than
3 attachments, letting you attack whatever kind of stain/dirt that might be
present.
Of course, this
isn’t always possible. If the product you prefer doesn’t come with attachments,
at least find a provider that sells optional attachments at a cost. That way,
you can buy them as needed. A plus for this is the fact that if any of the
parts and attachment break down after the warranty, you’ll easily find
replacement thanks to the manufacturer’s wide market.
4. Multipurpose
Although you may
only be looking for a carpet cleaner for your car, the fact is that this device
can provide multiple services. You can use it for the stairs, the upholstery in
the house, the living room carpet, and so much more. Hence, don’t just consider
the kind of stains your car has but rather, think about the stains in your
home.
Most cleaners come
with multiple button options, allowing you to choose between “soft”, “average”,
and “heavy-duty” cleaning. If possible, opt for products with these options as
they let you take care of non-car stains. With this, you’ll be buying two
products for the price of just one!
5. Water Tank
The water tank
should be big enough to let you clean the car without having to replace the
water several times. This way, you don’t have to stop in the middle of the
process to dump the dirty water contents and then mix up another solution to
finish the job.
Now, the size of
the water tank depends on your cleaning needs. For an average-sized car, a 50
ounce water tank should do the trick. If you’re hoping to clean more than that
however, then you can choose large sizes – although this might mean a heavier
carpet cleaning product. Keep in mind that a too big water tank might mean
wasting water and detergent on very little carpet problems.
6. Care and
Maintenance
How exactly are you
supposed to load the water into the vacuum? Now how are you supposed to take it
out? Choose a cleaner with non-complicated instructions, preferably something
with a push-button system for use. Ideally, the cleaner should be easy to clean
as well with parts that can be detached from each other, washed and then
attached again.
Also, try to stick
to products that do not require special cleaning agents. Although some
detergents are suggested, it’s best to find cleaners that can still function
perfectly if you just load it with a basic cleaning solution like vinegar,
water, and bleach. This is especially true if you’re trying to save on expenses
or have an allergy on commercial cleaning products.
7. Warranty
The best car
carpet cleaner should be covered by a
warranty – at least 12 month’s worth. Note that the warranty might be limited
so it’s best to ask beforehand what this entails.
Note
that even with good warranty coverage, the company offering the product may not
be reliable. For example, it might take them a long time to respond to any
inquiries. That being said, make sure you find a product that comes from a
trusted brand with excellent customer service – otherwise it’s best to just
skip it.
8. Reviews
Don’t
purchase a product unless you’ve managed to read at least a dozen positive
reviews about it from trusted buyers. This is crucial since a product may
advertise deep-cleaning features but the question is: do those features
actually work?
Take
the time to run through different websites and make comparisons between
different features before making a decision. The 5 brands and models already
listed here should give you a good place to start if you find that none of them
work for your needs.
9. Cost
Don’t
forget to compare the prices of the cleaners with each other! Note that the best car carpet cleaner need not be the
most expensive one. A budget of anywhere between $100 to $200 is preferable to
make sure that you get quality materials with long-lasting service.
A
good advice is to search car cleaners by price. Set the search button to limit
the cost of the product so you’ll only get the results that fall within the
amount you’re willing to spend. This way, you won’t find yourself going
overboard with the purchase!
Conclusion
Finally,
we’re done talking about the best
carpet cleaner for cars out in the market today. You’ve seen the
top 5 car
carpet cleaner products we recommend
and hopefully, you now have an idea about what you want and need for your own
automobile.
From
where we stand, the best product out of the five is the Bissell
Spotbot Pet Handsfree Spot and Stain Cleaner with Deep Reach Technology, 33N8A.
It meets all the most basic needs for a car carpet cleaning machine which is:
ease of use, portability, heavy-duty cleaning and odor-control. Sure, the other
4 products also provide excellent service but it’s really the odor-control
feature of the Spotbot that clinches the deal. As we all know, cars are
confined spaces where a distinct smell can often show up. The Spotbot comes out
as the best car carpet cleaner
because it’s the only one capable of providing this service while still meeting
basic cleaning needs!
