Pets can mean the world to us.
They can improve our lives in so many different ways that we never could have thought were possible. They can bring us so much joy, are great company, and can serve as a well needed distraction from the daily and ongoing struggles of our lives.
However, pets can also be very frustrating to maintain and take care of. More specifically, they can make a gigantic mess in just a few moments of time! Any pet owner that has had to clean up a mess, whether it be an accident or not, is incredibly frustrating to deal with. Not only that, but depending on the situation, it can actually be quite gross and irritating to frequently get on your hands and knees and clean up a mess caused by your pet. There are much better ways of getting stains out of carpets without wasting time and effort scrubbing away.
Don’t worry though, there are plenty of solutions available for dealing with pet urine on your precious and beautiful carpets. Even if you don’t have the newest and most luxurious carpets, it doesn’t even matter. Nobody likes dealing with pet urine, regardless if you own new or old carpets.
Good news for you – there are tons of carpet cleaners that are great for getting rid of pet urine. Whether you have a dog, cat, rabbit, or any other animal that might make an absolute huge mess on your carpets, there are carpet cleaners that are more than capable of getting rid of that nasty, smelly spot on your carpet.
Let’s take a look at what you need to look out for when you’re trying to find a carpet cleaner that’s capable of dealing with the potential nightmares of owning a pet!
Qualities Of An Excellent Carpet Cleaner:
You might want to consider a few different things when you’re shopping around for a carpet cleaner. You might just be looking for something that can get the job done, but there are other aspects to ponder about before you go ahead and make the purchase.
These include:
Size:
Consider the size of the carpet cleaner.
- Are your pets capable of creating huge messes, or are they more on the smaller and more frequent side of things?
- Do you have more than one pet?
- Do you have the available space to accommodate a larger sized cleaner?
These are just a few of the questions that you should consider because you might end up regretting your purchase if you don’t give it some thought.
If you’re going to use a full-sized carpet cleaner, they will typically be heavier, fairly bulky, and will take up a good amount of space.
If you plan on storing it in a closet or something similar, will you have enough room? Or, maybe you’re just looking for something that doesn’t take up too much space and is more compact.
You’ll get more cleaning strength with a full-sized unit due to the sheer power, but there’s plenty of positives that come along with a more compact cleaner, too.
We’ll include plenty of different options, but be aware that there are plenty of great carpet cleaners that are large or small.
Portability:
Although portability and size often go hand-in-hand, there are still additional aspects regarding portability that you might want to learn about.
Consider the storage location of the cleaner. Is it going to be somewhat close to the majority of the messes?
It’s important to carefully think about the portability. If you think that you might be going up and down a floor or two to clean your pet’s mess, are you going to struggle with carrying the carpet cleaner?
You also might want to consider if the pet owner is elderly or not. You wouldn’t want to give a heavy carpet cleaner to an elderly person with arthritis or back problems.
The frequency and size of your pet’s messes will also play a factor into this decision. Think carefully!
Functionality/Versatility:
Are you looking for something that’s a dedicated unit specifically made for quickly getting rid of pet urine stains on your carpet? Or, maybe you would rather prefer an all-purpose machine that can not only get rid of pet stains and tackle urine messes, but also deep clean your carpets located throughout your entire home.
Once again, you should revisit the question of how often you will be using the cleaner.
It’s also worth mentioning that some all-purpose machines come with accessories and other tools that can be used for other uses besides cleaning urine. Although that’s always nice to have, if you already own a vacuum cleaner that has these accessories or can handle these other cleaning jobs, you probably don’t want to spend more money on something that’s not necessary.
Surface Area of Stain/Stain Duration/Severity:
Carefully consider the total amount of stains that you currently have, as well as where they are located. You should also think about the size of the stain too. Are they big stains, or are they smaller? Are they located in the same general area of your home, or are they spread out throughout your home?
If your pet stains are on the smaller side of things, you might not need a larger cleaner. However, regardless of the size of the stain, it’s important to consider not only how big the stains are, but how old they are, as well as the severity of the stain.
A smaller and less powerful carpet cleaner that’s not capable of deep cleaning your carpets will probably not do a great job at getting rid of old pet stains. A more dedicated and powerful unit will be able to handle not only old stains, but also any new ones. They also come with the benefit of being able to deep clean new stains, which will prevent stains from forming in the first place and will keep your carpets looking like new for a very long time.
If you don’t have any existing pet stains on your carpets and are looking for a carpet cleaner in anticipation of a new pet, a more compact and portable carpet cleaner will be able to handle most situations, especially if you clean up an accident very quickly.
Essentially:
- Do you have lots of old pet stains that you’re looking to clean? – Get a powerful and dedicated unit.
- Are your carpets currently clean? Are you looking for something that can handle a pet stain when it inevitably happens? – You can choose between a portable or full-sized unit, depending on your preferences, available space, and total size of your home.
Now that you know to keep an eye out for, you’ll know exactly which vacuum cleaner will be ideal for both you and your pet situation.
We researched and tested some of the best carpet vacuum cleaners around that can easily handle even the most grotesque and unexpected pet messes!
3 Best Carpet Cleaner Vacuums For Pet Urine:
Most Powerful: Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Max Clean Pet Pro Full-Size Carpet Cleaner
While we’re on the subject of pets, it’s always worth telling our readers that Bissell definitely cares about pets. The Bissell Pet Foundation is a wonderful organization that helps prevent pets from being homeless. Depending on your views about pets, you might want to consider Bissell products if you can appreciate their love of pets too.
Even if you couldn’t possibly care any less about that, let’s just say that we didn’t decide to list this carpet cleaner simply because they donate to pet organizations.
This is an extremely powerful unit that’s even capable of removing skunk odor. If it can handle removing skunk odor, it can certainly handle your pet urine stains! Not only is it excellent at removing stains, but also any areas of your home that might have any lingering odors due to stains as well. If you’re looking for something that can tackle just about every type of stain – regardless of the severity, age, or size, this is the perfect pet carpet cleaner for you!
This cleaner comes with a 1 gallon water tank capacity that should be plenty for cleaning even larger sized rooms, so you won’t have to worry about not being able to clean up huge messes or areas in one go.
Accessories included:
- Cleanshot Pretreater
- 3 inch tough stain removal tool
- Removable brush roll cover
- 3 formula samples
Another excellent part about this carpet cleaner is that you don’t have to worry about waiting hours upon hours for the treated area to dry. Long gone are the days where you have to throw paper towels over the cleaned area or cautiously walk around it. The cleaned area dries extremely quickly – it only takes about 30 minutes or so, which is simply excellent. This is referring to the express clean mode though. The deep clean will take quite a bit of time still, coming in at around 6 to 8 hours, so you should be prepared for tougher messes to take a bit longer to dry. However, deep cleaning is more suitable for steam cleaning entire rooms or very old stains on your carpets, while the express clean is more suited towards newer or fresh messes. Still, having the option to quickly clean up a mess in the event you are having company over is a great choice to have.
This pet carpet cleaner is designed with the user in mind. You’ll even be able to reach under furniture, beds, and other tough spots due to the flat and relatively low height design. The included stain removal tool is great for specifically handling messes on furniture or upholstery, so you aren’t limited to just cleaning the floors with this amazingly powerful device.
Assembly is very simple and you’ll be able to get it up and running very quickly.
Cleaning messes is easy, emptying the tank is easy, and it is more than capable of cleaning even the toughest of stains. A steamer of this power, convenience, and user design in mind will easily be able to handle any stubborn urine spots or messes.
Pros:
- Full-sized carpet cleaner capable of cleaning the most gross and difficult pet stains
- Easy assembly
- Reviewed very favorably – it simply does the job
- Dedicated unit that will last for many years
- Perfect for both old and new stains
- Cleans carpets, upholstery, and other hard to reach areas with precision, power, and ease
- 2 year warranty
Cons:
- Not as portable as other carpet cleaners
- A bit more expensive than other options
Also, it’s probably worth noting that you’ll have to separately purchase pet formula if you’re going to use this long-term. Even if you’re only buying this for a test run, you still get three formula samples with your purchase which should be plenty to determine if this carpet cleaner is right for you or not. We certainly think it will be, as this is nearing the “endgame” of carpet cleaners.
Verdict:
This is one of the best pet carpet cleaners you can possibly buy with your hard-earned money.
What it lacks in portability, it makes up in its sheer power and ability to not only clean up old stains, but also new ones. Bissell has been in the market for more than a century, and they simply know what works best.
The funny and ironic aspect about this “pet” carpet cleaner is that even if you don’t have any pets and you’re simply looking to clean carpets, it still works exceptionally well! Pet owners should rejoice, because this is one of the best options you can possibly consider other than hiring a professional carpet cleaning service, which speaks a lot about the quality and power of this pet carpet cleaner.
Most Portable: Bissell SpotClean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner
You might be wondering if we are biased over otherwise considering these recommendations have mostly been Bissell products. The only reason that we recommend so many Bissell products is because that they are high quality and clearly work well. This pet cleaner is no different.
The Bissell Spot Clean Pet Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is one of the best portable cleaners around that can handle cleaning up pet messes in just about every single place imaginable. You’ll be able to pick it up and go wherever a pet stain or mess is located easily and effortlessly.
It’s designed so that you’ll easily be able to store it away when not used, yet you can easily whip it out and deep clean any urine or other pet stains quickly and easily. The handle is comfortable and easy to grip, and you can neatly access and store all of the attachments and accessories quickly.
The power cord is generous enough at about 20 feet, so even if you need to clean up a mess in your car, you’ll still easily be able to do so if you have access to a power outlet. It doesn’t matter if you’re cleaning up the mess on your carpet, stairs, furniture, couches, vehicle, or more. This portable device will be able to reach just about all of your pet messes.
We decided to choose this device over the Bissell Little Green, simply due to the fact that this unit offers much better suction in comparison. In order to fully clean urine stains, you need both great suction capacity and a deep cleaning – which this portable unit definitely offers.
It comes with two formula samples of Bissell’s urine eliminator which is best used for – you guessed it – odors and stains, including urine.
You’ll be able to easily get a stain all cleaned up in no time, especially in those tough to reach areas with the 3″ Tough Stain Tool. Additionally, when you’re dealing with gross messes like urine, the included stain trapper tool is great for not only keeping your carpets cleaned, but also preventing a huge mess to clean up in the machine later. The stain trapper tool is great for concentrated and spontaneous messes that quickly need to be addressed.
Although this cleaner doesn’t use HeatWave technology like the ProHeat does, that’s simply to be expected in such a portable unit.
At just 13 pounds, this portable pet carpet cleaner should be fairly manageable to carry around for most people.
Overall, this is a very capable, yet affordable pet carpet cleaner that most people will certainly get a good use out of, especially if you’ve got yourself messes to clean up all around your home or vehicle. It doesn’t matter where the mess is, as long as you have a power outlet close by, you’ll be able to tackle any stain or pet disaster!
Pros:
- Ultimate portable carpet cleaner
- 2 year warranty
- Takes up very little space
- Able to permanently remove stubborn stains – both old and new
- Excellent suction and cleaning capability
- Comes with two sample bottles of Pet Pro OXY Urine Eliminator – more than enough for a test run
- Easy to clean up after use – saving you tons of time and effort
- A great option for those stubborn and hard to reach stains
Cons:
- Difficult to fully drain water container
- Not suitable for cleaning entire rooms
Verdict:
This is one of the best portable and powerful pet vacuum cleaners that you can buy with your money. Although it does come with few compromises such as not being suitable for cleaning entire rooms, it’s still a very capable machine that isn’t too expensive, yet is able to easily get rid of any old or new pet stains on your carpets.
Despite not having the power of a full-sized unit, it’s still surprisingly powerful given its form factor. This is the perfect portable spot cleaner for anyone that has a lot of pets or stains that are scattered throughout their home. Due to the portable nature this machine, you can easily pick it up and use it when you need to, yet you’ll be able to also store it away with ease as well.
Cheapest: BISSELL Turboclean Powerbrush Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner
We have yet again another recommendation from Bissell! Bissell products simply work and they work very well, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see so many recommendations from Bissell. They know pets!
The Bissell Turboclean Powerbrush Upright Carpet Cleaner + Shampooer is a very affordable option for those who are looking for a cheap, yet effective carpet cleaner.
Not only is it affordable, but it’s also very lightweight, coming in at about 12 pounds. Being lightweight is always a positive, and this carpet cleaner even has a retractable handle so that you can easily stored away for one you’re done cleaning up any pet stains. Because of its lightweight nature, this is a great option for anyone who is elderly or might be constantly going up and down the stairs to clean any pet messes up.
The two tank system is straightforward and simple to manage. Although the gallon capacity isn’t the highest at 1/2 a gallon, you should still be able to easily handle smaller pet messes with ease before having to empty or refill any of the tanks.
If you’re looking for something that can handle every type of pet stain on every surface, you should be aware that this doesn’t include any upholstery tools or accessories for cleaning any messes on your couch, bed, etc. But hey, for the price, you shouldn’t expect an all-in-one machine.
This isn’t a steam cleaning machine, as it uses warm water. Thus, consider this before purchase this cleaner for cleaning carpets that are extremely old, dirty, or have stains that have not been fully cleaned for years. It may not have enough power or suction to deep clean stains that have been sitting for very long periods of time. For those types of stains, you should use a more powerful unit.
The removable nozzle is easy to detach and you’ll be able to quickly rinse it off so that you can be ready for the next time your pet makes a mess.
You won’t get any neat accessories or other helpful tools with this cleaner, but that’s to be expected due to its very affordable price tag.
Pros:
- Simple and straightforward to use
- Very affordable
- Lightweight and can be easily stored away
- Excellent option for those who only have a few rugs or carpets in their home
- Great for tackling fresh stains
Cons:
- Doesn’t deep clean nearly as much as other cleaners
- Only has a 1 year warranty
- No accessories or tools included to clean upholstery
Verdict:
With that all said, it’s a still great option for anyone who is looking to clean up any fresh urine stains that are primarily on your carpets. As long as you quickly address any stains, you’ll be able to easily get rid of them. Plus, because it’s so lightweight, you should have no problem taking this out of storage and quickly using it for a cleaning and then putting it back and getting on with your day.
Although, due to its price, you’ll have to cut corners on things like power, versatility, tank size, and more. You shouldn’t expect the same amount of features as more expensive cleaners with this one, but it’s still a very capable cleaner that’s able to get rid of those fresh pet urine accidents fairly quickly and easily.
Note: We have a comparison here of this vacuum vs the Hoover Powerdash. Both are cheap and affordable options to consider!
Final Thoughts:
Although maintaining a pet can sometimes be more than we anticipated, despite making messes and causing trouble, pets are still completely worth it! Cleaning up after an accident doesn’t have to be the end of the world if you’ve got the right tools for the job.
We’ve given you a variety of tools that can get the job done for just about any pet owner in any pet situation. It doesn’t matter if you have cats or dogs, or old urine stains or new stains, we’ve given you some options that are appropriate for many different situations regarding your pets.
Long are the days where your only option to clean up a pet mess is by getting on your hands and knees while scrubbing like a maniac! As long as you’ve got a great cleaner that’s capable of dealing with pet urine, your life will be so much easier. The faster you clean up a mess, the faster you can get on with your day! You’ll also feel better and will have a much more comfortable environment knowing that those gross and unhygienic urine stains and messes will be a quick thing of the past!
Last update on 2023-03-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Laura
Laura Smith is an author and philanthropist; runs several trust funds and teaches people in different forums the importance of developing actionable solutions, to help in the conservation of energy while limiting environmental degradation. She is passionate about everything tech and has written different reviews on a myriad of electrical gadgets. Technology and environmental degradation are a major challenge around the globe today, and many companies produce gadgets without a guideline on how to dispose of, after they have served their purpose. Laura has thus dedicated her life to finding eco-friendly solutions in the disposition of electrical gadgets in the middle of technological advancements.
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