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Buying a Carpet Cleaning Machine

We’ve never spent more time at home than during the last couple of years, so it’s hardly surprising our carpets are showing signs of use and abuse. That’s where carpet cleaners come in.

Considerations when buying a carpet cleaner

Besides removing soil and gunk, carpet cleaners can help keep your carpet last longer, especially if you frequently deal with tracked-in dirt or spills.

Michael Clarke, founder of Pulled.com, recommends home carpet cleaners combining cleaning solution with powerful brush heads that work deeply into the fibers, extracting grime and ground-in dirt. “In many cases, the machines help to restore carpet’s appearance, leaving it looking refreshed and almost new,” he says.

Before purchasing one, here are some things to consider:

• Style (upright, canister or portable): “Upright cleaners are best if you plan to use a carpet cleaner regularly and most of your home is carpeted,” says Clarke. Larger sizes offer more power, but that also makes them noisier and clumsier to move than a small canister or portable machine.
• Cleaning system: Carpet cleaners rely on a cleaning solution and brushes, or steam. Carpet cleaners with specially formulated solutions mixed with water are good for spot cleaning. Machines that rely on hot water/steam are chemical-free and tend to be better at removing deep-down dirt. One downside to steam: It can take longer for the carpets to dry.
• Tank capacity: Full-size uprights tend to have larger tanks so they’ll cover more area with a single refill.
• Power source: Most are corded. Cordless (battery-operated) models are great for cleaning cars.
• Weight: A home carpet cleaner filled with water and cleaning solution can be a load. “Carrying around a full, dirty water tank can be especially problematic when lugging it up and down the stairs,” Clarke says.
• Attachments: Extra tools, such as spot-cleaning and crevice attachments, are especially helpful for stains and deep cleaning in corners.

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Best All-Around Carpet Cleaner

The Bissel Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner is worth the investment. The Big Green features a brush with eight rows of bristles for deep cleaning. It comes with a tough-stain tool and a long-reach hose with an adjustable handle to clean comfortably. It’s backed by a five-year warranty.

Amazon customers gave it a 4.8 rating rating with more than 13,000 reviews. Verified purchaser Allison writes: “We had our carpets professionally cleaned the day we moved into our new house and they couldn’t get out the years-old stains. The Big Green did it in ONE PASS.”

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