Best spot cleaners for small messes – tried and tested

This is the most powerful spot cleaner in Vax's range. It comes with tools and cleaning solutions that are ideal for households with pets. In fact, you get a free stain removal kit worth £30 when you buy this spot cleaner directly from VAX. Tackle extended cleaning tasks without having to take a trip to the sink to empty it. Plus, the interchangeable tools mean you can clean almost any surface and it has a neat cable storage so it can be popped in the utility cupboard without taking up space.

Our tester says: "I skim-read the instructions and understood how to use it – all credit to the clear diagrams and explanation. The dual tanks and tools are chunky plastic that's easy to wash clean under a tap and let them air dry. The tools fit on to the hose with a neat click. I used a combination of tools to deep clean areas of the bathroom, behind the pipes. I used the crevice tool to loosen and apply the cleaning solution. Then, I swapped to the messy clean up tool to suck up excess dirty water. The crevice tool is ideal for cleaning skirting boards. I also got down the side of the fridge to clean up some flour that I'd spilt.

I tested the spot cleaner on a stain that I've otherwise been unable to remove from my medium pile carpet. First, I sprayed the stain directly with Vax Pre Treatment. I also used the Antibacterial Spot Washer Cleaning Solution which kills 99.9% of bacteria and has a citrus burst scent. Use the trigger to squirt water, which the cleaning tool then sucks up. It sprays in a wide arc. The combination of the brush, liquid and suction effectively lifts stubborn stains, dirt and hair. I cannot believe how much dirt it extracted from my carpet. I must admit, I was so enthralled with how much hair and dirt it picked up that I did the whole carpet! I can say that it significantly improved the smell in the room. The stiff brushes are very effective in picking up hair, especially the SpinScrub tool. Do note, the other tools take some elbow grease if you're cleaning a large carpeted area.

With the wide path and messy clean up tools, the knack is to angle the cleaning head correctly to engage the suction. You'll know when you're doing it right. I used the wide cleaning tool on a tiled bathroom floor and laminate kitchen floor. Both floors are sparkling and hygienically clean. I notice the improvement in the air quality. As someone who suffers with allergies I really recommend this Vax.

Wear gloves as the cleaning solution is an irritant if it comes in contact with your skin. Also, when cleaning the dirty water tank you may need you to put your fingers in to pull hair and debris out.

Use the hose self-cleaning function after every use. There are clear instructions to follow. I'm not sure if the hose is meant to click into the self-cleaning slot, but it wouldn't hold itself in place for me, so I held it in the slot while the clean water tank emptied through the hose into the dirty water tank – thereby cleaning the hose. It's fast and you can see when the hose is clear and emptied.

Read our full review of the VAX SpotWash Max Pet-Design.

The SpotWash from Vax is a well-made, popular and solid option, especially if you’re buying on a budget. Smaller than the BISSELL option, this spot cleaner may have a smaller tank and feel less powerful, but it is 90 per cent as good and even features a hard-floor attachment for cleaning wood and tiled floors. A customer comments: "This is small enough to tuck away but effective at ensuring the rug stays clean and fresh. I’ve also used a bed mattress to freshen up after the hot weather."

The stand-out feature of the SpotWash is has a self clean function so dirt and debris can be flushed out to keep it hygienic and clean.

Yours.co.uk Editor Claire Tapley tested this product here's her review:
"If Mary Poppins were to magic up a cleaning assistant from her bottomless handbag, I imagine she might produce something like this versatile cleaner. Not only is it great at removing stains and spills from upholstery but is also brilliant at giving an overall clean to grubby carpets and hard floors. After some very messy and dusty house renovations, I used this device to bring my dust-coated sofas back to life. It also removed tough stains from an armchair and even cleaned some very dirty carpets. This is fab cleaner to have in the cupboard ready for every eventuality, it’s not too big so is lightweight to carry around and easy to store. Best of all, it could save you having to purchase a new sofa! It's well-designed with hose storage, and so easy to set up and use. I was very impressed with the big cleaning power of this little cleaner."

If you're looking for a portable yet powerful spot cleaner, this Rug Doctor 93306 Portable Spot Cleaner is our top recommendation. Our tester comments: "It feels like good quality and is worth the money if you have a lot of little spills to contend with." The tank is larger than most, meaning you won't need to constantly empty it.

Equipped with a Dual-Action Motorised Brush and a sizable water tank, this model is ideal for smaller areas or spot stains on carpet, upholstery, soft surfaces and the interior of cars. Its motorised brush sets it apart for it's efficient stain removal without too much effort.

The Rug Doctor is straightforward to use: fill the tank with water, add the solution and start cleaning. A built-in sprayer under the motorised head ensures even distribution of the solution. The rotating brushes lift stains while the head sucks up dirt into the dirty water tank.

With up to two times the suction power of most portable cleaners, the Rug DoctorSpot Cleaner can pull stains out of carpets, car interiors, upholstery and fabrics with ease. It's worth having in your cleaning cupboard, especially if you have pets or kids in the house.

Our tester does have some caveats: "It is quite cumbersome to move around the house and significantly up the stairs. Another issue we had: it comes on wheels but cannot be laid flat. It behaves a little like a pull-along suitcase with a pull-out handle."

Overall, we recommend the Rug Doctor, but it's hefty and best suited for those with strength or assistance due to its weight and bulkiness.

Read our full Rug Doctor 93306 Portable Spot Cleaner review.

For a lightweight and portable spot remover, this Shark StainStriker Pet Stain & Spot Cleaner is powerful. Used in conjunction with Shark's cleaning solutions, you get 20x more stain-cleaning power.
It's one of the best spot cleaners for deep cleaning carpets and upholstery. Target stains, grime and odour around the home. The Pet Stain Trapping Tool is effective at removing tough pet stains.
Deep clean a range of surfaces with the dual-activated cleaning solution to instantly remove dirt and odour. So, although it's at a higher price point than other spot cleaners, you are getting a high-quality bundle of cleaning equipment.

Our tester said: "Considering the price of the Shark StainStriker, this one is great value for getting out tough stains. Lightweight and compact enough to comfortable carry around your home, I appreciated the long power cord and cord tidy which made storage that much easier. The instructions are fairly easy to follow to set-up, maintain and clean the appliance, but there is a QR for a video tutorial too if you need a little extra guidance.

"Like the slightly more affordable Shark StainStriker model, the Pet Stain version comes with a crevice and hose-cleaning tool, a tough stain hand tool and the addition of a wide tough stain hand tool and pet stain trapping tool. I particularly liked the wider tool as it made it much easier to target larger stains more efficiently. The cleaner was really effective at sucking up dirt and liquids, but I did find it took a lot of elbow grease to shift particularly old or stubborn stains (it doesn't have a motorised brush like the Rug Doctor for example). The brushes on the tools are reversible too, with rubber bristles recommended for delicate upholstery and the tough bristles for stubborn stains on hardwearing surfaces. Ultimately I found the tough bristles were the most effective and worked well on upholstery too.

"Overall it was easy to empty and clean and I was pleasantly surprised by how it was able to remove stains that were 1+ years old. The formula worked well with no need for pre-treatment on tough stains, and smelt fresh post-clean. But it's worth bearing in mind that Shark recommends you only buy its formulas, available via the Shark website."

Save getting out a full-size carpet cleaner or getting on your hands and knees to scrub out stubborn stains; this Ryobi 18V ONE+™ Cordless Brushless Swift Clean Stain Remover is ideal for tackling tough stains such as wine and mud. A powered brush bar agitates dirt and debris from the fabric fibres, providing a deep and hygienic clean. Clean all the clear component parts in the top-rack of your dishwasher to thoroughly sterilise them against bacteria and allergens.

This is a new cordless spot cleaner from Ryobi, which is a step up from their previous model. This spot cleaner has brushless motor technology, resulting in more powerful suction and faster drying times. It has almost double the airflow rate and tank capacity in comparison to the Ryobi 18V ONE+™ Cordless Swift Clean Spot Cleaner.

We tested it out on a bathroom that was in need of a deep clean. The tricky corners around the bath were a doddle to reach with the crevice tool. There's no power cable, so it's ideal for light-duty vacuuming of wet surfaces in the bathroom. The Ryobi spot cleaner was light enough to lift, albeit at 4.6kg it may be too heavy to carry for an extended period. The battery lasts up to seven minutes on a single charge, and the spot cleaner has good suction – certainly enough to freshen up a car or lift a coffee stain. Bear in mind, this model does not have the battery power to clean a larger area. Consider buying an additional battery if you want it for longer cleaning tasks. Additionally, the battery holder can accommodate a larger 5Ah Ryobi ONE+™ battery. Our 2Ah battery took about an hour to fully charge, so we recommend keeping a charged battery in case of sudden spillages.

It's neat and the parts tuck away into one compact unit, so it can be stored in a utility cupboard. All the accessories, including the battery and charger, are made of robust plastic. Also, we liked that the packaging was all cardboard and completely recyclable.

Unlike some models, it doesn't have a self-clean function, so it's difficult to know if the interior and hose are entirely clean after using and rinsing. Also, take care when removing the battery after use, as it gets hot.

All-in-all, this is a great light-duty cordless spot cleaner that comes with all the accessories you need for cleaning small stains and spillages. If you're looking for a portable spot cleaner, this is a quality purchase.

Ideal for households with pets, this BISSELL SpotClean Pet Pro cleans up accidents in no time at all. Our tester said: "It’s brilliantly designed and full of neat ergonomic touches, it’s just rather big."

Great for emergencies, this spot cleaner quickly and easily lifts away spots, spills and stains from carpets, sofas, pet beds, car interiors and more. It has a larger water capacity, so it gives you the option for a larger or more intensive clean, should you need to. On carpets, our tester was impressed: "It not only pulled stains out of fabrics, it restored the pile too, making the fabric look and feel new." Also, it left the fabric almost dry after use as it pulls out dirt and shampoo.

It's a good choice if this is your first spot cleaner purchase, as it's very easy to use. The only downside, our tester felt, was that it's on the large side and heavy with it. "[It] really could do with being a little lighter, smaller or using some small wheels in the name of practicality."

Floorcare specialist, Vax, has just been named the UK's number one Most Trusted brand in carpet cleaning*, and this cordless model is a great option for a completely portable vacuum that offers very good performance. Our tester used it on his car and comments: "As a battery-powered cleaner, battery life will always be a concern. On a full charge I was able to get the rear seats fully extracted with the Vax while still having half a charge left over."

An excellent range of accessories is included so the Vax SpotWash Home Cordless can be used on a range of surfaces. In addition, a Vax cleaning product comes with the spot cleaner. Our tester further comments: "The included Vax SpotWash Antibacterial Solution not only cuts through the stain, it’ll rid any nasty bacteria that may be lurking around too."

We recommend this Vax if you are looking for a handy cordless model. Just be aware that the battery drains faster when you use the Boost Mode.

*Voted most trusted carpet cleaner brand by UK shoppers based on the 2024 BrandSpark International UK Trust Study.

Tackle larger stains with the Vax SpotWash Home Duo Spot Cleaner, thanks to its extra wide antimicrobial 2-in-1 cleaning tool that removes all sorts of spills and stains. It has a 75 per cent wider cleaning path compared to other Vax spot cleaner tools. Use on upholstery, carpets and car interiors. Plus, clean hard-to-reach places with the antimicrobial crevice tool. Additionally, the Messy Clean Up Tool keeps unhygienic pet messes separate from everyday clean-ups. In short, this is a powerful and versatile spot cleaner.

Our tester, Andy, tried this compact spot cleaner out on laminate flooring and rubber mats. Here's Andy's impressions: "The spot cleaner was smaller than I expected and it came with a separate box of cleaning solutions. I found it easy to unpack, and the instructions were clear with annotated diagrams. But, it features the SpinScrub tool which is not supplied with this appliance.

"On first impressions, I like the design of this Vax. It feels robust, albeit the downside is that it feels quite heavy too. The detachable dual water tanks effortlessly fit onto the machine with a neat click. The clean water tank is filled from a bottle neck on the bottom. It's sturdy and the tanks are secure.

"It comes with three cleaning tools. The Extra Wide 2-in-1 has two interchangeable brushes for use on soft and hard surfaces. It has a long power cable, so you can reach most places around the home. I prefer corded electric to cordless appliances because you're not limited by battery life and they have more power.

"I tested in on bathroom and kitchen areas to see how effectively it loosens and picks up debris. It's extremely noisy with a powerful suction. Best not to use it at 9am on a Sunday morning as it will certainly wake up the neighbours. I found it was particularly effective on rubber matting using the extra wide tool, and for getting into corners and skirting boards with the crevice tool."

On cleaning the Vax after use, Andy says: "The cleaning tools are really easy to clean. The nylon bristles have a coating that means debris just rinses off. Unlike the newer models, the Home Duo doesn't have a self-clean function. The hose needs to be submerged in a bowl of clean water. It sucks the water up and this rinses through the pipe. The process is very fast. Just take care with residual water that can be left in the hose. I recommend doing the cleaning process in the bath or outside."

In conclusion, Andy recommends the Vax Home Duo: "Aside from the advertised application for spot cleaning upholstery, with the right attachment it's very good for cleaning tiles and laminate flooring too."

Thoroughly clean every nook and tight spot, thanks to the extra long reach on this Vacmaster EasyClean Carpet Spot Cleaner. Quickly remove spills and stains from carpets and soft furnishings. A customer calls this a "little wonder" that "pulled unseen muck that you'd never know was there by eye."

Improve the colour and cleanliness of carpet pile with this tough stain tool. Also, it can clean narrow and uneven surfaces. If you have a heavily trodden area of carpet this Vacmaster can bring it up good as new. The nylon brushes in the tool-heads loosen stubborn dirt, making it easier to lift the stains.
Our customer comments on its ease of use: "The cleaner is easy to fill/empty/clean and has a good stretch of hose and power cord. Everything stores away neatly and the instructions are easy to understand. The added bonus of a decent-sized shampoo is included and this goes a VERY long way."