Looking for the best portable carpet cleaners for stairs? Go no further. We have tested, researched, and reviewed some of the best portable carpet cleaners on the market. We have selected 7 of the best cleaners on the basis of portability, ease of use, weight, compact design, stain-removing ability, suction power, and hose and power cord length.
In this article, you will also find a comparison table comparing all the features and specifications of these selected carpet cleaners, followed by a detailed description. At the end of this article, we have included a buying guide listing some key factors that you should consider, as we did for these reviews, before making a buying decision.
If you have a multi-level house, stairs are one of the busiest areas. Cleaning stairs becomes a hectic onus, especially if the stairs are carpeted. If you are going upstairs or downstairs holding a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, liquid spills are inevitable. Then there are dirt and pet stains that need to be taken care of every day.
While traditional vacuum cleaners can help you get rid of dust, debris, hair, and fluff, when it comes to removing stains, these vacuum cleaners are not that good of a help. To get rid of spills and stains from carpets, you will need a carpet cleaner that not only picks up dust and debris but also deep cleans the carpets with the help of hot water and cleaning solutions removing all the stains and sucking up all the gunk.
#1. Top Pick: Bissell 3624 SpotClean Pro
#2. Best Budget: BISSELL Little Green 1400B Carpet Cleaner
#3. Best Handheld Carpet Shampooer For Stairs: Bissell 20037 Handheld Carpet Shampooer
#4. Best Handsfree Spot Cleaner: Bissell SpotBot Pet handsfree Spot and Stain Cleaner
#5. Best Powered Carpet Cleaner: Rug Doctor Pet Portable Spot Cleaner
#6. Best For Tough Stains: Bissell 2694 SpotClean ProHeat
#7. Best Lightweight: Hoover Spotless Portable Carpet Cleaner, FH11300PC
These carpet cleaners contain compartments for both hot water with cleaning solution and the dirty water that they suck up after cleaning the carpets.
While traditional upright carpet cleaners are best suited to deep clean the carpets in your rooms or living area, they are not suitable for cleaning carpeted stairs. You won’t want to pick up a 30 pounds machine and go on every step of the stairs one by one.
Your best option in this situation is to have portable carpet cleaners. There are many options available in the market. Following are some of the best portable carpet cleaners for stairs.
Comparison Table of Best Portable Carpet Cleaners For Stairs
| Hose Length (ft.) | Cord Length (ft.) | Weight (lbs) | Clean Water Tank Capacity (oz) | Dirty Water Tank Capacity (oz) | Noise Level (dB) | Amperage (amp.) | Runtime (min.) | Self-Cleaning Feature | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BISSELL 3624 SpotClean pro | 5 | 20 | 13 | 92 | 92 | 87 | 5.7 | - | No |
| BISSELL 1400B Little Green | 4 | 15 | 9.6 | 48 | 48 | 83 | 3 | - | Yes |
| BISSELL 20037 Handheld Carpet Cleaner | - | - | 4.6 | 8 | 10 | 82 | 2.5 | 15 | No |
| BISSELL SpotBot Pet Handsfree Stain Cleaner | 5 | 15 | 14 | 32 | 28 | 86 | 3 | - | No |
| Rug Doctor Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner | 5 | 15 | 15 | 66 | 66 | 92 | 10 | - | No |
| BISSELL 2694 SpotClean ProHeat | 4.5 | 15 | 9.2 | 37 | 37 | 79 | 3 | - | Yes |
| HOOVER FH11300PC Spotless | 5 | 14 | 9 | 51 | 36 | 87 | 3.5 | - | Yes |
Specifications
- Hose length 5 ft
- Cord length 20 ft
- Weight 13 lbs
- Clean water tnk capacity 92 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 92 oz
- Noise level 87 dB
- Motor 5.7 amp
Bissell Spot Clean Pro portable carpet cleaner weighs only 13 lbs. This makes it a very lightweight and compact cleaner and easy to maneuver when it comes to cleaning carpeted stairs and going up and down.
Bissell Spot Clean Pro has a 20 ft long power cord that provides increased reach while you don’t have to worry about the power supply.
This portable cleaner offers superior suction power with an onboard hose. This allows you to properly deep clean the carpet and remove even the strongest stains. Its strong scrubbing action combined with the specially formulated Bissell cleaning solution removes even the most stubborn stains and deeply embedded dust and dirt.
It comes with a 6” tool specifically designed to clean carpeted stairs. And if you stumble across a tough stubborn stain, worry not. Bissell Spot Clean Pro comes with a 3” tool specifically designed to treat tough stains. It also has a hard bristle brush that agitates the pile of the carpet and excavates all the dirt and grime from deep down.
Bissell Spot Clean Pro has the largest water tank of 92 oz on this list. This much water capacity allows you to properly clean your carpeted stairs and other rugs without having to empty the tank in between the cleaning chores.
How To Protect Bissell SpotClean Pro Hose
The hose of Bissell Spot Clean Pro might become vulnerable and fragile during storage. This is not a malfunction but just a design flaw. Once you wrap the hose onto the main unit for storage and put the cleaning tool into the holder, the hose becomes too much bent from the area where it attaches to the handheld tool. Over a period of time, this crimp might cause the hose to tear down.
But this drawback can be overcome with a little care and DIY hacks. Instead of putting the handheld tool into its holder while storing the carpet cleaner, you should hang it with the help of some rope or wire ties. This will relieve the hose from getting bent and broken.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Large water tank
- Strong suction
Cons
- Vulnerable hose due to design flaw.
Specifications
- Hose length 4 ft
- Cord length 15 ft
- Weight 9.6 lbs
- Clean water tank capacity 48 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 48 oz
- Noise level 83 dB
- Self-Cleaning HydroRinse
- Motor 3 amp
Bissell Little Green 1400B is the best portable carpet cleaner under budget that you can use to clean your stairs easily and efficiently. Bissell Little Green 1400B is a well-built and efficient spot cleaner by one of the leaders in the industry at a very reasonable price. Its compact design makes it portable and easy to clean your stairs.
Weighing just 9.6 lbs, this green machine is by far the lightest carpet cleaner of its kind. You can easily pick it up and move it anywhere you want and treat your carpets and rugs easily.
With a hose length of 4 ft and a 3-inch tough stain tool, you can clean hard-to-reach areas and every corner.
Bissell Little Green has a water tank capacity of 48 oz. This is a bit less capacity as compared to other carpet cleaners. But considering the economical price tag of this cleaner, this capacity is not a big problem.
Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner comes with a HydroRinse Self-Cleaning tool. This tool cleans the hose and makes sure that no gunk, grime, or dirty water is stuck in the hose.
Bissell Little Green offers a very strong suction power that is especially good for removing wet stains from carpets and rugs. It can also remove dirt and pet messes as well with that suction power.
Pros
- Economical price
- Lightweight
- Self-cleaning HydroRinse tool
Cons
The dirty water tank doesn’t have a lid
Specifications
- Weight 4.6 lbs
- Cleaning solution tank capacity 8 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 10 oz
- Noise level 82 dB
- Runtime 15 min
When it comes to cleaning carpeted stairs, you cannot ask for anything better than a handheld cordless carpet cleaner. This Bissell 20037 handheld cordless stain eraser can remove all kinds of stains from anywhere and at any time.
With a weight of only 4.6 lbs, this handheld carpet shampooer is a feather in your hands. Cleaning stairs has never been this easier before.
This Bissell 20037 compact carpet cleaner offers cordless convenience. This means you don’t have to worry about the cords or the electric outlet near your stairs. Just charge this cordless cleaner, pick it up and clean whatever and wherever you want.
This handheld carpet cleaner is powered by a Lithium-Ion battery that gives up to 15 minutes of cleaning time once fully charged. This time is more than enough to clean your stairs without having to worry about the cords and hoses of a traditional carpet cleaner.
Pros
- Best for wet and fresh stains, especially pet messes.
- Compact design.
- Easy to maintain.
- Cordless
Cons
The dirty water tank might leak sometimes if the cap is not tied properly.
Specifications
- Hose length 5 ft
- Cord length 15 ft
- Weight 14 lb
- Clean water tank capacity 32 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 28 oz
- Noise Level 86 dB
- Motor 3 amp
If you are tired of going on your knees and scrubbing the stained carpet, Bissell SpotBot is for you. Bissell SpotBot is a handsfree spot cleaner. It contains a motorized bristle brush that agitates the carpet on its own and removes the stain from deep down. You don’t need to scrub the carpet anymore.
If you have got a coffee or wine stain on your carpeted stairs or your pet has made a mess and it has seeped deep down the carpet, no worries. Pick up the Bissell SpotBot and put it on the stain and forget about it. Its preset cleaning cycles will scrub the stained area while spraying the cleaning solution and then suck up all the mess back into the dirty water tank, automatically.
Bissell SpotBot is equipped with two cleaning modes.
- “Quick-Clean” for fresh, wet stains
- “Deep-Clean” for old, set-in stains.
With its DeepReach technology, Bissell SpotBot will go deep into the pile of the carpet to remove even the toughest and deep set-in stains.
It comes with a 3” tough stain tool attached to a 5 ft hose. This tool is handy when cleaning the stairs providing extra reach. This tool will help you pick up all the dirt and dust from the stairs along with cleaning the stains.
Bissel SpotBot has a compact design that is easy to pick up, handle and store.
Pros
- Handsfree cleaning with the motorized brush
- Saves time and energy
- DeepReach technology
Cons
- The hose is not removable for cleaning purposes
- The dirty water tank doesn’t have a lid. Dirty water can spill while emptying the tank if not taken care of properly.
Specifications
- Hose length 5 ft
- Power cord length 15 ft
- Weight 15 lbs
- Clean water tank capacity 66 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 66 oz
- Noise level 92 dB
- Motor 12 amp
When it comes to portability with high power, Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner comes on top. It is a carpet cleaner on wheels and offers great mobility when it comes to cleaning stairs.
Rug Doctor portable carpet extractor comes with a dual-action handheld tool with rubber bristles. This tool not only removes dirt, dust, and other wet stains but also removes all the pet messes from your carpet.
As mentioned above, Rug Doctor Pet Spot Cleaner comes with 2 big wheels. This means you can easily move it from one place to another without having to lift it. Above all, these wheels are carpet-friendly that won’t leave any marks on your carpet or rugs. It also has a retractable handle for easy handling.
Rug Doctor Pet contains a powerful motorized brush that offers great suction. It deep cleans the carpets and rugs and sucks all the dirt and grime from the base of the carpets as well.
Rug Doctor Spot Cleaner contains two separate water containers, one each for clean water and dirty water. This makes sure that the dirty water doesn’t mix with the clean water and you always spray your carpet with clean water.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Compact design
- Strong sutcion power
- Powerful against pet stains
Cons
- Loud, with a of noise level of 92 dB
Specifications
- Hose length 4.5 ft
- Power cord length 15 ft
- Weight 9.2 lb
- Clean water tank capacity 37 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 37 oz
- Noise level 79 dB
- Self-cleaning HydroRinse
- Motor 3 amp
With a noise level of only 79 dB, Bissell SpotClean ProHeat is the quietest portable carpet cleaner on the list. With a 3 amp motor, this Bissell carpet cleaner offers adequate suction power that can treat all types of stains and spillage from your carpets.
The main differentiating point between Bissell SpotClean Pro and Bissell SpotClean ProHeat is the HeatWave Technology. This Technology of the Bissell SpotClean ProHeat helps maintain the temperature of the clean water while you are cleaning the carpets. Hot water breaks and removes tough stains easily.
It comes with a HydroRinse self-cleaning tool. This tool cleans the hose and removes even the last drop of gunk and dirty water from the hose before storing it.
Bissell ProHeat comes with a 3” deep stain tool that pushes the cleaning solution deep into the pile of the carpet and lifts tough stains.
Pros
- Low noise level
- ProHeat technology
- Self-cleaning HydroRinse tool
- Affordable price
Cons
- Short hose length
- Small water tanks
Specifications
- Hose length 5 ft
- Cord length 14 ft
- Weight 9 lb
- Clean water tank capacity 51 oz
- Dirty water tank capacity 36 oz
- Noise level 87 dB
- Self-cleaning feature
- Motor 3.5 amp
Hoover Spotless is another good choice as a portable carpet cleaner for stairs. Weighing just 9 lb, it can easily be picked up and moved around the house conveniently.
It comes with a 4-inch cleaning tool which is perfect to clean your carpeted stairs.
Hoover Spotless comes with a self-cleaning feature. After cleaning up all the mess, you can remove the cleaning head from the hose, insert the hose into the Hose Cleaning Port, and it will suck all the grime, sludge, and gunge from the hose into the dirty water tank.
This is a nicely built machine. Both tanks are easily removable from the main unit. You can easily empty the dirty water tank without the fear of any spillage.
Pros
- Self-cleaning feature
- Easily removable water tanks
- Compact design
- Good suction power
Cons
- Small dirty water tank
Portable Carpet Cleaner Buying Guide For Stairs
Carpet cleaners come in many shapes, sizes, features, and specifications. But when it comes to selecting a carpet cleaner for stairs, you need to take some specific features into consideration before making a decision. After all, you won’t want to pick up an upright carpet cleaner weighing 30 lbs and move it up and downstairs for cleaning.
Before making a buying decision for a Carpet cleaner for your stairs, the following features must be considered.
Portability
A carpet cleaner must be portable and easily movable from one stair to the other. It should not have a bulky design. This is the reason that upright carpet cleaners are not suitable for cleaning the stairs. A lightweight carpet cleaner with a compact design is a perfect choice for cleaning stairs.
Ease Of Use
If you want to get rid of spots and stains from your carpeted stairs, a small but deep coffee or wine stain, for example, a carpet cleaner with a motorized brush will be the best choice. A motorized brush will do all the grinding for you while you are free to do other work.
Tank Capacity
The tank capacity of the carpet cleaner should be enough to clean the stairs properly in one go. Both the clean water tank and the dirty water tank should have adequate capacity and be properly designed and placed. Some carpet cleaners have dirty water tanks without lids that become very messy when emptying them.
Suction Power
The suction power of a portable carpet cleaner will surely be less than a traditional upright or canister carpet cleaner. But a portable carpet cleaner should have enough suction power so that it should suck all the dirt and also the water and the cleaning solution from the carpet to let it dry quickly.
Power Cord Length
When choosing a corded carpet cleaner, the power cord length should be taken into consideration, especially if you don’t have an electric power outlet near your stairs. Use an extension cord if this is the issue.
Hose Length
The hose length is also an important feature of a portable carpet cleaner. The longer the hose length the easier for you to clean the stairs while the main unit is placed on one stair.
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